Moved

This blog has been moved to https://deafstorytime.wordpress.com/.
All of my previous posts are on there, so enjoy.
Erin

7. I am...

I am dying but I there is so much I still want to do.
I want to create peace in Germany and hear the voices of my people.
But now I cannot, and I know my son will abandon my ideals.

I am,

6. I am...

They said they would return, they promised. I will keep on fighting until that point. The Allies, keep sending us surrender notices but are fighting on us. We have been hiding and fighting for so long. They cannot have surrendered. 

I am,

5. I am...

I had to do it, my father could not fight, but I could.

I had to do my part in defending my country.

I had to fight, even if it cost me my life, in battle or when the truth gets out.

I am,

EU recognition of sign language

So, on the 17th of June 1988 the European Parliament asked all the members of the EU to recognise Sign Language as the language of their Deaf communities. The European Parliament [...] calls on the Commission to make a proposal to the Council concerning official recognition of the sign language used by deaf people in each Member State.
— European Parliament Resolution on Sign Languages 1988

After this many EU countries began to recognise Sign Language(s);
Austria- Sept 2005, Austrian Parliament recognised Austrian Sign Language as an independent language.
Belgium- French Belgium Sign Language was recognised in 2003 and Flemish Sign in 2006.
Czech Republic- 1998, Sign Language Law recognise sign language as a human language.
Ireland- No recognition yet, but many are calling for it to become the third official language of the country.


Many countries that do not recognise sign language do so because of several reasons:
1, The reason Italy gives is that Sign Language is grammarless, however for something to be classified it must have grammar, which must sign languages have even if it not the same as spoken.
2, There are many variations of it within a country, so it would be hard to recognise them all.
But these are just excuses, all countries should recognise Sign Language as it is a part of them and people in their countries use it to communicate so should be given the same legal recognition as other minority languages.

4. I am...

I was stood watching him. I knew I should not have been, I had a wife, but I could not help it. We were just friends, but I wanted to spend every living moment with him, forever.

I am,

3. I am...

The sea was so wild that night, the waves kept hitting the side of the ship. They were losing control of the ship, then we were sinking. All I could see was darkness, then nothing.

I am,

My time on the YAB

So for the last 18 months I have been on the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS)’s Youth Advisory Broad (YAB). I joined in December 2015 and today, July the First 2017 is the last day. The YAB is made up of around 18 deaf young people aged 11-18 from England, Northern Island, Scotland and Wales. I have done so much on the YAB, I’ve meet some really great people and felt like I had done something meaningful.

With them I have;

·         Been to the South West Every Deaf Child Matters Conference and spoke in front of around 50 people.

·         Have done two radio interviews, the first was with Heart Radio and the second with BBC Wiltshire, taking about our campaign, Right to Sign

·         Had a part in a campaign, putting sign language in schools as a qualification.

·         And finally went on the ‘Road Show’, as a volunteer and a role model for young deaf children and talked with them about technology that will help them.

I have also improved my sign language skills and my confidence, I now know I can stand in front of a bunch of “old people” and share my ideas accompanied by some signing.

So thank you Sarah and the rest of NDCS for making mine and the others time on the YAB, a really wonderful experience and allowed us the chance to share our views.

PS. Sarah, I hope you have fun in Exeter, and thank you.

Results from the BSL Campaign

As it is the last day of deaf awareness week I though I would share the campaign results. This was the campaign I posted about a couple of weeks ago, it was to see how many people (hearing and deaf) in the UK wanted to learn/interested in learning BSL in school and we could over 2 000 responses from people aged 8-25.

Here are the results;
91% wanted to learn more BSL
92% thought schools should offer a BSL GCSE
97% thought BSL should be taught in schools.

What was really surprising was that 67% of people were hearing while 33% were deaf.

