BIM Class
Learning the language of the deaf
Come join us and we will guide you step by step.
Our classes are conducted by the deaf and are done in small groups, tailored to suit individual progress.
Body gestures were extremely powerful tools of communication. In fact, so natural is gesturing in communication that a lot of people do it through facial expressions, hand signs and even body posture. Sign language can be regarded as a language on its own. It has helped people speaking different tongues to communicate with one another and is especially useful for talking to the deaf.
For this reason, more and more people are taking an interest in manual communication as exemplified by the exponential increase of students learning sign language at the Sarawak Society for the Deaf (SSD) — a clear ‘sign’ to the deaf that our society has not forgotten them.
The SSD students find the lessons and exercises not only very interesting but also stimulating, especially for the brain. Some learners are not aiming for formal certification but just to pick up a useful life skill to help someone should the need arise.
Description of EXPRESS BIM class:
- 10 people per group to ensure individual progress
- Price: RM10 per person
- Open to the public
Date & Time
Every third Saturday of the month
10AM to 12PM
Description of NORMAL BIM class:
| Level 1 | RM150 for 3 months |
|---|---|
| Level 2 | RM200 for 3 months |
| Interpreter | RM300 for 3 months |
New Intake
June (Once a week, Monday OR Wednesday)
How BIM classes benefit the deaf?
- Raises public awareness about the deaf community and their struggles.
- Hearing community can slowly learn and pick up MSL and eventually interact with deaf community.
- Connections and friendships between deaf and hearing people will be formed.
- Community will be more close knitted as a whole.
- In the long run, the lives of the deaf community will be made easier as they can communicate better with the public who know basic sign language.
Participants' stories
- Elizabeth Voon, a nurse said learning to sign is important because she has to attend to deaf patients, the inability to use sign language would make her job so much harder.
- Chan Hua Chiang, an engineer said the working environment is for everyone, including the deaf, and mastering sign language skills would remove communication barriers and make the workplace more disabled-friendly.
- Lee Lai Choo, a retired teacher said as it was not unusual for people to encounter deaf people in every social setting, learning sign language was, therefore, beneficial, rewarding and worthwhile.
- Valarie Teo, a part-time sales representative said she had a hard time dealing with deaf customers. The ability to sign, might have some commercial value since it could be used to communicate with deaf customers.
- Veni Tan, a researcher on wildlife-related conservation said signing is useful in many situations, foremost of which being the ability to communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Vivian Teo, a student nurse said since she was a little girl, she had been interested in learning sign language, adding that she used to be fascinated by people signing on the roadside although she didn’t understand what they were saying. She pointed out that by learning how to sign, she was acquiring a useful skill for her future nursing career as well.
Join us to know more about the Deaf community!