Community Sign Language Instructors
SADeaf is looking for new community sign language instructors to join us!
If interested, do sign up by 31 December 2020.
You can register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerT3jmWQ5Q4bblxkXHxdFV0UyOlAft_h9DwKfvOF0iigzvHg/formResponse
For any enquiries, please email Moses at (moses@sadeaf.org.sg).
Thank you!
Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) Workshop for Family
SADeaf is organising an online workshop for parents and children who are keen on learning sign language! You will also be awarded a Certificate of Attendance upon completion of the workshop.
If interested, do sign up by 20 November 2020 (Friday).
Date: 7 December to 10 December 2020
Time: 10AM to 11AM
Venue: ZOOM
Fees: $50 for 4 sessions for each family
*limited to 8 pax due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Registration:
Sign up at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqz6BjWiOqFSFeNNeFVWXHnEULnTL6-cqDfBaiXreWglUiKg/viewform
A confirmation email will be sent out by 1 December 2020.
For more enquiries, please email Moses at (moses@sadeaf.org.sg).
Thank you, hope to see you there!
SADeaf Family Day 2020 (River Safari)
Amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19, strong family bonding is becoming even more important during this season.
The Singapore Association For The Deaf encourages families of our clients to take respite from their daily lives and spend quality time together by participating in SADeaf Family Day to River Safari.
To Register (before 20 November 2020):
1) Indicate your interest on our sign-up sheet or contact Elizabeth (Elizabeth@sadeaf.org.sg/ 97917566).
2) A confirmation email will be sent to you upon successful registration for payment. You will receive the date for the collection of your tickets and goodie bag when payment is received.
*Please note that registration is an indication of your interest to participate in the Family and may not confirm you a ticket.
Payment
Please note that complimentary tickets are available only for registered clients of SADeaf.
Registred Clients: Free
Child (3-12 years old): $7
Adult (13-59 years old): $12
Senior Citizens (60 years old and above): $9
Face Mask Design Competition
To commemorate the special event, we are encouraging all clients to participate in the face mask design competition. The winning design will have their design produced and included in the goodie bags.
Please refer to the poster more information on the design competition and send in your designs to cs_enquiry@sadeaf.org.sg before 20 November 2020.
Law Awareness Talk – Criminal Law
Criminal Law: A Practical Look
– What is criminal law?
– The process of investigation and trial
– Your rights and obligations during the investigation and trial
– Finding help and resources
20 November, 7pm – 9pm
The talk will be held on Zoom.
Register by 20 Nov 2020 to receive the link.
Number of participants: 20
Speakers: NUS law students and Jaryl Lim (lawyer, I.N.C. Law LLC)
If interested, please register with Elizabeth at elizabeth@sadeaf.org.sg or SMS 97917566 with your full name, Hearing Help Card number, handphone number and email address. If you need access services such as a notetaker, do indicate too.
Or Sign up: https://forms.gle/gYBKAvvcLbVYstoC9
Jointly organised by NUS Centre for Pro Bono and Clinical Legal Education, Faculty of Law, and SADeaf.
Thank you, and see you there!
Big strides made to accommodate deaf, hard-of-hearing community
The Singapore Association For The Deaf (SADeaf) replies to a Straits Times forum letter on accessibility to information for the community during the recent elections.
SADeaf had provided sign language interpretation and note-taking on our own media platforms to accompany the election-related broadcasts on TV, including the marathon 7-hour election results/analysis.
This was a first for us, and we will continue to advocate for improved accessibility for future national events.
Read more here: https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/forum-big-strides-made-to-accommodate-deaf-hard-of-hearing-community
Student-athletes score winning marks in IB exams
Kimberly Quek, the winner of the Outstanding Deaf Student (Tertiary Education) Award 2019, scored 40 out of 45 for her International Baccalaureate (IB) results.
LESSONS FROM BOWLING
“Bowling is like life itself because there will always be things out of my control. What is important is to take things in my stride and keep trying until I succeed, as well as celebrate the little successes such as getting a strike.”
MS KIMBERLY QUEK, on how the sport has taught her resilience, in the face of uncertainties.
Read more: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/student-athletes-score-winning-marks-in-ib-exams
Also read a short feature on Kimberly on page 6 of our latest signal newsletter: https://sadeaf.org.sg/news-media/newsletter/
#HerWorldHerStory: This Artist Doesn’t Let Her Deafness Affect Her Passion For The Arts
Remember the article on “Accessibility needs for a Deaf-friendly show“? Meet the Artist behind the beautiful drawings!
Chen Ziyue was featured in June’s issue of #HerWorldHerStory for her passion for the Arts.
