Deaf Studies and Interpreting Conference

This academic year, the University celebrates 30 years of provision in Sign Language Interpreter Education & Training (1993-2023/4).

“A key aim of the course back in the 1990s was ‘to broaden opportunities for Deaf people, facilitate Deaf people’s access to higher education and to raise Deaf awareness within all areas of society and work’. During the intervening years, both the Deaf Studies and Interpreting programmes have successfully made an outstanding contribution towards this aim which can be evidenced via the work of our alumni, staff, research projects, national and international collaborations to name but a few.

This conference provides an opportunity to acknowledge those achievements, celebrate the success of our alumni and look to the future by positing the big questions, challenges and opportunities for the next 30 years and beyond.

Conference Schedule

Morning

• 09:20-9:30 Head of School welcome

Historical Context - establishing the subject/pioneering early years for the subject & the profession

Founder & historical subject/department heads:

• 9:30-9:45 Professor Megan Lawton

• 9:45-10:00 Kristiaan Dekesel

10:00 Katherine O’Grady, (DQToD) Head of Language and Communication Team, & Rebecca Fenton Ree, Language and Communications Teacher/Department (QToD, RSLI), Oak Lodge School, London

Presentation: Swimming through the educational challenges and of deaf education.

• 10:30 Ryan McLean RSLI:

Presentation: MSc research (DCAL) on how sign language experiences impacts facial recognition skills and behaviour

• 11:00 Comfort Break

• 11:15 Omoyele Davey: RSLI / Professional Supervisor / Course Tutor 360 Supervision

Presentation: Professional Supervision: keeping the interpreting profession reflective, supported and accountable.

• 11:45 Hamza Shaikh: British Deaf Association – member Board of Trustees

Presentation: Experiences as a Deaf Studies student at the University of Wolverhampton

• 12:15 Lunch Break

Afternoonm

• 13:15 Nikki Stratton: Director Zebra Uno

Presentation: Assessing the Impact of digital spaces on the development of BSL: are renditions of a 3D language on a 2D screen changing our language?

• 13:45 Dr Robert Skinner: Associate Professor Heriot-Watt University

Presentation: The academic journey

• 14:00 Comfort Break

Round Table discussions:

Positing the big questions and key challenges for the next 30 years and beyond. Discussion groups comprising presenters and selection of current students/alumni.

• 14:15 Round Table 1

• 15:00 Round Table 2

• 16:00 Close

Venue: MH002: Mary Seacole Building, Nursery Street, City Campus North, Wolverhampton, WV1 1AD

Most presentations will be in BSL, some will be in spoken English. Sign Language interpreters provided.

Celebrating 30 years of sign language interpreter education and training at the University of Wolverhampton! https://www.wlv.ac.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/2023/october-2023/30-years-of-studies-in-british-sign-language-interpreting-celebrated-by-alumni-.php

Sarah Bown, SFHEA, RSLI, MASLI, PGCHE, QCF Assessor, IQA Verifier

Senior Lecturer, M.A & B.A. (hons.) Interpreting: BSL/English

Email: [email protected]

For Students: Office Hours – Monday 1.30pm – 3pm

For Students: BSL Study Skills appointments available on Tues/Weds/Thurs - please email your availability to book.

Recent research dissemination:

Bown, S. (2023) Menopause healthcare, access and research findings. [Presentation]. Deaf Unity. London. 19/7/2023.

Bown, S. & Dekesel, K. (2023) To what extent does the use of a sign language interpreter, influence the decisions made by interview panels, when interviewing deaf applicants? [Webinar presentation]. ASLI Central & East Anglia.

https://asli.org.uk/event/cea-region-webinar-1st-june-7-9pm-interpreting-interviews/ 1/6/2023

Bown, S. (2022) 'The Menopause'. Interviewed by Yvonne Cobb, See Hear, BBC 2. 3rd August. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0019tv7

Bown S. & Dekesel K. (2021) The Change of Life Project: Deaf Women and the Menopause. Summary Infographics. Wolverhampton. University of Wolverhampton. https://signhealth.org.uk/resources/the-change-of-life-project-deaf-women-and-menopause/

Bown, S. Aldersson, R. & Dekesel, K. (2020) Supporting patients who are deaf who use a signed language in general practice in British Journal of General Practice 2020; 70 (690): 10-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp20X707285

Address: University of Wolverhampton, Faculty of Business, Arts, Social Sciences, School of Social Science & Humanities, MH215 MH (Mary Seacole) Building, City Campus (Nursery), Nursery Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1AD

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

MH002: Mary Seacole Building, Nursery Street, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom