Are there any deaf mners around tonight? Thinking of continuing with BSL............

[Aero]

....or anyone who knows a bit about this.

Have been thinking more seriously what I would like to do after ds2 starts school. I'm a trained nursery nurse, but want to change tack now really and I'm thinking I might like to work as an interpreter. I have already done BSL stage 1, but willl need to refresh as since having children, I've had no opportunity to practise my signing and have forgotten a lot of what I'd learned. My SIL's sister and her dh are both deaf and I'd really like to be able to communicate with them both better, although I don't see them often.

I'm very much a people person and enjoy communicating and I believe I could do this, although I understand it would not be easy, but I should be able to pick up the basics again fairly quickly. I know it's late on a Sunday night, but if anyone is around who knows a bit, or works an this field, I'd be greatful for your input.

califrau,

have you heard from franca?

Cali - have some coins put aside - email me if your son would be interested:

dimpledthighs at hotmail dot co dot uk

cool - am hoping he doesn;t have these ones yet

Well, I managed to pluck up the courage today and finally introduced myself to the mum at school I mentioned earlier. The opportunity arose (school late to open and she happened to be standing next to us). Boy is my signing verrrrrry rusty, but she was able to understand my attempts and is really very nice and seemed happy to 'talk' to me, so I'm feeling even more determined now to try and get this off the ground!

Well done

I'm so glad I did because she seems the kind of person you'd like to be friendly with and I'm sure if I get to know her better, it would be good for both of us. At least I can say hello now and have some brief conversation. I told her I was hoping to learn stage 2 in the coming school year, so I feel I must sort out enrolling myself on a course now.

She just seemed so pleased that someone was attempting to communicate with her in her own lanuage, so it makes me more determined to improve my signing.

Aww - a lot of deaf parents can feel quite out of it with hearing parents so its great that you are making the effort!

That's what I imagine nikki - it must feel somewhat isolating if no-one understands you, although I'm pretty sure she lipreads, so that will help me a little and she'll just have to sign verrrrrrry slowly for me, but I'm hoping we'll get there in the end. Her dd is only in yr1, so plenty if time providing neither of us move away!

well done !

I'm very lucky that my speech isn't affected by my deafness so I'm ok with communication but I do make a twat of myself at times by not hearing what is being said....espec when in shops as I have to sometimes anticipate what is being said rather than hearing it- particularly when packing the shopping in supermarket as can't pack and lipread....cue shop assistant asking if I collect computers for schools vouchers and me saying oh no thanks, I don't want cash back!!!

Lol nikkie - I guess when you do have speech, people don't necessarily assume you can't hear them.

MrsWho

Exactly...I'm grateful for my speech, don't get me wrong, but I can't explain I'm deaf to everyone I meet so I do inevitably end up with those oh she's a bit ditzy looks when I take shit for sugar

lol.

There was a girl in my class (many years ago) at college who was deaf, but she had full speech and I never realised until well into the course that she actually couldn't hear. She never told anyone and obviously never wanted it to be an issue. It amazed me when I found out (via a mutual friend not connected with college), although it explained why she didn't always answer when you were speaking to her and that she wasn't being rude at all - just needed to see when people were speaking to her!

I did that once....went out with my best mate and a friend of hers who I was meeting for first time. Couldn't be bothered to say I'm deaf blah blah...so....it turned out she thought I was a lezzer cos I 'was staring at her lips a lot'......I did see the funny side of it and so did she when all was explained!!

pmsl - it must be a pain to explain to each new person you meet on that sort of basis! That is funny though - good job you explained in the end.

'lezzer'? do you want to re phrase that?

No because that is what she actually said!

No because that is what she actually said!