french Switzerland and SignWriting

[Shane Gilchrist O hEorpa]

Anny,

we at the ESWO are very delighted to hear about the popularity of SW
in Switzerland.

Was talking to a deaf leader in England about that system - he said
that its no good - what with the development in video technology i.e.
video messages etc - so why the signwriting etc?

I said having videomessages etc will not improve kids' literacy in
BSL/NISL but having SW will do.

beside, technology isnt good at keeping stuff - SW can be printed on
any paper and that they ll be still there 500 years away :-)

Shane

On 18/10/06, Anne-Claude Prélaz Girod <acpg at vtxnet.ch> wrote:
> 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
>
>