Award in Maltese Sign Language and Deaf Culture

The need to use sign language with Deaf persons is felt by many professionals. This course is intended to give students a good understanding of how signers communicate and hence enable them to make use of the visual-gestural modality to communicate as well as to understand more about the Maltese Deaf community.

This course exposes the learner to the culture of the Maltese Deaf community (a) through learning their sign language (b) through knowledge about different Deaf communities and different sign languages as well as (c) through an understanding of the way they interact and approach different situations. The learner will first learn basic signs and start linking signs into sentences. By the end of the course, the student will be able to understand the Maltese Deaf as well as be able to communicate with them beyond trivial conversation.

This is a 40hr guided learning course. Students need to invest further hours in the course, which will include private study.

Lessons are held as indicated on the prospectus and website.

Learning Outcome 1: Outline the culture of the Maltese Deaf community and become familiar with different sign languages

Unit Content

• Origins of Deaf Culture
• History of the Maltese Deaf Community
• Different Sign Languages such as British Sign Language, Australian Sign Language, American Sign Language

Learning Outcome 2: Communicate confidently and in detail with Deaf signers, using the visual-manual modality

Unit Content

• Concrete vocabulary related to everyday objects
• Concrete vocabulary related to family, work, education, travel
• Simple communication related to the above concrete vocabulary
• Vocabulary related to health and religion reflecting local traditions
• Narration of ordinary and fictitious events
• Discussion of current events

Learning Outcome 3: Use various language functions to express feelings, thoughts and narrarate ordinary or ficticious events

Unit Content

• Abstract verbs (related to cognitive and other functions e.g. think, dream, argue, contradict)
• Abstract vocabulary related to feelings/emotions
• Communication related to abstract vocabulary e.g. advantages and disadvantages of various issues, explanations , agreeing and disagreeing

Learning Outcome 4: Identify subtle meanings communicated by Deaf signers

Unit Content

• Jokes in Maltese Sign Language
• Role playing in different situations e.g. shopping, entertainment

Learning Outcome 5: Produce video recordings with own work and evaluate quality of communication

Unit Content

• Students will produce a short video recording every 2 weeks related to the topics covered. This will start after the first 3 weeks to ensure that a sufficient amount of vocabulary has been covered and sufficient competence in using the visual-gestural modality has been learnt.

• The videos will be discussed in class to help students understand and improve their competence in using Maltese Sign Language and in evaluating their own competence.

The following are the suggested pre-requisites and/or entry requirements needed:

Entry Requirements:

• A pass in 5 or more subjects at SEC level and a Matriculation Certificate

OR

• An MCAST – BTEC Extended Diploma in any area of study

Pre- Requisites:

• The learner should have good (general) spoken and written communication skills and be able to interact well with others generally.

3. Will I achieve any qualifications or obtain any certificates?
Course participants may be awarded either an MCAST Certificate of Attendance or an MCAST Certificate of Achievement.

MCAST Certificate of Attendance

• An MCAST Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to those candidates who attend at least 80% of the lessons.
MCAST Certificate of Achievement

• An MCAST Certificate of Achievement will be awarded to those candidates who satisfy the 80% attendance criteria and also choose to sit and pass the course assessment/s.

• Students who opt not to sit for the assessment or fail (the assessment/s) will however be awarded the MCAST Certificate of Attendance provided that they fulfill the minimum attendance criteria as stated above.

If the student intends to obtain a Certificate of Achievement, she/he is required to sit for an assessment/s. Assessment/s may take various forms such as a home assignment, class assignment, practical test and time constrained test. However, the assessment/s is not compulsory and an applicant may choose not to sit for it.

There are no additional costs. However, one can enhance Maltese sign language knowledge through purchasing books including DVD available at KNPD (National Commission Persons with Disability. Learners will be expected to do coursework in Maltese Sign Language therefore learners will need to record their course work either by using a smartphone or tablet or video camera. It will therefore be necessary to borrow or buy a video camera or tablet or smartphone for the purpose.