[sw-l]GebardenSchrift in Germany

[Stefan Woehrmann]

Hi Valerie and everybody,

well you are right - there is so much to do - but that is nothing new-

While all these smart computer experts discuss software-programming
questions I feel lost because I cannot understand anything of these
discussions. I am teaching deaf students and I try very hard to offer lots
of different materials in order to give them a better chance within our
hearing society. They will have to pass examinations, will want to get a
drivers licence, will want to be able to read and to write -
I understand that some day new software programs will support us in our
efforts to improve literacy in deaf children ..

You ask for software programming here in Germany-

Again I was asked from the University of Hamburg to teach students who will
become teacher about GebaerdenSchrift. Just out of the blue sky I got in
contact with a genius in software- programming. Lars made the SignPuddle
work offline on my computer.

Yes (smile) there are some wonderful people working on some different
projects that will improve the situation of all teacher for deaf and hard of
hearing children - but we have not finished so far.
("Hallo Lars - wenn du das liest - ich freue mich so sehr uber dein
Engagement!! )

Well as soon as we can work with a new program I will report ...

In Germany GebardenSchrift became much more popular. We had the chance of a
great 30 minute lasting TV - presentation.
Some articles were published in different magazines.
I still offer workshops on weekends.
Lots of people visit the German Website  www.gebaerdenschrift.de  ;-)  and
some of them give a kind feed - back
I will publish soon my "Handbuch der GebardenSchrift"

... and well - I was asked to report about GebardenSchrift in the field of
DEAF Education  at an international conference in the Netherlands - but
right now this is far away (2005) since other project keep me under
pressure.
I will tell you as soon as I know more about that.

And what about our problems and doubts ? (smile)

I told you already about my great feelings when all of my students sat in
front of their computers and typed on their own for a period of two
45minute -sessions on two following days their descriptions of a picture
story. And yes they felt so proud - and me too (smile!)

This comes close to what I had in mind, when I first heard of the Nicaraguan
project with SignWriting. If deaf children would be able to write their
signing  - well that would be half way down the road to express their ideas
in any other second language as well. ;-)) And I am really optimistic that
my students are on a good path.

They developed a routine to work with the good old SW4.4  DOS - but they do
not write by hand or "create"  signs on their own - except if I ask them to
do so -

This is something  interesting. They are able to read lots of
GebardenSchrift - documents fluently but feel not comfortable with writing
GebardenSchrift on their own. Well - here and there four or five signs
(smile) -no problem - but I ask them to write day by day lots of sentences -
and compared to writing in German they would feel overburdened and
insecure -

I have never seen other handwritten documents of other deaf children -
except for two to seven sentences - I am really curious - do other students
write up to 20 - 40 sentences as a report in SW ?
I understand that it would be a wonderful skill - but it seems to need more
time and practice in young years. And you had been right when you asked me -
I never allowed them to spend
that much time in order to practice that - compared to the reading  and
writing course in German Language ..

Have a nice day and hopefully we will continue to discuss spelling-questions
and exchange materials on the list

Stefan ;-)










-----Ursprungliche Nachricht-----
Von: owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
[mailto:owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu]Im Auftrag von Valerie Sutton
Gesendet: Samstag, 23. Oktober 2004 21:15
An: SIGNWRITING List
Betreff: [sw-l] Thank you, Stefan...

SignWriting List
October 23, 2004

Thank you, Stefan, for this web page, which really floored me...(that
means I was amazed so much, that I almost fell onto the floor!)...

http://www.gebaerdenschrift.de/documents/magic_sw.htm

But now I am asking...can you tell us about what you are doing in
Germany? I understand that you are presenting a paper on SignWriting in
a Deaf Education conference? Please tell us about that...

And are you doing some software development of your own in Germany? I
know how busy you are...but I need a report summary of the year 2004
from Germany...I am writing the Year-End Report for SignWriting in
Education and Research in 2004...

Val ;-)

please see attached diagram from Stefan's page: