Looking to learn sign language - for free!

kr15snw

I am currently a Level one BSL signer. I am not even allowed to say 'I can sign' to my employers until I am a level 2 (due to legal reasons). They wont legally let you teach until your level 3 or even further.

I did the introductionary course for free, but Level 1 cost me about £150.

It took me a year of lessons for 3 hours a week and a minimum of 2 hours practice a week. Its very hard, but definately worth it!

Its also best to be taught by a deaf person as you need to have awareness of the deaf community for your exams / classes. We learnt about minicomms and other things. A hearing person simply doesnt understand this to the full extent.

And teaching yourself is never a good idea, as some signs are very very similar! For example cream and oral sex are almost identicle and very easily mixed up! One of our group members asked for strawberries and oral sex recently... oops..

Spendless

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I think there's a difference between an employer paying for classes, and finding free ones, which is what the OP was asking about!

I was wondering if there was any colleges/schools in the area where she could work or even volunteer at and if they would pay for classes in the same way or even if she could do the same as my friend has as a way in to teaching!

**purpleprincess**

Is there a deaf club near you where you could go and pick up a few signs?? It is advisable to be taught as with any language so that you get it just right and to teach it unfortunately you'd have to get the right qualifications.

Good luck though!!

fgaughan

You can't learn sign language from a book alone.. visit your local college and do it from there. Its like learn to drive a car from a book!
If you claim benifits or tax credits its a reduced fee ...depend on local authority.

mrsmagoo_3

I have been doing a sign along course at our local special needs school, very similar but not the same as makaton. May be worth asking if there are any special needs schools in your area, our one runs them regularly on various levels to enable both new and old parents to participate.

scoobydo_2

I'm currently studying bsl level 1 i am getting this free as i'm in reciept of child tax and working tax credits , if you get benifits you may be entitled to free courses .

floss2

Try your local Deaf Society.

ALso, there is a tv programme on CBeebies that teaches children with special needs & their families Makaton - it's called Something Special.

mountainofdebt

i did an introductory course (that BSL 1 would have followed on from) at my local FE college and cost about £55 including the exam that you needed to sit to go onto the BSL1.

Unfortunately I failed the exam and haven't gone back .......I did enjoy it though but felt that it needed alot more attention than I was able to give it becuase of other commitments.

Will try again though in September.

taleye

http://www.signstation.org/signstation_dictionary/

this might be of help

shudd1967

I am currently learning at level 2 and funding it myself.

There is no way a hearing person should teach BSL, there is no easy or cheap way to become fully qualified at BSL. Would suggest you do some research by looking at the Yahoo BSL Learners group and see what people are going through in order to learn this amazing and complicated language. I would also suggest that perhaps you research the Deaf world a whole lot more, their culture and beliefs. You will have more respect not just for them but also the language.