Year: 2009

e can confirm that two qualifications were reaching the end of their NQF accreditation have been extended until 31 December 2010. These are: CACDP Level 3 Certificate in Facilitating Communication with Deaf People (Lipspeaking Skills) and (Notetaking Skills) and CACDP Level 3 Certificate in Facilitating Communication with Deafblind People (Manual).

Everyone at Signature is committed to improving customer service standards. To help us improve, it is important we know how you feel about the service we offer. In each of the past two years our survey of centres has been incredibly helpful in making sure we can offer the service our centres want and we’ve worked hard to improve. Now we would very much appreciate it, if you could spend a few minutes giving us your views.

YouTube’s parent company Google has announced on its blog that automatic subtitles are to start being rolled out across its website. The machine generate subtitles will, at first, only be found on 13 channels. These include National Geographic, Columbia and most of Google and YouTube channels.

Thursday 12 November was a great night for everyone who is working to achieve a society in which deaf people have full access.150 nominees and guests packed into the exquisite Private Rooms of the Crowne Plaza Hotel Buckingham Gate for the Signature Annual Awards Ceremony.

It is with great sadness we have learned that Lady Winifred Tumim has died. As a tireless campaigner for better and more accessible communication with Deaf people, Winifred’s work contributed directly to a more equitable and inclusive society.

Longstanding BSL teacher, Elizabeth McAughtry, from Lurgan, has won this year’s Belfast Telegraph Woman of the Year in Education. Elizabeth was nominated for the award by Pam Tilson, Communications Manager with Signature in Northern Ireland.

We are pleased to announce that Level 2 is now available on our new online BSL Homework site. Developed with BSL teachers from across the UK, the BSL Homework helps your learners practice what they have been taught in the classroom or prepare for an upcoming assessment. It has over 500 short stories in BSL, clips and questions to test your learners, and filmed assessment examples and tips. The BSL Homework also comes with a BSL Homework dictionary of over 1,100 signs.

Our newly launched online BSL Homework package is now available for centres, teachers and learners of Signature Level 1 Award in British Sign Language and Level 2 Certificate in British Sign Language. The BSL Homework is available for all units at Level 1 and Level 2. Why not register and try unit BSL101 for FREE at www.bslhomework.org.uk.

On Friday 2 October, Pam Tilson, Communications Manager with Signature in Northern Ireland was present at a reception to launch the new premises for Foyle Sign Language Centre and the reformation of the Deaf Association in the City.

Are you between 13-21 years old? Do you want to become a film star, director or producer for the day and win fantastic prizes? If you are then the Language and Film Talent Awards – LAFTAs – are searching for you! LAFTAs are looking for videos showing the importance of languages. This is your chance to tell your story about the importance and benefits of learning British Sign Language (BSL).