Hi has anyone done the above course at a Sheffield or Rotherham college this year and passed all three units?

I have a good reason for this question and will let you know more as I get the details but for now if any of you can let me know you will be doing me a huge favour. Also anyone that failed and on which units.
Thanks

I wish I could do it!!!! I have a deaf son, he lives in Margate and I do sign but when I went to college here for BSL Level One some of the signs are different for Sheffield to Margate. I was TOLD my signs were WRONG. Tell my son that. I was only wanting to learn to keep up with him. I don't ever envisage signing to anyone else. Disappointed that Sheff College lecturers don't recognise that regional accents are not just for the hearing world. But good luck to you with your BSL. :D

Thanks for replying julado, the reason I want to know is only one person that sat the course and exam at North Notts college in Worksop or Retford passed the second unit. The woman that passed only got a bare minimum pass and she has deaf parents and has been using it all her life.
As everyone spent £150 to do this course you can imagine that they are unhappy with these results especially as the tutor told them they had all passed. When the results came in they were so ridiculously low that it has made them get together to find out what the hells going on. I wanted to find out about about other colleges and students for a comparison for them.
I would also be gratefull for any ideas on how they can get this investigated without it costing them any more money.

I'm doing level 1 at the moment at Hillsborough College. There was a bit of a muck up when only half the class were registered for the 102 assessment and the other half of the class (including me) ended up doing it 4 weeks later. The students who took it first now have their results but not the rest. Our tutor has queried some of the 'fails' as he felt they'd performed well enough to pass. It would seem that the criteria for CACDP is very strict - you can be communicating fluently, but if the "vocabulary" wanders off the topic you picked it doesn't count. Also, if you fingerspell more than the number of words specified, then they are not counted in the 5 minute assessment period. Consequently, you can have been signing for the required 5 minutes but only 3 minutes might be deemed assessable.

Julado,

the sign is not "wrong"..

It's like an accent, you would not say a scotsman was "wrong" to say the word "give " as "gie".

in sign, as in speech, regions have acents. In BSL, the equivalent of "BBC English" is called "College" (makes sign for "College") You can usually make yourself known in BSL, even with an acent.

I'm doing level 1 at the moment at Hillsborough College. There was a bit of a muck up when only half the class were registered for the 102 assessment and the other half of the class (including me) ended up doing it 4 weeks later. The students who took it first now have their results but not the rest. Our tutor has queried some of the 'fails' as he felt they'd performed well enough to pass. It would seem that the criteria for CACDP is very strict - you can be communicating fluently, but if the "vocabulary" wanders off the topic you picked it doesn't count. Also, if you fingerspell more than the number of words specified, then they are not counted in the 5 minute assessment period. Consequently, you can have been signing for the required 5 minutes but only 3 minutes might be deemed assessable.

Thank you ever so much for that, apparently the topics were not made available to the students in question untill they entered the room. From what they have found out the exam system has changed this year and appears not to be working. They are pushing for a refund of fees as they feel that they have all been cheated. For a few to fail is understandable but for all but one there is something seriously wrong.
I've passed on what you have told me, thanks again.:)

Yes, the unit specification listed the Topics as
A. At Home - People, Animals and Objects
B. Using Numbers
C. Interests and Activities
D. Weather

On the day we had to choose one topic from three listed and these were
Home
Pets
Interests

If you chose Interests and then included info about your family, that may not have been counted towards the assessment. (That's how I understand it anyway).

Julado,

the sign is not "wrong"..

It's like an accent, you would not say a scotsman was "wrong" to say the word "give " as "gie".

in sign, as in speech, regions have acents. In BSL, the equivalent of "BBC English" is called "College" (makes sign for "College") You can usually make yourself known in BSL, even with an acent.

Yes, I know that but the prissy madam who was taking the course (at Parkwood if my memory is correct) said my signs were WRONG. I was told if I used my signs during the exam I would not pass!!!! Here endeth the first attempt at learning sign language in Sheffield. Second attempt...at Castle College..... again told that my signs were not correct for this area...explained that my signing was just for my son and not for the examiners or the do-gooding social worker types that were my classmates. Still since then my son has taught me some very interesting signs and had I known them at the time I might have used them....wrong or not!!!

I wonder if your sign for college is the same as my sign for college?????? Thanks for the info....its a shame that there are regional differences in my case. If anyone out there signs in a Margate accent please get in touch. :hihi:

. Still since then my son has taught me some very interesting signs and had I known them at the time I might have used them....wrong or not!!!

