Gareth Jones - Latest Comments in Learning sign language

Re: Learning sign language

miranda beard — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:52:44 -0000

I think people that are not deaf should line it if they want. Becase they would be able to understand the deaf batter.

Re: Learning sign language

Melissa — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:59:49 -0000

no worries Gareth - thanks for all the help youre sharing with everyone x hope portfolio goes well! all the best x

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:19:08 -0000

Hi Melissa,

I'm not a teacher and have only just completed my level 3 portfolio myself so I'm no expert! My suggestion to you would be to always follow your tutor's advice. They are much more likely know the most up to date requirements from the exam board than your friends. Good luck!

Re: Learning sign language

Melissa Pattison — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:31:40 -0000

thanks for that - and so quick too!! x
can we be really cheeky and get you to look over our assignment? we have a few problems that when we ask our deafies that we've known for years - they say the structure is fine - but then we go to college our tutor says otherwise!
CONFUSED!!!
we're at the start of all the video work and deadline for one is this coming tuesday (no pressure then) we have tried 5 times to get this right and its still rejected :(

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:35:50 -0000

Hi Melissa,

Glad my post on word order was useful but yes, the grammar can be a bit confusing. It also changes depending on the type of person signing, context and a whole variety of things (as with other languages). There's a few other articles I've written on this site which might be of use - try looking through those here: http://blog.garethj.com/tag/bsl/

Another recommendation would be the Linguistics of Sign Language book (http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.as...). It's a bit heavy going but has some really good detail on BSL grammar. I found it really useful and interesting.

Good luck with your level 3 - let me know how you get on!

Re: Learning sign language

Melissa Pattison — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:55:47 -0000

Hi Gareth - my friend and I started our Level 3 Cert in Sept 08 and are really struggling with the grammar and structure of the BSL language x any tips???
have read your word order which IS a big help - but still confused!!!!!
x x Melissa

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:36:27 -0000

Hi Gilly, thanks for your message! Glad you found this site useful. I've been a bit quiet lately as have had lots of things on, including putting together my level 3 portfolio which is quite a task! More to come at some point, I promise. Good luck with your Level 2.

Re: Learning sign language

Gilly — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:00:54 -0000

Hi Garath,

I'm currently studying level 2 (started in september) really enjoying it. I don't know any deaf people so i am trawling the internet for BSL blogs etc....found yours really clear and helpful. Thanks everso

Gilly

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:28:34 -0000

I've had various administrative problems with all three of my BSL courses so I'm not really surprised. Ironically communication problems seem to be at heart of most of them. Good luck with Level 1!

Re: Learning sign language

Busby SEO Test — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:12:43 -0000

Hey, subscribed to your vid on youtube and then found my way here.
I bit behind you in the sense that i started BSL level 1 last september but then it got cancelled after five weeks. so been wiaint for them to find another tutor to start it again. Good news is that the course starts again in September, so BSL level one here i come!

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:28:19 -0000

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for your comments - really glad you found it interesting. Good luck with the rest of your level 3 and the rest to become an interpreter. Always need more of people like you!

Re: Learning sign language

Jenny — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:13:37 -0000

Really interesting gareth!! I've neary finished my level 3bsl, really looking forwards to becoming an interpreter. I've worked with deaf people for 6years now and i'm still loving it.

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Hey Dave,

Thanks very much for your comments, more than happy for you to paying attention and contributing :)

Guys learning to sign definitely seem to be a rarity, I've been the only guy on all my three courses. Good luck with the NVQ, I thought it was supposed to be harder than the certificate but maybe I'm wrong - maybe they're just different. As I don't really do much official work with any deaf people (apart from the occasional thing with my friend Ben) a vocational course didn't seem like the right choice for me so I picked the certificate. Still have lots of work to do for it, definitely hard with a full time job I agree!

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:27:02 -0000

Great! Really pleased to hear that. Good luck with the rest of your learning.

Re: Learning sign language

Dave S — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:30:17 -0000

Hey,

Found your blog through your YouTube video, came in really handy when I was trying to refresh my memory on multichannel signs. Good to see another guy learning to sign, my Level 2 course was the same, I was the only guy in a group of 16! Am nearly finished my Level 3 NVQ, which seems to be much easier than the normal Level 3 certificate, so hopefully I will get that qualification. Not sure how you find the time to work, do your Level 3 and translate stuff to put here, so all respect to you mate. Oh, btw, your experience of interpreting at a bigger meeting, I remember my first time, so daunting, but if you got praise from a deaf person, thats the highest praise you can get, so well done you :-)

Hope you dont mind me posting, or me checking your blog every now and again

Re: Learning sign language

chimpus — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:34:19 -0000

gareth, you have given me a much needed boost on my very eary journey into learning BSL - thank you !!

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:15:41 -0000

Hi Lyn, glad you found the stuff here useful :) Writing the stuff here takes no time at all so that's easy to do. The signed videos take a bit longer and require some thought and organisation so they take a while and sometimes I just don't do it. I wonder whether starting with a signed video and then translating to English might be quicker, maybe I'll try that soon.

Level 3 is very different to 1 and 2 (portfolio of evidence rather than exams) but I'm really enjoying it. Good luck on with your assessment on Wednesday!

Re: Learning sign language

Lyn McCanna — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:32:01 -0000

Hi gareth,
I'm a level 2 BSL student, last assessment this Wed!! Found your blog as i was swatting up on non manual features. thanks v. interesting! how do you find time for the blog and your studies??? I've got a deaf friend also who I interpret for at church and hence doing level 2 with a view to pre -level 3 in september and possible job supporting deaf students at my local college. Nice to meet other students on line . thanks again and best wishes with your learning. Lyn mcCanna

Re: Learning sign language

garethj — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:12:03 -0000

Hi inwils, thanks for your comments. Good luck with BSL level one :)

Re: Learning sign language

inwils — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:45:26 -0000