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Sign language support?

Androgen
Community member Posts: 86 Courageous
I'm not entirely sure this is the right place to be posting this, as I'm not actually D/deaf or hard of hearing, but I have rather severe Auditory Processing Disorder, and I find it incredibly difficult to hear things properly unless it's basically silent (I can't even hear people talking to me if the oven or washing machine is on and I'm on the same floor), which means my household has had to try and attempt to rely on sign language to communicate, but we're struggling to find ways to learn that aren't incredibly expensive, since the only classes here seem to be evening classes that cost £300+ for about 8 weeks of basic tutoring, so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions?
Comments
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Hi @Androgen
Have you contacted the deaf society in your area? Or action on hearing loss?
They also help people with hearing problems.
I paid £10 to register and have a few equipment in my home.
I've tought myself a few, looking online (BSL).
Hope that helps ?
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I don't know who the local people are here, but I didn't think they'd be able to help since it's not technically "hearing loss", since I can hear, my brain just can't process/separate sounds
We've learnt some basic signs online, but it's not really effective for communicating anything but basics, which is a start, but not really where we want to end up stuck -
Hello @Androgen Pleased to meet you welcome.
All I was going to add to start to look on line and have a look around for support services. That can benefit you. Just a suggestion. Takes a little while. Have a notepad with you and ask the basics .
What do I need? Who can I turn to and find support? Consider local community groups. Do some research and have a list of what questions to ask.. Look at NHS websites and spend some time doing it.
I every time if I need anything to know go on line. Need an advocate, need a support worker, need things to help me through the day. Help, advice and information on my well being. Look on line.
Not too sure of the local services type in your local NHS areas or medical services. Many of services are self referral. There might be something on line. Regarding your condition and maybe support services around that.
Having mental illness and a history of addiction. So what do I do ? After care is non existent. So have to do this my self. Also have partial deafness as well and understand the issues all around it.
My friend @bevt2017 may I add has given you a lot of good advice.
Hope that helps
Please take care
@thespiceman
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Hi @Androgen, if you haven't seen this page already it may be worth a look: Can I get support for learning BSL?
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Thanks to everyone that replied, however as far as I'm able to see, they only offer support for deaf children and their families.
Since I'm neither deaf, or a child, it doesn't seem I'll be able to get much of anything, and all the courses I can find are for interpreter qualifications, so they cost a lot of money
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I wonder if @NicolaLatheySLT knows of anything that could help?
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Hi @Androgen,
The page @Pippa_Scope has linked to is definitely a good place to look.
I'd also suggest seeing if there's a local deaf club in your area. While I'm not profoundly deaf (only mildly) I've often gone to coffee sessions with my local deaf club to brush up my BSL skills. They're a great bunch and mine's very welcoming too and welcomes anyone - both deaf and hearing people - who want to learn!
Perhaps you could see if there's a club near you which offers something similar?Liam -
I've done some research on the deaf clubs and things around here, but the only ones I can find are mostly too far away, and all say "for people with hearing loss", so it doesn't seem they allow other people
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Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. One other way in which I learn BSL signs is through the site, SignBSL. It's only a BSL dictionary and so they're not really lessons as such, but it can be a good starting point for learning the basics.
Liam -
We use that site, too, but it means we're stuck with Sign Supported English, because we can't seem to find anywhere that teaches grammar for BSL, just a bunch of places stating that grammar in BSL is different
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Hi im not sure what area ur from but if its Britain your best to contact the british deaf association (BDA) They will give you lots of advice or citizens advice centre will help you contact some charities to help fund a bsl course hope this helps
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Scope
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Unfortunately it seems like we don't qualify for any of the support since nobody in the family is actually deaf or hard of hearing, so all we've really got at the moment is an online course, hoping we can learn enough to make it useful that way (though we have absolutely no idea what dialect it is, or if it will be useful where we live)
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So far the only thing we've managed to do is online courses, as nobody in our family is actually deaf, we don't seem to qualify for any other help, since it's not deemed to be necessary
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Auditory Processing Disorder is a listening disability, and there are 4 differernt types of Auditory Processing Disorders. And some who have minor hearing loss and or cochlear implants can also have soem auditory processing issues.You seem to be describing having problems identifying sounds when there is a low level of background noise, which can be helped musing FM system technology and some of the new hearing aids.i have the temporal type of APD having problems processing the gaps between sounds, which can include the gaps between words in rapid speech. This is also the underlying cognitive cause of my dyslexic symptom, as i can nnot process the gaps between the sounds that a letter in a word represents. And can not use phonics or phonetically sound out new words from text.There also those who have problems identifying the location of a sound source.And there are those who have problems equally processing what each ear hears at the same time this is called amblyaudia.you might like to have a look at my new research paper compilation regarding Auditory Processing Disorder at Zotero
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I see a specialist for APD stuff (who also has APD himself)
I also have conductive hearing loss, but only considered to be mild, and I've had no luck at all in getting hearing aids even though I want them (and can't afford the £3000+ to go private)
but I know that newer hearing aids have speech-in-noise technology to help reduce background noise and such, as well as being helpful for tinnitus
Unfortunately all I've been offered is to see someone for "advice" -
currently the only Fm systems have demonstrated in Randomised Control Trials to provide any long term benefit for some who have auditory processing disorder, those who have he type of auditory processing disorfder regarding having problems processing a target sound wfrom low levels of background noise.The hearing aids that claim to have speech-i-noise tachnology have not so far been assessed in any international randomised control trials, so it is all only hearsay and product marketing.There is no cure for various types of Auditory Processing Disorders only accommodations from others to comunicateto our alternative compensating strengths and to avoid communicating to our limitations..
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