Student Association Celebrates Deaf Awareness Week
The Students' Association and Learning Support are excited to celebrate Deaf Awareness Week in collaboration. This year’s theme, "Beyond Silence," focuses on breaking down barriers to full accessibility for individuals with hearing loss, celebrating the diverse ways Deaf people communicate, and highlighting the richness of Deaf culture.
Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event designed to raise awareness about the Deaf community, its language, culture, and history.
Student Experiences
As part of this year’s celebration, we’ve interviewed Deaf students about their experiences at college and gathered their advice for staff and incoming students. You can watch these insightful interviews in our YouTube playlist below.
Deaf Awareness Week Stalls
Join us at our Deaf Awareness Week stalls to learn more about Deaf culture, participate in our challenge, and pick up valuable resources.
The stalls will be at:
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Riverside Campus: 12th May, 12-2 pm
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City Campus: 14th May, 12-2 pm
Come along to get involved, watch student stories, and access information to help raise awareness.
Deaf Awareness Week Tips
Want to improve communication with Deaf individuals? Here are some easy tips to help:
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Use gestures: Simple gestures can aid communication. Don’t worry, pointing isn’t rude in Deaf culture.
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Maintain eye contact: Always try to face the person when speaking, and avoid covering your mouth.
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Use technology: Apps like Make It Big or Google Live Transcribe are great tools for communication.
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Write it down: If verbal communication isn’t working, writing it down can be helpful.
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Be patient: Take your time, and remember, shouting won’t help!
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Reduce background noise: Be mindful of noise when trying to communicate; masks can muffle sound, so a quieter environment is better.
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Getting attention: To get a Deaf person’s attention, try lightly tapping their shoulder, waving, or knocking on a table.
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Learn British Sign Language: Why not start learning some basic BSL phrases? There are plenty of free online courses available.