BSL Level 1
Introduction
Our next Level 1 Award in British Sign Language courses are Autumn 2024
in person, in and around Farnborough or online on a variety of days and times.
Sign for Thoughts is a local centre and our courses are competitively priced. We offer quality teaching, a friendly service, and our consistently high assessment results are testimony to our success. Many of previous Level 1 students have enjoyed BSL so much, that they have gone on to further levels.
We care about our students and we will support you every step of the way throughout your BSL journey. Our tutors and assessors are extremely talented in their field and have many years of experience behind them. Our 16 years delivering high quality teaching has given us a good reputation with students and the Deaf community alike.
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We offer payment via instalments for all of our courses
Qualification Structure
Qualification Objectives
Your new BSL skills are assessed over 3 distinct units:
- BSL101: Introduction to BSL
- BSL102: Conversational BSL
- BS 103: Communication about BSL in everyday life
To achieve the full Level 1 Award in British Sign Language, candidates must pass all units. Unit BSL101 is internally assessed by the teacher. Units BSL102 and BSL103 are externally assessed by a Signature assessor.
Visit the Signature website for more information.
This is an ideal course for anyone interested in starting to learn BSL and requires no previous experience or knowledge. Learning is made fun and we will guide you through from absolute beginner to being able to hold simple conversations in Sign.
Our BSL Level 1 course is fully accredited by Signature, as recognised by Ofqual (the Office of the Regulator for Qualifications, Examinations and Assessments in England).
In your class you will participate in 60 hours of training from a fully qualified and experienced BSL Teacher. The course is a balanced mix of direct teaching, with supported practice and group work to fully consolidate your learning. The course is designed for you to incorporate another 26 hours practice outside of class through homework and joining in with activities in the Deaf community. The assessments will take place towards the end of your course.
Costs and Dates
Why choose us?
*Dates and Times - OCTOBER 2024
Tuesday morning: 10am-12pm in FARNBOROUGH
Wednesday morning: 10am-12pm in FARNBOROUGH
Tuesday Evenings: 7-9pm in FARNBOROUGH
Tuesday Evenings: 7-9pm ONLINE (Zoom) -
Thursday Evenings: 7-9pm in FARNBOROUGH
Costs*
Course fees are £450 inclusive of VAT
Plus Assessment fees of £115
Total = £565*
* in addition we advise student to sign up for a 1 year subscription to SignWorld
Course fees, assessment fees are all subject to change
50% of Course fees must be paid by 5th July '24
If your course starts within the next 14 days then 50% course fees are due on receipt of invoice.
The remaining balance can be paid in full or by instalments.
SignWorld is an online resource made up of video and clips for students to watch making it ideal for home learning supplementing their class work. Students can work through the package at their own pace and time. Homework is also set using SignWorld by your teacher.
We recommend all students purchase a yearly subscription to SignWorld (details will be sent).
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON ZOOM
In order to maintain class morale, motivation and promote good attendance classes will not be recorded (in affect from September 2023).
Regarding the best device to use for your zoom classes. We do advise using a laptop/desktop/macbook
(not a chromebook which do not seem compatible - we have had experiences with students having problems using chrome books). Tablets such as ipads can also be tricky with screen sharing and screen size.
The size of the phone screen and problems with orientation can make it tricky using this type of device, so we also advise not using a mobile phone.
A strong WIFI connection is important for stability (we recommend plugging into router via an ethernet cable if this is an option and asking any other people using your wifi to make your class time a priority with wifi usage.
Please note from Sept 2023 we will not be recording zoom classes in any circumstances (see our learning agreement policy for more details)
Here at Sign for Thoughts we maintain low class numbers so you can expect a lot of individual attention and concentrated learning. We a number of effective tools to help you to polish your skills to the desired level, and to show your progress throughout the course. We want you to enjoy and have fun with us in a free-stress zone.
Our centre is in Farnborough. We have a lovely, well designed Training room, which is quiet, tranquil and has been designed and setup for optimum learning, with up-to the-minute technology to aid your training. Limited car parking is available on site.
Sign for Thoughts uses an online sharing platform to share classwork and homework, and this gives you the ability to ask your teacher questions in-between classes. We also create WhatsApp groups for students to communicate, and have an exclusive Facebook group for SFT students and teachers to share resources and share knowledge between other learners. These are both optional to join and allow the students to enrich their learning experience.
We genuinely care about your success!
How do online classes work?
We're aware that online classes provide flexibility for those that need it. Perhaps there are no BSL classes offered in your area, the travel time is too far but you're desperate to learn. Maybe you are unable to get childcare. Online classes allow students to learn in the comfort of your own home, alongside others to create a classroom environment.
What we need from you
- A willingness to learn!
- A good internet connection for the duration of the class
- Commitment and focus
How does it work?
What we know from running online classes is that a full 2 hour class is very taxing on the students and the teacher. We found it really beneficial keeping the class sizes small, up to 10 people, so that each student gets enough focus from the teacher, and keeping the class short meant the focus was kept up throughout. This is why our online classes are 2 hours, and students will receive a task after class to complete and be fed back by SFT in the next session.
We use the software Zoom, which is free to download and use.
Please note from Sept 2023 we will not be recording zoom classes in any circumstances (see our learning agreement policy for more details)