Course of International Sign for Beginners

Showa Women’s University
Course of International Sign for Beginners

【Venue】

Building 8, Showa Women’s University
1-7-57, Taishido, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-8533
Classes will be held in person (a few sessions may be conducted online)

【Course Description】

This is an introductory course of International Sign for beginners. The course includes practice to get accustomed to visual communication. Participants will learn basic vocabulary of International Sign and aim to use the acquired vocabulary for simple communication in International Sign.

【Participants】

This course is designed for those who are new to International Sign and want to learn the basics. Participation is open to everyone who are junior-high school age or older, regardless of their native language (spoken or sign) or hearing ability. While prior experience in learning sign language is not required, it is preferable to have basic knowledge of Japanese Sign Language. The course will be conducted in International Sign, but explanations may be given in Japanese or Japanese Sign Language.

【Class Size】
Class size is limited to a maximum of 12 students.

【Schedule】
From Thursday, September 26th, 2024 to Thursday, December 12th, 2024
Every Thursday, from 19:00 to 20:30
11 sessions (No class on October 31st)

【Tuition Fee】
20,000 yen (tax included)

Instructor

Professor Keiko Sagara
Research Fellow at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics). Obtained a Bachelor’s degree (Education) from the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education, and a Master’s degree (Education) in Special Education from the Graduate School of Education, University of Tsukuba. Volunteered for six months from April 2007 at the World Federation of the Deaf headquarters in Helsinki. In 2010, joined the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, and the following year enrolled in the university’s graduate school, obtaining an MPhil in Sign Language Linguistics in 2014. Since June 2014, has been conducting research in sign language linguistics at the National Museum of Ethnology. Obtained a Ph.D. (Academic) in 2021. Lived in Helsinki and the UK using International Sign and currently lives in Tokyo, maintaining an international network.

【Sign Up for the Course】

The sign up starts at 9:00am, Thursday, August 1, 2024. Please sign up from here (the form is written in Japanese.) It will remain open until the limit of class size (12 students) is reached. When the applications are no longer accepted, this will be announced on this website. Please note that if the number of participants falls below the required number, the course may be canceled.

Tokyo Metropolitan International Sign Promotion Project
Subsidy Program

This course is eligible for the subsidy offered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government International Sign Promotion Project.
Those who meet the required conditions are eligible for the subsidy. See this page for details.

【Payment Method】

After applying, we will notify you via email about whether you have been accepted into the course. After receiving the notification, please make the payment to the designated bank account within seven days, excluding weekends and holidays. If you make the payment through a bank or other financial institution, the transfer fee will be your expense. There is no cost for the course materials; they will be distributed during the classes as needed. Your application will be considered complete once the payment is confirmed.

【Cancellation Policy】

If you cancel by the start date of the course (including September 26, Thursday), there will be no charges. In case of cancellation, please notify us promptly via email. Upon confirmation, we will refund the full tuition fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made on or after the day following the start date or if you do not attend the course without prior notice.

【Online Participation】

For online live-streamed classes, we will use Zoom. Please refer to the official Zoom website for system requirements. The cost of internet usage will be the responsibility of the participants.

【Certificate of Completion】

A certificate of completion will be issued for participants who have completed 80% of the lessons.

【Need help?】

IIf you need help, we’re here for you. You can contact us at any time by emailing our team at kokusaisyuwa@swu.ac.jp.