Hello.

I work in a University as support staff, and I have a new student in our area who is deaf. I’m helping him out with learning some new camera equipment, and it would be really great if I could improve my level of communication with him by learning a bit of sign language.

We’re getting by at the minute, and we mostly understand each other, but I really think I could do more to help him understand me.

I’ll probably be able to do a more in depth course through work, but it may be a while before I can start it.

Does anyone know of any good online resources to get me started ?

All help greatly appreciated.

Half-serious suggestion: some TV channels have someone signing. But you’d need to learn the basics first, I guess.

Steve and Trish Gibson at http://www.deafeducate.co.uk have some stuff on their website. They can also do translation services (from text to video clips of BSL) as BSL is regarded as the first language and written English often lags behind. You might be able to get funding for this through the Uni’s widening access funds. (They used to be neighbours in Doncaster but jammy buggers moved to the Peak District last year, lovely people.)

I guess you’re looking for something a bit more professional than Mr Tumble? 🙂

Seriously – Mr Tumble doesn’t use normal sign language does he?

Mr Tumble is MaKaTon user on screen, not BSL, though there is some overlap.

Cheers all.

Found this, which is pretty cheap for the beginners course.

Introducing British Sign Language

So I’ll see if work would be willing to pay the £20, and I can study it on my own time.

Colleague of mine helped write that course, it’s supposed to be good. Then he would say that.

I’ll ask ‘The Boy’ (22 and taller than me) as he’s learning for work, LD Nursing (he’s all ready Makaton proficient). I’ll fire off a message now and get back to this over the weekend.

Young Sandwich is using trailofdestructions recommendation.