The best recognised intensive sign language short courses?

bearamy98

Hi there,

I would like to learn sign language so was thinking of doing a course but would prefer to do an intensive/short one (that ideally has FETAC or other recognised qualifications) so was wondering if anybody knew of any good ones? (Ideally in North Tipp or Limerick but I’d be willing to travel)

Thanks in advance!

Iwouldinmesack

bearamy98 wrote: »

Hi there,

I would like to learn sign language so was thinking of doing a course but would prefer to do an intensive/short one (that ideally has FETAC or other recognised qualifications) so was wondering if anybody knew of any good ones? (Ideally in North Tipp or Limerick but I’d be willing to travel)

Thanks in advance!

First of what sign language? All signed languages are different. They are full languages just like spoken languages are. The native one of Ireland is called irish Sign Language. To be anywhat fluent you'd have to train as an interpreter in Trinity college for four years in their school of Deaf studies. It's not a quick thing to learn, you need to immerse yourself in Deaf culture and practice continuously . If you want to start somewhere and avail of basic isl courses you can contact the Cork deaf association online. It's not a quick process as it's completely different from a spoken language. If you're talking about learning Lamh which is a communication aid not a language and derives from ISL( 500 ISL signs) paired with spoken English and used in I'd settings, there are plenty of courses available throughout the country.

bearamy98

Thanks for that, I didn’t realise that there was such a difference between them!

I would like to work either as a primary teacher, classroom assistant/SNA or early years teacher/worker so I’d like to have a basic enough level of sign language so that I could communicate with those that I might end up working with who might have hearing or speaking difficulties

Iwouldinmesack

bearamy98 wrote: »

Thanks for that, I didn’t realise that there was such a difference between them!

I would like to work either as a primary teacher, classroom assistant/SNA or early years teacher/worker so I’d like to have a basic enough level of sign language so that I could communicate with those that I might end up working with who might have hearing or speaking difficulties

I suggest you look into it a bit more as you don't seem to know a lot about Deaf people and our language, culture, traditions etc. Irish Sign Language is a full language and is recognised as a native language of Ireland under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017. Tbh to have a level of ISL so that you can converse with a Deaf person will take a long time to learn. It's not English. Think about it, how can you understand something spoken when youve never heard it? People don't seem to get that. You might as well speak Chinese. When I use ISL I don't speak, as its a visual language. Lamh, a communication aid which derives from ISL paired with spoken English, which Deaf people do not use on the other hand will only take a short time to learn. It's a single sign from our language paired with a spoken word, used for hearing children with I'd to assist them in their language development.

bearamy98

Ya that’s a good point I suppose!

I was terrible at Irish and French in school so wouldn’t expect myself to be able to develop a high standard of sign language but I like the idea of being able to communicate with deaf/hard of hearing people on a basic and ideally more advanced level

emilymemily

Hi,
You dont need to be completely fluent in sign language and complete a 4 year course, unless you intend to be an interpreter. Special needs schools and some early education schools offer basic sign language courses to staff and give them adequate skills to communicate with the children who use sign so there is absolutely no need to complete a BA.
In Ireland you will learn Irish sign language. Heres a good resource that will give you basic words and phrases http://www.learnirishsignlanguage.ie/

There are organisations that offer free ISL courses but theyre often only available to parents or professionals already employed in education or health care settings but if you contact the irish deaf society they will give you information regarding public courses which I believe begin in September and you will be awarded a certificate upon completion of each level, the areas in which the courses take place are limited though and they can be quite expensive but its worth doing as it will add to your cv.

bearamy98

Thanks for that!

No I definitely wasn’t planning on doing a BA degree in sign language, I was more thinking along the lines of either the courses offered by the Irish Deaf Society or else the further education ones like in the Limerick College of Further Education

I just would like to have a basic level of sign language so that I could communicate with children with verbal or hearing difficulties in an educational setting as much as possible

Iwouldinmesack

As I said, if you wish to work with children with verbal difficulties, learn lamh, those children aren't deaf. If you wish to work with Deaf people learn isl, which is our language, that simple. No point in half arsing it and just learning basic signs. It's time Deaf children were offered the education they deserve after years of us being treated as third class citizens.

emilymemily

bearamy98 wrote: »

Thanks for that!

No I definitely wasn’t planning on doing a BA degree in sign language, I was more thinking along the lines of either the courses offered by the Irish Deaf Society or else the further education ones like in the Limerick College of Further Education

I just would like to have a basic level of sign language so that I could communicate with children with verbal or hearing difficulties in an educational setting as much as possible

Ive not heard of the one in Limerick FE, can you contact the college? They may be able to give you all the information you need.
Good on you for taking it on, its such an interesting topic and you'll be surprised how quickly you pick it up. Its well worth it.

bearamy98

This is the one I was talking about;

http://www.lcfe.ie/parttime-department/languages/

I could contact them I suppose but I was just trying to suss out all my options first

emilymemily

bearamy98 wrote: »

This is the one I was talking about;

http://www.lcfe.ie/parttime-department/languages/

I could contact them I suppose but I was just trying to suss out all my options first

Yeah definitely contact them, they'll have all the information youre looking for and will likely be able to guide you in the right direction.

bearamy98

Thanks for that!

Iwouldinmesack

bearamy98 wrote: »

This is the one I was talking about;

http://www.lcfe.ie/parttime-department/languages/

I could contact them I suppose but I was just trying to suss out all my options first

Drives me mad when they call it sign language. Deaf people campaigned for over 30 years to get our language recognised as a native language of Ireland so we would be treated equally. Its Irish Sign Language, not sign language. If they are going to teach it at least call it by its proper name.

bearamy98

Sorry I didn’t realise that there was such a difference and that it could be offensive to leave the Irish part out!

Iwouldinmesack

bearamy98 wrote: »

Sorry I didn’t realise that there was such a difference and that it could be offensive to leave the Irish part out!

It doesn't distinguish what they are teaching. It could be any sign language, all which are different and unique to their Deaf communities. ISL is the native sign language in Ireland, if they're teaching that, why not call it that. Doesn't bode well for the course if its not called by its correct name imo. You wouldn't call a spoken Irish course English would you.

bearamy98

No I suppose not, I just assumed that the signs/ symbols would be fairly similar across all of the varying sign languages

Iwouldinmesack

bearamy98 wrote: »

No I suppose not, I just assumed that the signs/ symbols would be fairly similar across all of the varying sign languages

As similar as English is to Chinese

bearamy98

Oh okay, I thought there’d only be so many words people could make with their hands so thought there’d be quite a lot of overlap

Iwouldinmesack

bearamy98 wrote: »

Oh okay, I thought there’d only be so many words people could make with their hands so thought there’d be quite a lot of overlap

Again, just like spoken languages, there's a huge variation. It's not only a language of the hands, but the body, eyes, lips, eyebrows etc.