College e-learning team set up self-teach signing

E-learning resources centre facilitator Sally Bell has set up ‘Signing Central’ in the e-learning centre at East Riding College’s Bridlington campus.

Inspired by a desire to support learners who sign, a group of staff at the college attended a sign language workshop and returned determined to spread the word to other staff and students at the College.

 Sally repurposed a corner of the College’s e-learning centre and created ‘Signing Central’, an area that staff and students can visit which encourages self-teaching of basic signs. It contains a ‘sign of the week’ pack, alphabet guides, and relevant, seasonal displays.

The set up has already been visited by learners who are able to sign and they are enthusiastic to be involved in the project.  Deaf awareness week, which was held in May, celebrated deafness and focused on the 50,000 deaf children and young people in the UK.  The week raises awareness of the fight for inclusion of deafness and highlights the impact of hearing loss on everyday life.  It follows the amazing impact of actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.  A British Sign Language user, Rose and partner Giovanni Pernice helped to give people a better understanding of deafness, and have raised interest in learning signing in non-deaf people.

Sally said, “Our interest has been driven by a desire to communicate better with our students who are sign-language users, whether that be Makaton or BSL.  It’s also about making students feel included and the more of us who know some signs, the better, whether that be other students or staff.”