Languages

British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 2A

Module code: T5004
Level 4
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Class
Assessment modes: Coursework

This third-stage module of the 60-credit pathway in British Sign Language (BSL) and Deaf Culture will continue to develop your range and conversational technique in BSL in familiar and everyday contexts, and to broaden your knowledge and awareness of Deaf culture.

Additionally, the module offers you the opportunity to discuss in BSL a specific chosen topic of interest relating to BSL and/or Deaf culture.

The module aims to enable you to:

• start and hold a conversation
• demonstrate confident use of sign language grammar at a basic level and explore more complex structures
• develop study skills to observe, record and evaluate your own use/understanding of BSL, using video technology
• work in groups to explore new topics and develop conversations in discursive topics (e.g. types of education, examples of Deaf culture, media, where Deaf spaces form)
• develop an understanding of Deaf lives and how Deaf cultural identity is encouraged and discouraged across times and places.

Classes will consist of a variety of activities, including regular practice in pronunciation (production of signs) and listening (understanding signs), simulations, practical exercises and conversation etc., based around themes, grammatical structures and language skills.

Module learning outcomes

• Recognise and identify the main points of clear simple and familiar BSL within a variety of familiar topics.
• Communicate effectively in BSL, within a range of simple and familiar formal/informal contexts.
• Use a range of vocabulary and language structures of BSL appropriate to signing conventions of familiar everyday situations, and within a chosen theme.
• Convey an understanding of aspects of the familiar social and cultural matters relating to the Deaf community and demonstrate an appropriate familiar response in selected cultural settings and contexts.