Families in Lichfield and Burntwood are being given the chance to learn British Sign Language at home.
The National Deaf Children’s Society will run online classes each Friday as part of the Family Sign Language programme.
Each session will cover a different topic, including vocabulary and conversation related to family life so parents and children can learn together.
The first video introduced the fingerspelling alphabet, while later videos will cover topics like items around the home, colours and days of the week.
Carla Rose-Hardman, family programmes manager at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:
“These are very challenging times for families with deaf children and they can feel isolated and lonely if they’re struggling to communicate.
“These free classes aim to break through that, helping families to learn British Sign Language together in their homes and have some fun along the way.
“Many deaf children benefit from using sign language and when families learn together, it helps them to communicate and express and understand the complex feelings that are part of growing up.
“Family conversations, jokes and activities will also become much more inclusive, which boosts a deaf child’s confidence and wellbeing.
“We hope that everyone who takes part enjoys increasing their knowledge and expanding their British Sign Language vocabulary.”
The sessions will be available on the charity’s YouTube channel.
