Lit - British Sign Language For Dummies

British Sign Language For Dummies

by City Lit Faculty of Deaf Education and Learning Support

British Sign Language For Dummies

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-0-470-69477-0

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International, Padstow, Cornwall

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Authors

City Lit, based in London, is the largest adult education college in Europe, providing thousands of part-time courses each year, from the visual and performing arts, to languages, humanities, complementary therapies, and counselling.

City Lit's Faculty of Deaf Education and Learning Support offers one of the most comprehensive programmes in Europe for D/deaf learners and those interested in working in a deaf-related field. With over 60 years' experience, the provision is nationally and internationally viewed as a centre of excellence, and the department is frequently contacted to offer advice, support and training on a wide variety of issues related to deafness, deaf learners, and working with deaf people.

Learners come from all over the country and beyond - so unique is the programme and so highly regarded are the expertise and skills of staff (who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing). The team includes teachers of the deaf, of lipreading and sign language; teacher trainers, interpreters, communicators, note takers (manual and electronic) and hearing therapists.

City Lit's annual Deaf Day celebration is a free national event providing a large exhibition and many exciting workshops. Usually held in March or April, it is open to all. For more information please visit www.citylit.ac.uk

Melinda Napier is Deaf from birth and comes from a Deaf family. She has worked at City Lit for over 25 years, managing the Communication and Training Programme Area. She has taught on Teacher Training courses since 1981 and has vast experience of teaching BSL from Level 1 to Level 4. She was with the Association of British Sign Language Tutors and Assessors from the very start and is now its Chair. She lives in Surrey and loves London, her children and new Australian granddaughter. She is living in the hope that her granddaughter will learn from the book to communicate with her grandmother in BSL not AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language)!

James Fitzgerald has been working within the faculty of Deaf Education at City Lit for the past 9 years. In that time, he has worked as a note-taker, a communication support worker, a lip-speaker, a support tutor and now as a qualified BSL/English interpreter. In addition to interpreting, James co-ordinates the faculty's Business Training & Interpreting Unit and delivers deaf awareness and communication courses with a Deaf colleague to staff at City Lit, and to external businesses around London. Apart from BSL, James has a love of log-fires and wellington boots, and lives in leafy Surrey with his wife and four kids... and seven ducks!

Elise Pacquette (the illustrator) attended Norwich School of Art and Design, where she studied for a BA (Hons) in Illustration, and an MA in Fine Art. Whilst working as a prop maker in London, she started learning BSL. She has worked at City Lit since 2002 as a Senior Communicator and is currently studying a PGDip in BSL/English interpreting. She lives in London with her husband and two young children and regularly receives painting commissions to fit into her free (!) time. She loves baking, singing, painting, and (oh, yes) signing.

Authors' Acknowledgments

With a huge thanks to all the staff and students from the City Lit Faculty of Deaf Education and Learning Support whose contributions and support have been invaluable in putting together this resource. We are confident that all new learners of BSL will not only benefit from their hard work but will also enjoy themselves learning the language of the Deaf community in Britain!