Deaf News: New organisation set up to offer lipspeaking supported by sign language

A new association was presented to the NRCPD board last month – The Association of Lipspeakers with Additional Sign (ALAS).

ALAS is now established with a committee, a website and social media presence, and the organisation had a stand at Deaf Day at London’s City Lit college on Saturday (see photos).

The organisation was set up to to respond to the growing demand for communication support in English with signs borrowed from British Sign Language. 

Lesley Weatherson explains: 

“There is a growing need for change. For development. Not because I say so but because deaf people are relying more and more on a service [lipspeaking with signs to support the meaning] that on paper doesn’t exist. 

It’s recognising in a more formal way a service that will hopefully give rise to a National Occupational Standard (NOS)  and a future qualification to set a standard. A qualification based on vocabulary competence rather than on BSL linguistics. Something to measure against to protect the user and registrant. I was part of the creation of the NOS for the new lipspeaking qualification so feel well placed to take this forward to realisation.” 

The website includes a directory for members to advertise their skills and contact details. Everyone registered in this directory is a qualified, NRCPD registered  level 3 lipspeaker with a minimum of level 2 BSL skills.  

Training will be available to those on the register to enhance the quality of support they offer. This will seek to promote best practice. ALAS have announced that Clive Mason will host a vocabulary in context workshop this coming summer on September 15th 2017,  hosted by DeafPLUS London. This will be open to deaf and hearing people/registrants. A legal training two day workshop for lipspeakers in July is already sold out.

Visit the website for more details. www.lipspeakingwithsign.co.uk