Every year Deaf Aotearoa organizes a week in May to celebrate New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), as it is one of the three official languages of New Zealand. This year the week of celebration is from the 12 - 18 May. This week is utilized to help promote NZSL and to also increase awareness around Sign Language and the Deaf Community in New Zealand. So let's get behind it and support the deaf community and New Zealand by learning some core signs that we can use on a daily basis.
Some facts around NZSL:
- In 2006 NZSL became an official New Zealand language
- NZSL originated from British Sign Language (BSL)
- In 1998 the first NZSL dictionary was published (this was by the Deaf Association NZ and Victoria University in Wellington)
- In 2011 an online version of the dictionary was launched
- Two main schools for the deaf in NZ include: Kelston School for the Deaf (in Auckland) and Van Asch Deaf Education Centre (in Christchurch)
Below is a link to the official Deaf Aotearoa website with plenty more information and resources for you to enjoy.
You can also download the NZSL dictionary app on your apple and android devices for free. This is an amazing resource that allows you to search for key words and provides a picture as well as a video clip demonstrating how to actually make the signs. You can also access the dictionary online below:
Core vocabulary are words that are meaningful, frequently used in different contexts and powerful to our clients. For my 20 month old daughter her core vocab consists of:
| Mum | Dad | More | Yummy | Finished |
| Help | Hi | Bye | Play | Drink |
| Food items | Bath | Brush teeth | Dog | Bed |
As you can see it focuses on the family members she sees regularly, favourite food, and her routine. These words are used several times across her day and the signs are modeled to her. Think about the people your child sees frequently, what activities they do across the week, what their favourite toys / games / activities are, and find the relevant NZ signs to use in conjunction.
I have put together a sign language calendar which involves completing a challenge, but only if you're up for it?!?! It involves targeting new vocab for each day in May to use in activities with your little ones! Go on give it a go.
Happy signing everyone!
Caroline Sutcliffe
NZSL Awareness Week Signing Calendar Printable Version