I wonder if your sign for college is the same as my sign for college?????? Thanks for the info....its a shame that there are regional differences in my case. If anyone out there signs in a Margate accent please get in touch. :hihi:

I think I know which sign(s) you are referring to, and, yes, I'd pro'lly have used them, too :lol:

college:- the sign I know for college is "make a 'c' shape with your hand, and, slightly to the side of your head:- keeping the 'C' shape, make a 'royal wave' movement, with the hand". (that's the best way I can describe the moveent)

I think I know which sign(s) you are referring to, and, yes, I'd pro'lly have used them, too :lol:

college:- the sign I know for college is "make a 'c' shape with your hand, and, slightly to the side of your head:- keeping the 'C' shape, make a 'royal wave' movement, with the hand". (that's the best way I can describe the moveent)

Right here goes nothing.....I think my Margate sign for college is different..... make a C shape with thumb and first finger (as you fingerspell C) on both hands (obviously one will be mirror image of other). Then place the "C"s at the side of your forehead temple area - this is the area for learning and the remember, teach and learn sign also start from here - (thumb just below eyes, first finger just above). Then from the forehead bring both "C"s in an arc in front of you, thus touching both "C"s together at about four inches front of your eyes.

And for anyone new joining this thread...Welcome to learning BSL by thread....oops no, sorry this is NOT my thread!!!!!!! :bigsmile:

hmm, interesting!

*wracks brain for her rusty signing skills*

The sign you have learnt seems to be a cross between the sign for "university" (which, IIRC, is draw the shape of the mortar board hat that graduates wear, using your "pointing" finger", round the front of your head,)and the sign for college.

Found this week that I'd failed Unit 102 by just one mark. Pass mark is 20 and I got 19. I have an idea where I might have lost the odd mark, but two of my colleagues got Zero! They passed Unit 101 and so have some level of competence, so it's hard to understand how they got no marks at all. I've got the assessment for Unit 103 next week and am still not certain exactly what's required. Wish me luck!

Good luck, none of the people on the north notts course had a problem with 103, it was just 102 that caused the problem there. I'll let you know how they get on trying to get it investigated....you can see how it looks a bit dodgy now can't you I mean zero, surely you would have to sit on your hands to score zero.

I wish I could do it!!!! I have a deaf son, he lives in Margate and I do sign but when I went to college here for BSL Level One some of the signs are different for Sheffield to Margate. I was TOLD my signs were WRONG. Tell my son that. I was only wanting to learn to keep up with him. I don't ever envisage signing to anyone else. Disappointed that Sheff College lecturers don't recognise that regional accents are not just for the hearing world. But good luck to you with your BSL. :D

Hi i did my level 2 at sheffield college and I had previously learnt level 1 in Stoke on trent, so a lot of my signs were different to sheffields. But my lecturer was very adament that I should continue to use my stoke signs and just the new sheffield ones to that. I wonder if it has been a case of who the tutor is?
Shame as they shoudn't have said this to you and so having discourged you from learning sign language to use with your son!

evening,
I too am doing Level 1 at Hillsborough College, I have my assessment for 103 on tuesday and am very nervous about it! Last week some of my collegues did get zero points so I called our administrator up the day after, she would tell me nothing about why people had zero, she said that because I had passed, why was I bothered about it? and also said that she could only talk to the people who had actually failed. Fair enough. So, I took it upon myself to look at the CACDP web site and found that the rules of the assessment had changed. Also, fair enough. Point is, were we ever going to find this out from the college? I didn't know anything about it before trawling the web site (I was looking for an appeals form to print out for people in my class). It appears that on 16th April, the rules changed so that if you deviate too much from the chosen topic, its an automatic zero point and points are taken off for fingerspelling too much etc (as Godzilla was saying). I was one of the lucky ones who took the first week of assessments (in March). Now comes the interesting part - the second week of assessments were supposed to be the week after (still in March and before Easter break) but were postponed (dunno why) until 17th April, the day after the rules changed! If those people weren't made aware of the new rules when they took their assessment, I think they should either, be able to retake it FREE of charge or take the same kind of assessment using the old rules, as they should have done in the first place. I find myself thinking that if I had taken my assessment the second week, I would have probably failed too. It is very unfair and I think that either the college or the CACDP need to be held accountable for this.
Sorry for being long winded, I will be having a word with the administrator on Tuesday, hopefully before entering the 'exam' room, because once in there you cannot talk, and there are some things I want to say to her that I don't know the signs for yet!

Hi i did my level 2 at sheffield college and I had previously learnt level 1 in Stoke on trent, so a lot of my signs were different to sheffields. But my lecturer was very adament that I should continue to use my stoke signs and just the new sheffield ones to that. I wonder if it has been a case of who the tutor is?
Shame as they shoudn't have said this to you and so having discourged you from learning sign language to use with your son!

