Let me introduce myself...

Fri Mar 20 16:39:40 UTC 2009

SignWriting List
March 20, 2009

Hello Sharon!
I join Maria, to welcome you to the SignWriting List!

Thank you for posting your message and describing your wonderful work  
with Deaf people in Nigeria. Maria asks a good question...Do you use  
ASL with your Deaf friends in Nigeria? The materials I can donate to  
your group are written in American Sign Language (ASL). And can you  
view dvds or videos? in PAL or NTSC format?

I would like to ask a favor...If I send you a box of books and  
materials, can you share the materials with the local schools for the  
Deaf, which you mention in your message? We would like to reach Deaf  
Education as much as possible...

And for your information right now while you are waiting for your  
materials....if you can access the web...you can learn SignWriting on  
the web, use our software SignPuddle on the web, and also read and  
download Bible passages written in ASL...

Lessons in SignWriting
http://www.signwriting.org/lessons/

SignPuddle Dictionary for Nigeria
Write Signs from Nigeria
(ready for you to add new signs)
http://www.signbank.org/SignPuddle1.5/index.php?ui=1&sgn=32

Download Documents
http://www.signwriting.org/library/

Thanks for sharing with us and please write back here on the List  
about the dvd formats in Nigeria...and the schools for the Deaf there...

Val ;-)

On Mar 20, 2009, at 8:03 AM, MARIA AZZOPARDI wrote:

> Hi Sharon,
>
> Welcome on the list! I'm Maria, and I work with the Deaf in Malta -  
> we use
> Maltese Sign Language here (it's quite similar to BSL and AUSLAN).  
> One of
> the tasks at present is translating into LSM sections of the Bible,  
> using
> signwriting.
> Do you use ASL with the Deaf there or have you picked up their sign
> language? If so, what sign language is it?
>
> God bless you and your work,
>
> Maria
>
>> Hello all.
>>
>> I am really new to Sign Writing but it looks like a wonderful  
>> concept!
>>
>> My name is Sharon Valentino and I am an American Missionary who has  
>> been
>> ni Nigeria since May 2007. I love this country so much and don't  
>> have any
>> immediate plans to go back to the U.S. to live right now. There is  
>> just
>> too much to do here.
>>
>> I have been in Deaf Ministry for more than 15 years and since I have
>> arrived in Nigeria I've been connecting with a lot of Deaf people,
>> including children. I visit and work with two Deaf residential  
>> schools
>> here, The Imo State Secondary School for the Deaf in Orodo and the  
>> primary
>> school in Orlu. There are not many interpreters for these children at
>> religous services so I am so happy to be able to help in that way.  
>> These
>> schools are so overcrowded and there is a very big lack of resources
>> available to the kids. The seconday school should house under 200 but
>> there are 500 full time students there and they are sleeping two in a
>> small bed. Most of their families are very poor so there is even a  
>> lack of
>> materials that our children in the States take for granted.
>>
>> Great news is that we now have at least 11 deaf adults attending our
>> church and I am trying to start some classes to help train  
>> interpreters
>> for them. Bad news is that the is a very big lack of materials here  
>> to
>> teach with so if anyone has any books or videos they can donate for
>> training, they will be well used and much appreciated.
>>
>> I contacted Val recently to let her know about the situation with  
>> the Deaf
>> children here. I think they would really benefit from this  
>> SignWriting
>> program and she is kind enough to have agreed to donate some books  
>> for the
>> children.
>>
>> If anyone would like further information and the great things that  
>> are
>> happening here in Nigeria, I do a newsletter about my work with the  
>> deaf
>> and I would be happy to put you on my mailing list.
>>
>> You can contact me by email at svalentino at yahoo.com or my mailing  
>> address
>> is:
>>
>> Sharon Valentino
>> c/o WAAST
>> 11 Waast Ave., Ikenegbu Layout
>> Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
>>
>> I hope to hear back from some of you with suggestions on how to  
>> proceed
>> with helping the children learn to Sign Write.
>>
>> Thank you for your time and be blessed.
>> Sharon
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
>
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