BSL Interpreting Service

Experienced British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters are required for support across many different events and meetings. Open Hands Communication provides professional and accredited interpreters to support you in interpreting all your conversations and communications.

Open Hands Communication sets extremely high standards for all our BSL interpreters and demands that these standards are adhered to at all times through our Code of Conduct and Ethics Guidelines.

We provide BSL interpreters for events and meetings, including:

  • Court hearings and legal meetings
  • Medical emergencies and appointments
  • Job interviews and business meetings
  • Training courses
  • Conferences
  • Media launches
  • Live TV broadcasts

Our simple booking service ensures you receive a BSL interpreter as efficiently as quickly as possible.

Contact us for more details

Child Assessment

Open Hands Communication has been working in the field of child assessment for Education for a number of years. We assess the child in their own language (Britsh Sign Language). The issue we have faced for these children is how they can be enabled to show evidence of learning - in a curriculum and language sense, in a way which truly reflects the way in which they have learned. We have highlighted two main areas, which we feel are important areas for any child in Education.

Language issues:

  • For many children BSL is the language through which they have acquired knowledge and skills; where appropriate they should be allowed to demonstrate evidence of this through BSL.
  • Where English is the language of evidence, consideration should be given to the relationship between this and the child's BSL, eg; in assessing writing, give credit for positive effect of BSL on writing.
  • Signs across the curriculum: issues of standardization, production of glossaries, CD-ROM, etc. Concerns re how this is done, who decides. Deaf people not 'hung up' about this.
  • Importance of BSL skills and knowledge of the person presenting or delivering the assessment. Also that have had training in, eg; SATs.
  • Assessments of BSL need to be specific for that language.
  • Assessments of English need to reflect whether this is the child's first or second language.

Modification issues:

  • Some tasks can be assessed in more appropriate way, not made simpler but made clearer. Deaf colleagues invaluable in this; watching how they structure tasks to make as accessible as possible.
  • Alternative presentations, layout, etc.
  • Alternative ways in which children can show evidence other than, eg; in writing.
  • Reference on children's statements to modification of assessments in recognition of language and learning needs.
  • Special arrangements now well-established for all end of key stage assessments.

If you would like information on assessments or you would like us to visit you to carry out assessments, please do not hesitate to Contact Us

One to One Support

We will give the opportunity to students/candidates that need extra support with their learning.

For students/candidates that are studying the Level 1 or Level 2 certificates, this is an opportunity to brush up on productive skills in order to successfully complete the required units.

For students/candidates studying BSL Level 1, BSL Level 2, BSL Level 3 Certificate, NVQ BSL Level 3 and NVQ BSL Level 4 this is an opportunity to recieve constructive feedback of the evidence collected and support from one of our qualified tutors.

This service can be provided either at our offices or in the surroundings of your own home.

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Working with Parents

We aim to deliver a high quality service for non-deaf parents of Deaf children. We will deliver a service that will educate the parents in issues surrounding deafness and families. We will also deliver a basic sign language course which will enable the parents to communicate with their child.

We aim to deliver this service to parenting groups or on a 1-1 basis with the parents.

We will also offer support if needed with local schools and other educational establishments. We will give support with Maths and English KS1 during the childs early educational and language development.

Our DVD's created by our staff show that BSL can be used to tell well known childrens stories. These can play an important role in the childs language developmet at an early age.

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