About me
Me signing "fantastic"
Hi my name is Lally, I am 24 years old and this is my blog about learning British Sign Language.
I began signing in church when I was 14 as part of my confirmation mass and really enjoyed it. A few years ago I decided I would like to take a course and enrolled at my local college. Unfortunately there was not enough interest in the course to run it, so I ended up getting my deposit back and putting it on a back burner.
At the beginning of 2009 I made a list of things I wanted to achieve by the age of 30 and learning a second language was one of them. At the same time I moved to Blackpool and was looking for a hobby and a way to make some friends in the area when I crossed paths with Sign Language.
I saw an advert in the local supermarket for a private college offering a foundation British Sign Language course over 6 weeks, luckily the day I phoned was the day before the course started and so my learning adventure began.
That was in April 2009 and at the end of September 2009 I completed my Level One Signature certified British Sign Language course. I begin my Level Two qualification in October 2010 and completed it in April 2011.
Alongside BSL, I am studying for an BSc in IT.
I was encouraged to create this blog after attending Barcamp Blackpool in October 2009, where I hosted a session entitled “An Introduction to BSL”, which got a brilliant response from an unlikely audience.
I hope that you will find the blog informative and entertaining and maybe even be inspired to learn BSL too.
Lally.
5 Comments
Hi Lally,
I came across your blog completely by accident when I was looking for ideas for my exam story. I love your blog! It’s very interesting. I am hard of hearing but I was only introduced to British Sign Language five years ago.
You seem to have gone through your levels very quickly! However, I am not doing a foundation course. Did you find it to be very condensed and you had to learn an awful lot over a very short period of time? I live in the HIghlands of Scotland and it took me more than a year to pass level one as there was never enough people to hold a class.
I am currently learning level two and I’m finding it to be such a big jump – I wasn’t expecting it to be that big! – from level one. Did you ever find that? So it’s quite challenging and I’m nervous for my exam on the 13th!
Were there quite a lot of deaf people in your church then? Do you have family members who are deaf?
I also see that your last blog was in October (I’m just about to read it!) so have you completed level two by now?
I’d love to hear back from you if you have the time!
Laura
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your comment. You’re right, I have progressed quickly through level one and level two. I think that’s because I enjoyed level one so much I wanted to jump straight into level two. For now, I have put BSL on a back burner, as I’m concentrating on getting my degree in computing (which is also why the posts have tailed off somewhat!)
I did find the change from level one to level two quite difficult, I found the speed of signing was significantly faster, and I found it very hard to read signs at level two, particularly on the video for exams, but it gets easier with plenty of practice.
There were a few deaf people that attended my church, with more coming when word spread that we signed most of our services. I’ve moved away from that church now, so I don’t know if they still offer BSL services, or how large the community there has grown. I also have a cousin who is deaf, but she doesn’t sign, she mostly lip reads and uses a hearing aid so speaks quite well. Unfortunately due to her age, when she was at school deaf children were encouraged to learn to speak, rather than sign!
Wishing you the best of luck in your exam tomorrow!
Lally.
Hi lally,
Love your blog!
I started signing in 2009 doing my level 2 at the moment its a 2 year course im hoping to progress on to level 3. I think its good you love it as much as i do.
Ive found this year a huge change but i really enjoy the challenge. Im hoping if i start attending deaf club this will help. Ive worked with deaf children with learning difficulties but very few signed so struggle to practice.
you should definatly keep it up i hope to become an interpreter one day but think thats a long way off.
how did you practice i havent found much online to help :-/
thanks
Amy
Hi Amy,
it’s nice to hear of other people enjoying their courses as much as I did, where are you studying?
Thanks for your comment
I definitely think that going to deaf club is the best place to get practice, if you have one near you, if not, why not ask a few of your classmates and think about starting one?
As for online resources, I watched a *lot* of videos on youtube in BSL, on any topic from the translation of a pamphlet about diabetes to covers of songs, particularly by this guy who also has some videos here.
Other than on youtube, I watched any programmes with signing on iPlayer, even when I wasn’t interested in the programme. It’s a really good way to brush up your receptive skills. Check here regularly, as the shows get updated pretty often. See Hear is a show I’d recommend watching, as not only is it signed but it’s aimed at deaf and hard of hearing audiences as well, so it’s a great way of getting an insight into deaf culture and building an understanding.
I hope you find these links helpful! Please let me know if you have any other sites you’d like to share.
Thanks,
Lally.
Hello again!
sorry i havent replied sooner.
im currently studying with the deafness support network theres the link below if you want to check it out its a fab class really enjoying it i’m pretty close to exams now which is scary but exciting.
http://www.dsnonline.co.uk/
ive been looking on iplayer and theres some super stuff i really like the childrens programs as ive got more chance of understanding the signing which is good i play it with the sound and subs off then turn the on when i watch it a second time to see what ive missed.
ive found this link which is pretty cool website lots of practicy bits which is awesome
http://www.bslbt.co.uk/
Thanks
Amy