January 24, 2000
Dear SW List Members...
I just received this message from Kathy Akehurst, who is teaching
SignWriting to seven native-signing Deaf people in Tara,
Ontario...Here is her update:
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From: "Akehurst"
To: "Valerie Sutton"
Subject: SWLP Update
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 17:41:13 -0500
Hi Val,
I just wanted to let you know how things were going up here. Please
feel free to post whichever bits of this note you feel are pertinent
to the SW List.
What I really wanted to tell you was that I took the children for a
while to give the parents some time alone and we had a wonderful time
together. Played and enjoyed each other's company but also fiddled
around with SW a bit to see what we could come up with. We made up
some funny words and tried to figure out what the signs 'should' look
like in SW (haven't really any idea if we were correct but it was
great exposure to the different aspects of the signs) and we had a
treasure hunt, etc. It was very enjoyable. When/if it gets to be
too much work for the kids, we stop because I want this to be an
enjoyable endeavour and I don't want anyone to feel pushed. As with
Stefan's group, the children enjoy reading it more than writing it
right now and I've been able to get SW4.3 to cooperate with me
(fairly well) so I can make up some notes for them and they work away
at reading the 'codes'. It's very nice. I have tried to get them to
let me send things to you but they're quite uncomfortable at the idea
of internet anything. They haven't access to a computer and seem to
think that everybody can 'see' everything that is on the internet so
they don't want to do that (yet!). I'll keep, gently, working on
them.
As well, I've been in contact with a family that recently moved to
Zurich (I think!) because of family responsibilities. The daughter
(12) is profoundly deaf and the family is now homeschooling (we
homeschool our son which made for this link-up) as the children's
languages are Sign and English. The mother was commenting on how
they did a project on birds and the daughter would write out the
signs for her reports which immediately prompted me to write them and
direct them to the SW site!! They went immediately and have been
back in touch with me to say how wonderful they think it is.
Wouldn't that be great if, via them, SW could be introduced over
there?? I'm sure it will happen...
Oh yes! I forgot to tell you that our homeschooling association has
asked me to do an introductory class on sign language for them and
I'm going to take that opportunity to introduce them to SignWriting
as well! None of the attendees are deaf, but it will be a good
chance to do a little 'educating' of the young in this regard and I'm
sure they'll enjoy it. I'm also contacting our local school board to
see if there are any deaf children I don't know about who might enjoy
seeing the videos etc. that I have. Worth a shot! :)
Well, just wanted to give you a bit of an update. Now to get back
into routine! :)
all the best, Kathy A.
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