Product Description

Learn British Sign Language quickly and easily with this essential guide and CD–Rom

This lively guide introduces the key hand shapes and gestures you need to communicate in British Sign Language. The illustrations depict both the actions and facial expressions used to sign accurately, while the companion CD–Rom features real–life BSL conversations in action to further your understanding. With these practical tools, you’ll become an expert signer in no time!

British Sign Language For Dummies includes:

• Starting to sign – learn about Deaf communication and practise simple signs to get you going
• Learning everyday BSL – develop the grammar and vocabulary skills that are the building blocks to using British Sign Language
• Getting out and about – sign with confidence in a wide range of real–life situations, from travelling to dating
• Looking into Deaf life – learn about the history of the Deaf Community and how they’ve adapted their technology and lifestyles to suit their needs

For corrections to this book, please click here:

http://www.wiley.com/legacy/wileyblackwell/BSLcorrectionslip.pdf

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6620 in Books
• Published on: 2008-11-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 330 pages

From the Back Cover
This lively guide introduces the key hand shapes and gestures you need to communicate in British Sign Language. The illustrations depict both the actions and facial expressions used to sign accurately, while the companion CD–Rom features real–life BSL conversations in action. With these practical tools, you’ll become an expert signer in no time!

About the Author
This book is written and illustrated by a team from the Faculty of Deaf Education and Learning Support at City Lit. City Lit is a London–based adult education center, providing courses to over 24,000 students every year. The Faculty of Deaf Education and Learning Support provides a comprehensive programme of courses and training including accredited British Sign Language courses for both Deaf and hearing learners.

Customer Reviews

BSL For Dummies helped this Dummy!
What a well-thought out, designed and planned book. I am doing BSL Level 1 at the moment and it covers everything I have studied so far. The diagrams are very clear and there is additional information to explain the signs and their development. The book also provides a clear and precise explanation of the differences in hearing loss and how to communicate clearly. Have recommended to all my colleagues on the course!

Misleading
On the front cover of this book are the words 'Learn to get to grips with everyday BSL grammar and vocabulary. However, inside on page 2, under the heading 'Foolish Assumptions', it says 'we hate to assume anything about anyone....we had to make a few foolish assumptions about you. Here they are (we hope we were right):

'You aren't interested in learning about grammatical rules of BSL; you just want to communicate. Some basic explanations are sprinkled throughout the book, however.'

No WRONG! I AM interested in learning about grammatical rules of BSL, and so should anyone else contemplating learning BSL.

In my opinion, this is a major flaw of the book. There is a difference between learning Sign Supported English and British Sign Language. This book should have been called 'Sign Supported English for Dummies'.

For this reason, I won't be recommending this book and will be returning my copy back to Amazon, as I believe it is likely to confuse, rather than enable someone to get to grips with BSL - the language of the Deaf Community :(

Worth buying!
This book is different to other BSL books in that it not only teaches vocabulary, but also BSL grammar & sign order. It is clear & easy to use. This book is best for Level 1 & 2 students of BSL and for sign language tutors of these groups. This book is also different to other BSL books in that it uses London BSL signs.

This book really fills a niche in the BSL learning market.