Mair

Hi Sue, Thanks, I replied on another thread - very helpful.

Hi, I'm new to all of this and I love that this forum helps me see that I am not the only one who is just starting...I have several reasons for wanting to learn... When I was 16 I learnt the BSL alphabet during a performing arts assignment tour guiding children around a reading village (dressed as a jester) - fun fact! I shocked myself when a few weeks ago I saw something about the alphabet and just casually did it...and got them all right - not sure how when it's been 25 years and that was literally a 2 day event! Anyway last year I saw a few posts about signing form people and was inspired, but my sister posted on social media about my 6 year old niece who is hard of hearing (She's actually a very good lip reader so I never even noticed) and how she's learning sign language because she finds it useful as an extra communication tool, so the whole family (My sister and all of her 6 children) are learning with her....I loved that! I decided to learn a few things to say hello to her but then I thought that instead of just a novelty 'Hello' to impress her I would like to actually learn a real conversation. I was shocked to learn that BSL wasn't actually a recognised UK language until 2003 when there are 151,000 people who use it as a primary language in the UK...that's not the only people either as lots use it as an additional language. A little aside: a few years ago I went to Norway to do a job...when I was there I didn't have a word of the language and almost everyone who could put themselves out and spoke English for me, the times they couldn't I felt so out of the loop and alienated. My entire mindset with languages changed in an instant...I always thought that if someone lives in my country or is around me then it's their job to speak what I speak...I saw how selfish and alienating that was and determined to always do what I could to help anyone who couldn't communicate with the people around them (which I do know probably isn't a lot as I don't actually speak any other languages). But I realise that attitude I had then is more common than we like to admit...because I wasn't being actively mean just ignorant and uneducated, but the experience changed my view point. Sorry - I am not trying to be controversial on here! When we found out my niece had hearing difficulties (Formal diagnosis is pending of whether she has hearing loss, partial hearing etc or which ears work to what degree) I thought of myself in that country trying hard to fit into the language and every time that little girl was told that she sounded wrong or every time she had her back turned and people expected her to know what was going on that must have been how she felt. So I want to learn BSL for that reason - because I don't want to keep expecting everyone to be in my world all the time and if there's a chance I can communicate with new people in a. new way then that's great. I also think that it's just something good to learn - I used to do family contact work and saw several deaf people and interpreters so professionally I might meet people who I may not be a great help to but if I meet a child or family through work and being able to say a few sentences will be good I think Over the years I have tried to learn languages but I learn best by doing things and work best with my hands so being able to learn entirely by doing it is the best for me. Sorry for a super long post...I have so many reasons for wanting to learn and am loving it. 🙂 Happy Weekend!!!

my video has not worked - ignore it!!! it's blank!

Hello, I am Mair. Just a beginner at BSL but enjoying it....I am probably terrible at this but practice makes perfect I am sure! Thought I'd post a little attempt at an intro (Mostly because when the BSL course said to introduce yourself I assumed it meant in BSL but I can see from everyone else it probably didn't....thought I'd set myself the challenge anyway!!) I welcome feedback (But please don't just be like 'hey you're rubbish!!! - I am trying to learn and am brand new at it so anything I could do better or need to think about would be great!). I am well aware I am not very good at this yet but it's like my first few days of trying to learn around other work so I think I'll get it soon! About me...I work for a charity doing admin and also working with vulnerable families and children. I actually learn't the BSL alphabet in 1996 when I was 17 and didn't know I remembered it until recently! As I learn best by doing things and work well with my hands it seems that this is perfect for me because I can do it to learn it! 🙂 Happy 2021! so after like 8 attempts of making a video and laughing at myself every time the audio has worked and the visual hasn't for some reason - so I don't know if it will post - if not sorry!