Creating Bridges between Hearing and Deaf People

Sarel Oren Ohana Founder, Pay It Forward in Sign Language Head, Special Projects Division, Access Israel

How the Project Began:

Course Module: The Basics of Sign Language

Themes and Word Groups • Daily conversations • Fingerspelling • Colors • Family members • Feelings • Cities and countries • Numbers; dates and time • Common verbs

• 12 hours total • 6 weekly classes • 2 hours per class

Target Audience: all ages!

Children simulating deafness and practicing sign language with their deaf instructor. “Pay It Forward” classes for TALMA, The Israel Program for Excellence in English. July 2015, Israel.

In Class: Only Use Body Language & Signs

Activities: • Practicing conversations

in working pairs. • Interactive group games. • Creating signs for

students’ names. • Final project: video clips

of singing in sign language

Click to watch Beersheba Course Video Clip, 2015 “Before It Ends,” by Idan Raichel

Business Model for Creating Social Change Socail Goals • Social visibility for deaf people.

• Promoting equal opportunities for deaf people

in the job market.

• Creating jobs for deaf people.

• Encouraging deaf people to take part in changing their social image.

• Bridging communication and cultural gaps between the hearing and the deaf.

• Minimal fees to enable people with limited incomes to participate.

• Reaching out to the peripheries and to diverse sections of the population.

Course fee: minimal and affordable. Employment: paid deaf instructors. Course development: Incorporating deaf people in the pedagogical process.

Tel Aviv Course, October 2015

Course Aides Fingerspelling in

Israeli Sign Language “Pay It Forward in Sign Language”

Free Cellular App

Features: • Videos of the alphabet, common

words and greetings, colors, verbs and more.

• Exercises for self-practice.

• “Test yourself” section.

Screenshots

“Love”

“Couple”

Modulated Courses for Institutions and Businesses

• Basics of Sign Language

• Extra vocabulary

• Training in

providing accessible services.

• Deafness simulations.

• Exploring cultural differences.

• Promoting

ideas of tolerance, equality, and empathy for others.

• Basics of sign language.

• Extra vocabulary.

• Communication

skills with deaf people.

• Expanding means of communication under water.

• Exposing divers to deaf culture and language.

The Image of Sign Language: Then and Now Goals: • Changing the negative image of sign language. • Encouraging people to learn & use sign language. • Affirming the presence of sign language in Israeli culture.

Means: Music Video with local celebrities & people singing in sign language for prime time TV.

“You and I Will Change the World” Campaign

Israeli celebrities & deaf people singing in sign language

Click image to watch.

“Together Project”: Mass Video Clip in Sign Language

Click to watch