BSL mini course - 24/03/14

Monday 3pm - 4pm

After really enjoying the last series of classes. I was very happy to start this new one. It has given me an opportunity to iron out a few glitches, such as the lesson plan - see above. I have also been able to scrap my old powerpoint and move all my visual tools into Prezi. I find Prezi far easier to use, especially when it comes to video and internet links, for example rather than just tell the class about the " fingerspelling challenge" I was able to embed the link and show it in class.

The class is larger than any other I have yet experienced in college - 20+ students. Keeping an eye on so many students, some of them having a small chat amongst themselves which then tends to spread like some verbal contagion, or others sneaking out the phone for a crafty text, is certainly going to test my class behavioural management skills.

What's nice, is to have at least one student that has some knowledge already, although she is a little hesitant to share at the moment. The class is entirely made up of young ladies, some that seem very keen to have a share, some that don't want to contribute at all and a small minority that presently seem disinterested. It is early days, I remember from previous classes, some that seemed switched off at first came storming through at the end.

I did experience a very new and unusual inclusion issue this first week. I went ahead with getting to know the class by asking each in turn to try and sign their own names... It's a little ice breaker and when I can read them and repeat back their name, it builds a little self confidence. I came to the  final student, it was very noticeable as the colour drained from her face, and I wondered why? So I made my way over to her, only to realise that she was attempting to sign her name with great difficulty as she had a disabled hand. Commendably, she bravely pressed on and I was able to successfully read her name.

I felt awful, as I had put her in a potentially embarrassing situation. Particularly as she doesn't know me and I don't know her or how she gets on with her fellow students. In conversation with my tutors afterwards, it became evident that really I should have been informed prior to starting the class. Still, I was very aware that I didn't want her to feel as though she couldn't enjoy and benefit from the course. Thankfully a discreet conversation later and a plan is now in place.

Areas for improvement:

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate... Remember that preparation isn't just about what I'm going to share. It's also about with whom I'm going to share it.