french Switzerland and SignWriting

[Anne-Claude Prélaz Girod]

Dear Val...

as I told you a few weeks ago I'm working with the team (deaf and  
hearing) of the site www.Pisourd.ch... in order to introduce them to  
SignWriting... in the new version of their site... (which will  
probably be online in november) there will be the signed definitions  
of words (on different themes (like health, sexuality, drugs,  
etc....) and there will also be these sequences written in  
signWriting....
I'm trying to enter all the different signs for them... and hope to  
find a group to work with me on the control of my writing (like in  
other languages... it's always easier to see someone else's mis- 
splelling.... (I'd love to have other take part in the writing  
process itself... but it seems like everyone is too busy for that!!!)

beside that... we had a second 2 days workshop here in french  
Switzerland beginning of September... deaf sign langauge teachers and  
sign language interpreters could participate.... it was not a big  
group (only 10 participants) but it was very dynamic!!! I really  
enjoyed teaching this course with one of the deaf teacher and friend  
working at the deaf school in Fribourg  called Bernard Morel.

Bernard aslo made a presentation for the teachers and other  
professional working in his school mid of september.... some of them  
are interesting starting using it in their class!

Beside that.... and to show you how SignEcriture grows round  
here..... I was asked by the "centre culturel des sourds" (Cultural  
center for the deaf) to give a conference on SignWriting in  
january... so that people can get informed about this method (which  
they already discovered in my article written in the deaf journal....  
some months ago!).... the girl in charge of organising the conference  
participated in the 2 days workshop in february.... and she said the  
deaf center could propose courses of SignWriting if people chow  
interest into it.... I'll let you know how things go in january....!

I was also asked by another deaf friend... if I would accept to teach  
a signwriting course into the deaf school of Lausanne where he's  
teaching....

As you can see.... lots and lots to do... many people wanting to  
learn this beautiful writing method....
that's good news for me! and I'm happy about it... (even if I fear  
about not having time to do everything!!!)

I'll let you jknow about how things evolve....

till then... have a nice day everyone!

Anny