Water Works
Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education is the only deaf education centre in the South West region.
The aim of the Water Works project was to encourage water sports providers to use sign language with both deaf and hearing learners, in an environment where it is often hard to hear spoken instructions.
The project worked with deaf learners and water sports providers to establish core sign language skills that would be helpful for water sports providers.
The first phase of the project was a series of water sports activities including sailing, canoeing, scuba diving, swimming and surfing. This provided an opportunity for water sports providers to engage deaf learners and to identify the sign language skills needed to engage these learners.
All of the activities were filmed and edited to produce a toolkit for water sports providers.
One provider has updated its handbooks and changed the information given to coaches as a result of involvement with the project.
Participants were easily recruited for the programme and remained enthusiastic throughout.
The project established good links with water sports providers and the Academy is aiming to maintain these links.
Some of the deaf people who took part in the activities were keen to take on a leadership role and teach water sports in the future.
Water Sports providers are very open to working with deaf people and becoming more deaf aware.
Water Sports instructors often use very visual approaches and are comfortable teaching in a visual style.
Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Edcuation,
50 Topsham Road,
Exeter EX2 4NF
Amanda Denham, Head of Fundraising
Tel: 01392 267089
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Resources
Online Toolkit for Water Sports Providers
The project has produced an online toolkit for water sports providers. This includes general tips on working with deaf students and an online glossary of useful signs.
