National Sign Language Training Opened in Shanghai, Opening a Window to the Silent World for Deaf People | Promotion | National
How to open a window to the silent world of over 70000 certified hearing-impaired people in Shanghai? On August 23rd, the National Common Sign Language Training Course officially opened at the Shanghai Disabled Employment Service Center. This is a series of national common sign language and Braille education promotion and training projects launched by the National Language and Writing Promotion Base of Shanghai University.
At the time of the official promulgation and implementation of the Accessible Environment Construction Law of the People's Republic of China, this training is mainly aimed at special education teachers, public service industry window workers, sign language translators, social volunteers, young college students, and deaf people in society. Two training classes will be offered, with three classes per session. According to the sign language proficiency of the students, they will be divided into primary, intermediate, and advanced classes. At present, there are about 40 students in the junior class, 30 students in the intermediate class, and 30 students in the senior class. Excellent teachers from universities such as Beijing Normal University, East China Normal University, Shanghai University, Shanghai University of Applied Technology, Henan University of Economics and Law, and Nanjing Institute of Special Education come to Shanghai to give lectures. Members of the Sign Language Committee of the China Deaf Association, teachers from deaf schools, senior sign language translators, and deaf sign language teachers will conduct practical teaching of national common sign language vocabulary and sign language. According to the training requirements, students will complete course learning tasks and undergo graduation evaluations during a 5-day training course. To ensure the smooth progress of training work, each class is equipped with a homeroom teacher to supervise the learning progress, arrange training related matters, and assist in promoting the smooth completion of training tasks.
Mo Binbin, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Disabled Persons Federation, stated that sign language is a special language used by hearing-impaired individuals. There are over 70000 certified hearing-impaired people in Shanghai who live in a silent world. Conducting training on national common sign language is of great significance for safeguarding the language and written rights of people with disabilities and promoting their comprehensive development. Since its establishment, the Chinese Sign Language and Deaf Research Center and the National Language and Writing Promotion Base at the School of Literature of Shanghai University have not only promoted basic linguistic research, but also provided intellectual support for national language and writing decision-making, and contributed to the better integration of hearing-impaired people into society. Nie Qing, Vice President and Director of the Promotion Base of Shanghai University, stated that promoting the use of national common sign language not only safeguards the right of hearing-impaired people to use language and writing, but also plays an important role in promoting cultural knowledge, information acquisition, social interaction, and more equitable participation in social life, achieving equal rights and integrated development.