“Growing up was tough because I was often left out of conversations. I was diagnosed with profound hearing loss in both ears when I was two and a half years old. I first studied at Canossian School (then Canossian School for the Hearing Impaired). When I was nine, my late mother transferred me to St. Anthony’s Canossian Primary School. It was a big change going to a mainstream school. But my mum wanted me to learn survival skills that would help me function independently in society.
As a child, art became my “escape” from a confusing world, not being able to understand others, and vice versa. The late American author Helen Keller who was deaf and blind once said blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.
Drawing and playing with art helped me to forget the frustration of my struggles with verbal communication. It also helped me express my emotions.
“Drawing helped me forget the frustrations of my struggles”
I’ve been a freelance artist-illustrator for mostly children’s books since graduating from Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) in Florida in 2013.
The most recent book I worked on is How Women Won the Vote by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, published by HarperCollins. I now see myself as an equal to others. Living overseas alone made me more independent, and more aware of my identity as a deaf person. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had.
I hope the arts scene and disability inclusiveness will continue to grow…it’s promising to know that someone like me has a fair chance to work on my art. My wish is to work on a book to tell my story… I haven’t been able to finish illustrating my feelings on my mum’s passing but it’s something that I’m working on.”
– Published in Her World’s June issue
Also watch the Deaf “Deaf Entrepreneur – Chen Ziyue”
Don’t Mask your Smile – Masks for a cause
COVID-19 and the Deaf Community
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the wearing of masks an everyday ritual before you leave the house. Wearing of masks can prevent the spread of the virus. What’s more, the wearing and sight of the mask is a symbol of upholding hygienic behaviour such as not touching your face, avoiding crowds and practising social distance.
This norm has presented a new challenge to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community all over the world. Wearing of face masks hides one’s mouth. Although only 30 to 45 percent of the English language can be understood through lip reading, wearing of masks completely removes any visual cues that would be of assistance. For sign language users, morphemes which involve the mouth as their primary articulator are masked as well. As a minority group, the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community laments at the world designed with hearing people in mind.
With the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community in mind, Oliver and his family set up The Simple Deed, a ground-up initiative to produce clear masks to benefit the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community.
Conceptualisation & Making
During one of the volunteering sessions with the elderly, Oliver and his wife realised that they had difficulties communicating with the seniors. After doing some research online, he found the solution to making clear masks.
With an old sewing machine and guidance from Oliver’s mother, the family embarked on the project despite him and his wife having no experience in masking masks.
The project has since been a success – volunteers and organisations have donated materials and time to support the cause. More than 150 masks have been donated to SADeaf and now being distributed to family members of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing clients as well as staff working with the community.
Oliver has started also started the Don’t Mask Your Smile – Masks for A Cause to raise funds to support SADeaf and our mask distribution efforts.
If you wish to support the cause, drop them a message on their Facebook Page or simply make a donation!
Tips to Prevent the Clear Mask from Fogging Up
Dumpling Festival 2020
25 June 2020 – The Dumpling Festival (also known as Dragon Boat Festival or 端午节 “Duan Wu Jie”) is traditionally celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
The best-known legend of the celebration, is the commemoration of 屈原 “Qu Yuan”, a third-century poet and patriotic statesman during China’s Warring States period (475-221 BC). Qu Yuan committed suicide in Miluo River when the war was lost. Loved and respected by the people, the locals paddled their boats up and down the river, hitting the water with their paddles and beating drums to scare evil spirits away. They also threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan’s body.
In Singapore, the Dumpling Festival is of course, all about the food. Do a quick search on the internet about the Dumpling Festival in Singapore and you will find listicles of the best Rice Dumplings to savour in Singapore.
In order to bring the food and this festive cheer to the Deaf community, Social Group of the Deaf (SGD) came up with a simple Facebook game to engage with the community.
Spot 5 differences! Answers revealed below.
Participants were asked to submit the answers via Facebook Messenger and the top three winners were awarded Rice Dumplings from the famous Kim Choo (Joo Chiat) stall.
Here are the winners!
1st Prize is Carol Tan | 2nd Prize is Ee Wun | 3rd prize is Hui Keng.
The prizes were presented by Ms Tay Lay Hong, SGD committee member, on behalf of Ms Amy Ho, Chairperson of SGD.
To all participants, the SGD Committee would like to say a big thank you! Although we are unable to celebrate this festive occasion together due to the COVID-19 situation, we hope this mini-game brought you joy while staying at home. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more games and activities!
Signs for COVID-19 related words in Singapore Sign Language
In view of the Covid-19 situation, it is important to ensure that Deaf people who are sign language users receive information in a timely and accurate manner. Because of the coronavirus crisis, many words and phrases which are new to the general public, including the Deaf community, have now become familiar to all of us. However, some of these words and phrases do not have formal or widely used signs yet, so SADeaf is pleased to present some suggestions on how these can be signed.
This initiative was headed by SADeaf’s Sign Language Instructors sub-committee and Deaf Access Service department.