Diversifying your audience

Deaf people

Dr Audrey CameronGary Quinn

Scottish Sensory Centre

Science Communication

Conference

25 May 2011

• Dr. Audrey Cameron – University of Edinburgh• Science Advisor for the Science Signs Project

• Gary Quinn – Heriot Watt University• Linguistic Advisor for the Science Signs Project

Overview of talk

• New science signs and definitions

• Translating exams for deaf people

• Introducing new science signs to the public

• How to engage deaf people?

Why do we need to develop new BSL signs?

• To increase access to science education for deaf pupils and teachers in Scotland and the rest of the world.

• To break the barrier of access to their SQA examinations - signed in BSL

SSC’s BSL Glossary Project

• Since 2007, the project received funding from Scottish Government and Scottish Qualifications Authority to develop over 700 science signs.

• Up to Standard Grade and Intermediate 2 level.

• Signs are online with definitions in BSL.

• With laboratory movies (Chemistry) in BSL.

Developing new signs

• Visual and iconic

• No initialised signs

• E.g. Dundee site: EXOTHERMIC & ENDOTHERMIC

• Deaf children have bad experiences with initialised signs across the curriculum

Glossary team

• Tania Allen (BSc Zoology): a freelance trainer

• John Brownlie (BSc in Physics): a multimedia specialist working with a Deaf organisation

• Dr Audrey Cameron (PhD in Chemistry): a teacher of hearing children

• John Denerley (Dip.SW): owner of a wildlife park

• Dr Colin Dunlop (PhD in Physics): a Physics researcher

• Gerry Hughes (BSc in Mathematics): involved in the mathematics project and a teacher of deaf children

• Dr Mark Fox (PhD in Chemistry): a chemistry researcherContinue >

Glossary team

• Mary Frances Dolan (BSc in Chemistry): a teacher of deaf children

• Claire Leiper (BA in Biology and English): a freelance trainer• Gary Quinn (MA in Linguistics): linguistics advisor for the

project• Rob Rattray (BSc Biology) a teacher of deaf children• Derek Rodger (BSc in Chemistry, MEd deaf education): a

teacher of deaf children• Janet Wardle-Peck (BSc Agriculture and Environmental

Science): a teacher of deaf childrenContinue >

• Eileen Burns (Teacher of Deaf Children and Physics teacher).

• Rachel O’Neill’s previous experience with CD Rom Project Maths and IT (Microbooks)

• 15 members

Glossary team

http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/bsl/list.html

Website…

Language planning – natural & prosodic morphologies

• CHEMICAL-CHANGE, CHEMICAL-REACTION, ENDOTHERMIC, EXOTHERMIC, NON-REVERSIBLE, PHYSICAL-CHANGE, PRODUCT, REACTANT, REVERSIBLE.

Language planning – natural & prosodic morphologies

• CHEMICAL-CHANGE, CHEMICAL-REACTION, ENDOTHERMIC, EXOTHERMIC, NON-REVERSIBLE, PHYSICAL-CHANGE, PRODUCT, REACTANT, REVERSIBLE.

• MASS, VOLUME, DENSITY

Mass

Weight

Density

Weight = Mass x Gravity

Density = Mass / Volume

Degree of Iconicity between form and meaning

Signing Exams in Scotland (SQA)

Since 2004, deaf signing children in Scotland are entitled to have their SQA examinations delivered to them in BSL and also to respond in BSL.

A teacher or interpreter translate the questions and the answers on behalf of the deaf pupils.

SQA project – new format of exam for deaf students

• Developed a new format for deaf students to

read the examination questions and to answer

the questions in BSL independently.

Introducing new signs

• Launch of glossary website – January 2008

• Visiting schools

• Science Shows in BSL - Science Festivals and schools - (British Science Association)

• Conferences & workshops

Further work in 2011• Developing more signs for Physics and Engineering• Support from -

Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine

How to engage deaf people?

• Visual

• Work with deaf people

• Communication support– Sign language interpreter– Lipspeaker– Notetaker

• Allow time for message to go across

• Videos in BSL (podcasts)

Other sources

• Science Museum

• BSLBT website– Science

– Wildlife

• Natural History Museum

• …

• Edinburgh University Scottish Sensory Centre science and maths website:

http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/bsl/list.html

• Wolverhampton University Science Signs website:

http://www.sciencesigns.ac.uk/home_glossary.asp

• NTID USA Science and Maths Signs website:

http://www.rit.edu/ntid/msse/pages/lexicon/

References (1/3)

• Brennan, M. (1992) The visual world of BSL in Dictionary of BSL / English (ed. Brien,D.) London: Faber & Faber.

• Collins, J & Wilson, J (2006) The role of the Deaf interpreter, In: Locker McKee, R (ed) Proceedings of the inaugural conference of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters. Trowbridge: Cromwell Press

• Davis, J (2000) Chapter 9 in: Roy, C (ed) Innovative practices for teaching sign language interpreters. Washington: Gallaudet University Press

• Hatim, B & Mason, I (1997) The translator as communicator. London: Routledge&

References (2/3)

• Lang, H., Huppa, M., Monte, D., Brown, S., Babb, I. & Scheifele, P. (2006) A Study of Technical Signs in Science: Implications for Lexical Database Development. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 2007 12(1):65-79.

• Quinn, G. (2010) Schoolisation: an account of the origins of regional variation in British Sign Language. Sign Language Studies Journal 2010 10(4).

• Smith, C. & Ingle, C. (2008) Let’s Sign Science. Cambridge: Widgit.

References (3/3)

Thanks• Scottish Government• Scottish Qualifications Authority• The Royal Academy of Engineering• Institute of Physics• The Royal Society• Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine• British Science Association• BSL Glossary Team

Thank you for listening/ watching!

audrey.m.cameron@ed.ac.ukg.a.quinn@hw.ac.uk