Education

Award-winning Signs4Life is leading efforts towards a society in which people with disabilities have full access and are working to raise the public and political awareness of disability provision.

Our workshops might be of interest to your teaching and support staff, in their work with vulnerable students, families, and colleagues. We can come to you, or alternatively, we also offer remote learning via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Deaf student’s experiences of learning when they interface with teachers and support staff can often be disappointing. Staff need to be aware of the isolation and frustration many Deaf students experience in their dealings with the various services that make up Further and Higher education.

Testimonials

“A fantastic course. This program has really complemented our existing knowledge in equality and disability, and in meeting the needs of all our students” (Elspeth Mackie, Leeds Arts University)

“I attended the five Thursday zoom sessions. I thoroughly enjoyed each week. I did one half-day course on Makaton many years ago and like all languages if you don’t use it you forget it. Theresa’s course reminded me of all the signs I’d forgotten and added on a few hundred more. I am using signs on a daily basis with children with additional needs. I also find signing helpful for children with English as an additional language. I have found other children within the setting are curious as to what I am doing, and so I have been sharing my new skills with them too. I have passed on some of the basic signs to a couple of parents as well. I am trying to make sure that signing is part of my everyday practice and is second nature.” (Wendy Gray, Walthamstow Early Years)

“The session went very well, and the feedback from staff was overwhelmingly positive. Staff thought that the session was very helpful, that it was engaging and interesting and that Jeanette was an excellent trainer. One member of staff qualified the session as ‘brilliant’. Everyone thought that Jeanette was amazing at keeping our interest for almost 3 hours and for making us think of serious issues in a fun way without needing any props!” (Catherine Lauriol, library officer, Birkbeck University).

“Memnos was great. I had excellent feedback from the session and everyone was impressed at how effectively he presented and many came back saying they’d like to be as good as him! Memnos has a way of inviting us into his world which is so incredibly welcoming and open. I look forward to him training a new group on Friday!” (Tatiana Pavlovsky, Hackney Learning Trust).

“The morning Makaton session was great. Very interesting and informative. A view shared by our health and social care students. Thankyou Fozia!” (Michelle O’Connor, Haydon School, Hillingdon)