- CAN I WATCH LATER? Yes! Sign-up and we'll email you a recording
Event Description
Join us for an exciting 8-week journey into the world of British Sign Language (BSL) with Emm's new course designed for beginners. Building on the success of last year's Introduction to BSL, this course aims to equip you with the basics of BSL communication, fostering Deaf-friendly interactions and enabling you to engage in initial conversations with Deaf BSL users in the community.
Course Overview: In this comprehensive course, you'll delve into essential vocabulary, phrases, and grammar, empowering you to hold basic conversations in British Sign Language. The course is perfect for individuals aspiring to communicate confidently in BSL, offering an enjoyable exploration of this beautiful, visual, and expressive language.
Week-by-Week Breakdown:
Week 1: Introduction to BSL
- Course outline and introduction to everyday life vocabulary
- Recapping the alphabet, fingerspelling rules, and when to use fingerspelling
Week 2: Food, drink, and shopping
- Recap of fingerspelling with a quiz
- Exploring vocabulary related to food, drink, and shopping trips
Week 3: Dining Out
- Recap of food and drink vocabulary
- Navigating a visit to a restaurant, including dinner table etiquette
Week 4: Holidays
- Recap of restaurant-related vocabulary
- Going on holiday
- Deaf Awareness quiz
Week 5: Working with BSL Interpreters
- Recap of holiday-related vocabulary
- Handy tips for effective communication when working with BSL interpreters
Week 6: At the Beach
- Recap of previous weeks' topics
- Enjoy a day at the beach
- A brief insight into Deaf education
Week 7: Unveiling Deaf History
- Recap of beach-related vocabulary
- Explore a brief history of Deaf culture and achievements
Week 8: Culmination and Beyond
- Course summary
- Top 10 Deaf Awareness tips
- Evaluations and guidance on progression courses
Embark on this educational journey, and not only will you learn the fundamentals of BSL, but you'll also gain valuable insights into Deaf culture, history, and effective communication strategies. Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of this enriching experience!
Once you have booked onto this course, please scroll down the page to the resources section and download the handouts provided.
- Duration: 8 x 60 mins
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (a recording will be available)
Meet the Host, Emm Sharpe
Emm Sharpe first became involved with the Deaf community in 1985 within the school environment supporting the classroom teachers and providing personal care and support for Deaf, autistic, and disabled young people. Whilst working in this sector she discovered the beauty of British Sign Language.
Since 1985 Emm has worked across a wide range of organisations in various positions as a key worker specialising in supporting Deaf people in sheltered accommodation, charitable organisations, education, HM prison, healthcare and with individual 1 to 1 support.
Emm is active within the deaf community and has been teaching adults and children in schools for many years. Along with an extensive range of qualifications she holds a Bachelor Of Science (Hons) in Deaf Studies and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) allowing her to develop a range of bespoke and tailored course across multiple industries.
Emm works within the UK offering commercial and private tuition with a focus on helping individuals, local services and businesses understand their obligations to the Equality act of 2010.
In the last few years Emm has developed a range of courses that are designed to educate organisations on how to provide accessible workplaces and adopt a Deaf friendly environment, enabling staff and management to become Deaf Aware and are able to effectively communicate in BSL at an introductory level with their Deaf employees and clients/customers.
Preparing for the Event
For the best experience, you will need to have Zoom downloaded onto your computer. Please ensure you're connected to broadband/wifi rather than using your mobile phone connection (3G/4G).
We also recommend that pets are either calmly sitting on your lap or in another room, and any refreshments you may require are within your reach!
Resources
Introduction to BSL – learn some basic British Sign Language (BSL) in 8 weeks! has supplementary learning materials provided by the event host. Once you book an event, you will get access to these resources.
More Information
What if I can’t make the event?
If a recording’s available for the event, you can still register for it and we will send you an email with a link to a recording shortly after it ends.
Will my camera be on and will I be visible to the other people?
Your camera and microphone does not need to be on for you to enjoy the event. The choice about whether to do this is completely yours.
How do I watch the live event?
Rest Less events are hosted on Zoom, a computer application that allows you to attend online events just by clicking a link. For detailed instructions, please go to our "FAQ" page, which you can find a link to in the nav bar at the top of the page.
How do I sign-up for and access the recording? (Recorded events only)
Book the event as normal (as if you are attending live). After the event ends you will automatically receive a post-event email with a link to the recording, as long as the event was recorded. You do not need to do anything else and there is no separate booking process for recordings only. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for Zoom to process recordings.
