Teaching British Sign Language
How it all began at University of Sussex?
By John Walker
The teaching of British Sign Language at the Centre of Continuing Education (within the Sussex Institute) began in 1999. Some members of the centre had attended BSL classes in Hamilton Lodge School and kept contact with the tutors, Robert Everingham, Simon Hesselberg and Noel Traynor.
Changes in the school caused the team to explore another venue for their teaching and they remembered the open invitation from Pam Coare (the current Director of the Centre for Community Engagement) to teach at the University of Sussex.
An NVQ Level 3 programme was launched and quickly followed by NVQ Level 4 in BSL and interpreting. It has continued right up to today.
The team has included the following tutors: Simon Hesselberg, Robert Everingham, Pauline Winder, Rachael Parker, Ann Goldfinch, Sue MacLaine, Mark Schofield and Joan Quarrington.
The current team now includes: Jeff Drew (IV) Dave Dunlin and Catherine Drew (NVQ L4) Paul Neal and Ethel Neal (NVQ L3). The current team.
The Sussex Language Institute established up courses in British Sign Language at levels 1 and 2 in 2007. They are taught by Parveen Dunlin.