App Profile: The Giant Turnip-ASL

Summary:
• Interactive and bilingual ASL/English storybook app designed for visual learners, especially deaf children between the ages of 3 and 7, and their families.
• Based on a classic Russian story, the app covers storytelling in sign language and print.

Synopsis:
The classic Slavic folk tale “The Giant Turnip” takes on new life as a tool for bilingual education of deaf and hard of hearing children! Through this story of a grandpa and his family’s quest to pull out the giant turnip, the young reader can achieve early exposure to bilingualism and improve their language and literacy development.

• U.S. Project Directors: Alexandra Karamanova and Robert Siebert
• Russia Project Directors: Alla Mallabiu and Zoya Boytseva
• Illustrator: Alexei Svetlov http://alexeisvetlov.com/
• Storytellers: Robert Siebert (ASL) and Vera Shamaeva (RSL)
• Video Production: CSD Creative http://www.csd.org/creative/
• Art Production: Melissa Malzkuhn
• In partnership with: Ya Tebya Slyshu: http://ihearyou.ru/
• Special thanks to Dr. Melissa Herzig and Melissa Malzkuhn of the National Science Foundation Science of Learning Center on Visual Language and Visual Learning at Gallaudet University http://www.vl2storybookcreator.com/

This project is made possible by the support of the US-Russia Social Expertise Exchange. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect the views of the US-Russia Social Expertise Exchange.”