Introduction
Obviously as our name suggests we are very involved in promoting South African Sign Language.  One of our most exciting projects is teaching the hearing community of South Africa to use SASL with additional language fluency.  Deaf adults, with many years experience in teaching, creatively teach all of our SASL classes.  We have developed exciting games, videos and manuals to support the learning of SASL.  Since 2001 we have run numerous South African Sign Language courses, at Beginners to Advanced Levels, for university students (in the Western Cape and Gauteng), local and national government departments (in the Western Cape and Gauteng) and the wider community.

We have developed a highly innovative 5-day stay over course that teaches SASL through a ‘total immersion’ method.  This means that the hearing participants learn how to use SASL in a natural way without the interference of English or any other spoken or written language.  We have found that the participants initially struggle in this new silent world but that they then learn very quickly and are able to use SASL in the correct grammatical structure.  All activities and meals are conducted in SASL.  During the day there are SASL classes and games and in the evening the participants learn about Deaf culture through interactive activities. 

In 2005
In January we started to redevelop our materials in line with the SAQA recognised SASL unit standards.  This meant we re-looked at our course materials, created new manuals for the learners, SASL videos and designed new lesson plans. 
We also commenced an active train the trainer programme for members of the SLED team involved in SASL training in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
During February we completed and assessed a SASL Stage One course and commenced two new classes at our SLED office, Johannesburg.  Our SASL Stage Two course started in April.
In Cape Town we started a SASL Stage One course for “from the hip:khulumakahle (FTH:K)’ a very enthusiastic and talented local theatre company who train members of the Deaf community in theatrical clowning and other dramatic arts.  This busy theatre company works in schools for the Deaf developing young Deaf talent.
In March we were approached by the Dominican School for the Deaf, Wittebome to start teaching the teachers at the school how to use South African Sign Language Stage One.  This is an exciting project that is still in progress.
In Tshwane during June we held an intensive 5-day SASL Introductory course.  This was highly successful and catered for people working as front line officers, librarians, fire inspectors and waste management officers.  We also held a day long Deaf sensitivity workshop to prepare Woolworths, Cape Town for an influx of Deaf workers.
SLED has been involved in teaching SASL Stage One to students at RAU (now part of the University of Johannesburg) since 2003.  However in July this year we started off with over 40 students from the Dept of Education and Nursing.
In September we held an intensive 5-day SASL Introductory Course for teachers working at schools for the Deaf in the Eastern Cape.  This course was very exciting for us as we were working with teachers who teach Deaf children.  We applaud the Eastern Cape for taking this initiative and look forward to doing more workshops specifically aimed at teachers of the Deaf.  As part of overcoming the Barriers to Learning faced by South African Deaf learners we are eager for all teachers of the Deaf to become fully literate in South African Sign Language.

In 2006
South African Sign Language classes held at our offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town started during January with record numbers of students for both the SASL Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Three members of our SLED team are part of the task team of the South African Sign Language SGB (Standards Generating Body) for the South African Qualifications Authority.  At the end of January they were very busy working out unit standards for SASL and appropriate qualifications.
During February, in depth training of the Deaf SASL trainers in Cape Town resumed.  This was filmed so that it can be used to reference lesson plans and improve teaching further.
In February South African Sign Language classes started at the University of Cape Town.  This course is for 3rd year Audiology students.
During March SLED ran 3 Introductory SASL 5 day courses:  one for the South African Police at Paarl in the Western Cape, one for the Department of Labour in Rustenburg in the North West Province and one for the Tshwane Municipality in Tshwane, Gauteng.  We also held another day long Deaf sensitivity workshop to make Woolworths Head Office, Cape Town more Deaf-friendly.