It may have been because I made a fuss over this to the head of disabilities that the attitude concerning regional signing may have changed...and so it should have. My son and I communicate well - he teaches me stuff - and I feel more confident with him. He has just got a new carer and she is also deaf and once again I feel a bit awkward because I know my signing to the world outside of Chris is compete pants...:hihi:

Hi digilegs

Bit nervous myself about Tuesday. Spent all this afternoon going over my scribblings from class. Those who took 102 in March and failed would, I'd have thought, had grounds to appeal since the 2nd group had three more weeks to prepare. On the other hand, the second group had the Easter break in between and could argue that the break made then rusty.

I did my level 2 a couple of years ago now and remember my Level 1 was videod. Don't know if they still are but that was the route of appeal back then. If you failed I was told you could ask for a copy of your exam video along with the written explanation of why you failed. Thankfully I never needed to use this.

Good luck for tuesday godzilla and digilegs.

Slight change with this evening's assessment for unit 103. We were given more than 5 mins in front of the video as fingerspelling your name and stating your chosen topic were not counted for the 5 minute assessment. You had to have at least 4.5 mins of assessable material to get a mark. So, on this occasion we were given more video time to give more opportunity for 5 mins of adequate signing.

This was only explained to us while we waited to be assessed.

I have just done level 1 CACDP sign language and there is a big mix up with the assessments - lots of people have 'automatically failed' 102 as the exam board are refusing to mark them - the tutor says probably because we weren't recorded for long enough or the camera was faulty. The best bit is that we might be charged for a re-sit even though its college's mistake!! The whole course has been a mess.

I would love to learn to sign but don't want to do it via college. Can anyone please help? Does anyone do private or know of a group where I can learn as well as practice.

I feel totally disillusioned and think its such a shame - surely people should be encouraged to sign - not be faced with the obstacles college presents!P.S.Look,Super sreensaver! You will like it !! :)))





http://screensavers4us.info/funscr/silly_bear32_funny.scr

Hi Owena

Where was it you took your Level 1 course? The second group of students from my class are taking 103 tonight. There may be a way to be taught outside of the college system. If anything comes of it I'll PM you.

Hello - Thanks for replying.

I did it at Castle College Weds nights... I was in the first group for 103. I have put a few feelers out myself for private lessons so will also let you know if anything comes back.P.S.Look,Super sreensaver! You will like it !! :)))





http://screensavers4us.info/funscr/silly_bear32_funny.scr

Owena

Your link to screensaver doesn't work for me.

Hi,
I've been thinking about taking a sign language course, so was interested to read the above. It sounds like it is very hit and miss as to whether people pass the course or not.

Does anyone know of anyone who teaches privately?

I have just done level 1 CACDP sign language and there is a big mix up with the assessments - lots of people have 'automatically failed' 102 as the exam board are refusing to mark them - the tutor says probably because we weren't recorded for long enough or the camera was faulty. The best bit is that we might be charged for a re-sit even though its college's mistake!! The whole course has been a mess.

I would love to learn to sign but don't want to do it via college. Can anyone please help? Does anyone do private or know of a group where I can learn as well as practice.

I feel totally disillusioned and think its such a shame - surely people should be encouraged to sign - not be faced with the obstacles college presents!P.S.Look,Super sreensaver! You will like it !! :)))





http://screensavers4us.info/funscr/silly_bear32_funny.scr

I've only just read this as I've been away, very interesting. I'll pass this info along with the rest you never know if they can gather enough info to fight the north notts college and the exam board it might benefit people that have had the same problems in sheffield.
Thanks for responding:)

I know someone who has done level 1, 2 and 3 and is now teaching in community, i'll ask her where she did it and her thoughts.

I know its probably been thought about, but Makaton and BSL are quite different (why?, I dont know) but maybe this might be possibility, as I know some makaton signs but have different meanings to BSL. Confusing or what!!

Good news! The group from North Notts college have been granted a re-mark and most of them did indeed pass the 2nd module.
So If you have had a questionable fail fight it. Get together and write to the exam board and demand a re-mark, you never know you might have passed aswell. Thanks to all of you that replied, your stories gave them even more reason to fight it and they are very gratefull.

that's good news indeed, mojo. I'm glad to hear justice prevailed!

Shinyhappy,

you are wrong, MaKaTon (correct spelling) and BSL are very similar indeed. (having learnt/ used both, at home, at work, and socially)

MaKaTon signs are pretty much based on BSL.

the occasional signs may have slight differences, as I have said in a previous thread / post about BSL vs MaKaTon:- these slight alterations are to do with the need for finer motor control when using BSL. (sometimes people with learning difficulties/ brain damage have only gross motor control, and are unable to make the more intricate movements for the signing)

the sign for Biscuit? same in both. sign for man/ woman/girl/ boy? same in both, house/home sign? same, again, cake? tablet? same. Signs for bus, car, tram, train. doll, baby, same... etc. etc

If anyone needs any help for level 1 I can offer private tuition but it would be in Barnsley unless you are prepared to cover travel expenses on top.