Motivation as a Key Factor in the Education of Students in Bulgarian Sign Language

Abstract

In recent years, the scientific ambition for in-depth study of the nature of sign language have stimulated intensive research in the Bulgarian educational space, which led to a radical change in views on its status as a full-fledged language, equal in complexity and capabilities with a spoken language. Nevertheless, in the Bulgarian literary fund there are almost no publications related to research discussing the problem of students’ education in BGSL in terms of variables that have an influence on its study. Among the complex network of factors determining the mastery of SL as a second sign system (L2), motivation is a key factor. The current study is dedicated to its effect. It includes the participation of 80 hearing students learning the basics of BGSL as a second language. The results showed a statistically significant influence of the motivational factor on the formation of gesture-sign students’ competence in BGSL as E2.