Signing Classes – Again
‘British Sign Language (BSL) classes are not for deaf people! ‘
When email first became widely used I was told not to rattle off any message in anger or haste, for obvious reasons. I’ve considering the following for a few days and I’m still really angered, so here goes.
I’ve mentioned how Sue was unable to follow the British Sign Language (BSL) class she’d been looking forward to so much. The reason was – I was informed by the Principal – that the class wasn’t really intended for deaf people! It was more of a language class. I won’t name the college but I will tell you that when I called and spoke with that Principal I was promised help, including that a speech-to-text typist would be in touch, which didn’t happen.
In the end Sue received her tuition fee and we gave up on the idea – again. Yup, the previous year we’d been enrolled at a different college which cancelled the course after four weeks of no starts.
Deaf readers and their families will already know how difficult it can be for a deaf person to enter a hearing environment full of people talking, especially on their own. There are often (more often than not, I’d suggest) feelings which add up to anxiety and panic, with the result that some will want to bail as quickly as possible. I find the worst aspect (and I’ve learnt this from others than Sue) is the associated destructive emotion of inadequacy which comes from not fitting in, even if the exclusion is unintentional.
What Sue experienced from being not included (if I say excluded it makes the experience intentional) was a huge set back in her progress coping with deafness and immense disappointment. That those emotions were caused through the unsuitability of a BSL class is, to me, unforgiveable.
Last week our friend, a Physiotherapist, was helping at an after-hours clinic – not a euphemism for a ‘private’ club. She noticed a patient who would be going into the hydro-pool wore a cochlear implant, so had a chat with her to make sure she’d be alright. The patient was concerned as she’d be unable (once again) to hear the instructions as she’d have to take the cochlear out before getting in the water. Our friend reassured her that she would stay with her and help by finger spelling and (amateur) lip speaking.
All went fine and afterwards the patient asked how our friend was so good with deaf communications, the reply was to explain about Sue. The patient asked if Sue had BSL, our friend explained the problems as the patient’s face grew angrier. Turns out the patient is a BSL teacher with strong views about how the language is taught, main one being that only deaf tutors should teach BSL as they’ll have a real understanding.
The patient asked if the college was xxxxxx (I won’t include the name) and criticised their methods before getting an affirmative answer. There’s more, but I won’t bore you. I will say though that the tutor named the college she teaches at and said Sue would fit in well as her methods are designed for deaf people who need the language to communicate rather than treating it as a foreign language course.
Today I’m off to collect a prospectus and we have good thoughts for the future. But why does it have to be so damn difficult? And why is a language for deaf people not accessible for someone who can’t hear?