A break down of the individual countries views;
76% were from England, 90% of these wanted BSL to be taught at school, maybe even a GCSE
11% from Scotland, 90% wanted BSL in schools, taught as a National 4/5
9% from Wales, 4 out of 5 wanted learn more
and 4% Northern Irish, 90% wanted to learn more

To sign the petition go to buzz.org.uk/righttosign

Do Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon-Do is a Korean martial art that's current form was perfected in the 1940's. The main orignisations are the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF, formed in 1966 by Major General Choi Hong Hi) and the World Taekwon-do Federation (WTF, formed in 1973 by the Korean Taekwon-Do Association, this is the one you will see in the Oympics).
I do ITF with the TAGB (Taekwon-Do Association of Great Britain), in Marlborough, personally think this the better one because it focuses more on self defense and sparing while WTF is more about sparing.

With belts you start at 10th Kup with a white belt, then after around 3 months you go to 9th Kup and get a yellow tag added to your belt, you then go to 8th and get a full yellow belt. This pattern repeates itself until you get to 1st Kup and have a red belt with a black tag (takes a minimum of 3 and a half years with TAGB). You are now ready to move onto the Dans where you get a black belt with a gold stripe, and as you go up the dans 1,2,3,4... you get more gold stripes.

If you want to find out more go to a club near you, and ask the instructor questions.
If you live around Marlborough or Pewsey in Wiltshire Britian there is classes in Marlborough Leasure Center at 19:00-20:00 on Wednesdays and10:30-11:30 on Sundays and at Pewsey Vale School at 19:00-20:00 on Tuesdays and 18:30-19:30 on Fridays.
Come along if you are interested, its really great fun and the people are all really nice. (The first two lessons are free so come along and try it)

Differences between sign languages

Okay, we are almost at the end of the week, and today I will be going over the 14 main sign language families; what’s included in them, their possible origins and if I can find them the alphabets.

2. I am...

Oh, no what have I done? This was all a grave mistake. I just wanted to help people, to save people. I am sorry. I did not think it would work. I am so scared. What have I done?
I am,

Books and Films

Here is a list of books and films with deaf characters; I will update it when I find new ones.

How to learn sign language

There are many different ways you can learn sign language but it is always best if you practice with a friend;

Deafness, the facts (or at least some of them)

Here are some interesting facts about deafness

Make BSL a GCSE & Nat 4 / 5 petiton

“97% of young people think #BritishSignLanguage should be taught in school. Make #BSL a GCSE & Nat 4 / 5 #righttosign http://thndr.me/TQQVYB”                          

The origins of sign langauge

Sign language is complicated. There are hundreds of different variations and words can have completely different meanings depending on where you come from.
But what is even more complicated is the origins, and that is what I am going to attempt to show today.

#Righttosign

So I am apart of the YAB for the NDCS and we have this campaign at the moment, to put BSL in schools as a GCSE.
We have a Thunder Clap for it, spamming the internet with one message, tomorrow so if you can please support it https://www.thunderclap.it/en/projects/56997
The Clap has ended, we had close to 200 people support it, the message should now be clear to the UK parliament, people want to learn BSL.
Please sign the petition at buzz.org.uk/righttosign

Deaf Awareness

In the UK Deaf Awareness week starts the 15th of May, so I've decided to give a bit of history about sign language, some basic signs in BSL and some other information about deafness and being deaf over this coming week. I hope you enjoy.
#Righttosign

Radio Interview by Heart

A few days ago I was told that Heart Radio wanted to interview me about the campaign I have been doing with the YAB for the NDCS.
So yesterday night, I was sat by the phone waiting for it to waiting for the phone to ring, bouncing up and down in a sort of panic. I had in front of me a list of possible questions they could ask and some quick answers that I was going to say and a five past six the phone wrung.
I was very nervous when I picked the phone up, but then the adrenalin kicked in. The questions were what I had been practicing answering, things like why do the campaign? How did I get involved? Why learning BSL in schools is important? and things like that.
I really enjoyed doing it and hope I have another opportunity like it again one day. The interview will be out on Monday and I'll post a link then.

1. I am ...

We are going to die tonight, me and my brother. I’ve heard them whispering in the halls, there is a threat coming to England. Uncle wants us to be dead so we cannot be used against him.
I am,

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  👏