Breaking down communication barriers
By Chrys Ayley
Last week was New Zealand Sign Language Week and volunteer fire fighters from Tawa Fire Station took the opportunity to learn some basic signs to help them communicate with the deaf. One could be forgiven for thinking it was a comedy festival, such is the skill of New Zealand Sign Language instructor Ricki Pointon, who taught 20 volunteer fire fighters the basics of the language in a little over an hour using his highly interactive teaching method. It was volunteer fire fighter Bridgette Strid, who works as a freelance sign language interpreter, that suggested her colleagues at the station take up the offer of a lesson on the basics from Mr Pointon who works as a volunteer for Deaf Aotearoa. Ms Strid used her sign language skills at a fire station open day last year and visitors made great use of the service which encouraged them all to think about learning a little more to help communicate with deaf people in the community. When interviewed, using Ms Strid as an interpreter, Mr Pointon said NZSL is an official language and highly visual one and last week thousands of people nationwide had been taught the basics. Mr Pointon, a Petone resident, had travelled all over Wellington and as far north as Paraparaumu during New Zealand Sign Language week as organisations took up the offer to learn the language. The volunteers all had tremendous fun, and more importantly were able to grasp the basics and communicate quickly using NZSL. Senior fire fighter Alan Drummond said he thoroughly enjoyed the session and was confident it was a skill he could use. ?There?s a lot more to it than just a few signs and I didn?t realise there was such a wide range of signs and you can have a full conversation.?
