OUR PROJECTS
Opening Doors to Literacy for Deaf Learners: A Foundation Phase Reading Scheme
SLED has conceived, created, developed, and produced 19 South African Sign Language (SASL) literature DVDs and 12 accompanying reading books.
Training Deaf Adults - Training Deaf Classroom Assistants
In
2011, twenty Deaf trainees were drawn from the cohort of Deaf
assistants who are currently employed at schools for Deaf learners
from five provinces for two eight-day residential training workshops.
Training Deaf Adults - Training Deaf South African Sign Language Facilitators
SLED
focuses on building the capacity of Deaf adult SASL users in order
for them to become proficient trainers of SASL to hearing adults, and
of Deaf teachers and teaching assistants of Deaf children.
Training Teachers of the Deaf
In order to
fulfil our mission, we at SLED consider one of our
highest priorities to be training teachers of the Deaf in the following:SASL, appropriate classroom practice and the development of literacy both in SASL
and a written language.
Unlocking the indigenous heritage in South African Sign Language
South
African Sign Language (SASL) has no written form, so transmission of culture,
literature, stories and traditions has historically been "oral" (signed) and
face-to-face.
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WHY SIGN LANGUAGE
Sign Language - The Key To Understanding The World Of The Deaf Child
Language
is fundamental for social interaction, personal development and
abstract thinking and, for the majority of people, acquiring a
language during childhood occurs unconsciously, automatically and
mostly naturally. Every individual develops an internal set of
language rules based on communicating with others who use the same
language. Language development is thus a creative process that
requires a child to actively process the information he or she
receives. As we now know, hearing children get this information by
hearing spoken language in natural interaction with other people in
the environment, not through imitation or training.
The status of South African Sign Language (SASL) in South Africa
South
African Sign Language is probably our oldest indigenous language, and
is the most basic human right of the Deaf Community. It has become
widely recognised and protected in various legislative and
governmental policies (and is even acknowledged as a language equal
in status to the 11 official languages in the country). And
yet, the dearth of material and trained educators in SASL creates a
situation where this recognition is almost meaningless unless proper
training can take place and suitable material be developed.
GALLERY
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Since 2001 Sign Language Education and Development (SLED) has become known throughout South Africa and its neighbouring countries, as a Deaf non-profit organisation that is committed to providing the Deaf child of South Africa with an equal and democratic right to literacy, learning and access to information through the promotion of South African Sign Language (SASL). The SLED team (75% of whom are Deaf) is made up of highly professional people with many years of expertise in Deaf education and culture from Pre-School to Grade 12, ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) and tertiary education; television presentation, production, directing and editing; SASL poetry and storytelling; educator training and SASL interpreting.
