NZSL LEVEL 1 COURSE
The Disability Resource Service is offering a NZSL Level 1 Certificate course for students and staff over terms 2,
3 and 4 starting on Thursday, 30th April. The course will give you a NZSL Teachers Association recognised
certificate and is taught by NZSLTA teacher Josje Lelijveld. This is the first time the University of Canterbury
offers a recognised qualification in NZSL.
You will start by learning the finger-spelling alphabet and basic phrases, some university specific vocabulary
and basic grammar. No previous NZSL experience is required. However, for those who have attended past
beginners’ courses at the University of Canterbury, this course will refresh and build nicely on your learning.
Please note this is a not-for-credit course. The course will only run if there are sufficient registrations.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
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Understand and use NZSL in simple conversations on familiar topics
Understand and use basic grammatical structures of NZSL in simple sentences or questions.
Appropriately use visual conversational behaviours in NZSL.
Show basic understanding and awareness of the Deaf culture and community in New Zealand.
Course materials are supplied, including self-assessment checklists to monitor progress. You can complete
these in class time. There is no formal assessment, however, multiple choice type tests (approx. 30 min) will be
held at the completion of each unit of study.
COST
Student/staff: Discounted rate of $190.00; non-refundable once course is confirmed
HOW TO REGISTER
Please select the appropriate payment form and take it with your payment to Student Finance, Level 2,
Matariki building:
Payment form for students and staff
Department payment instructions
Final date to register is 10 April.
COURSE DATES AND CONTENT
Term 2 Thursday
Times
Units – see below for further information
30 April
5.00 to 7.00
Meeting and greeting
7 May
5.00 to 8.00
Meeting and greeting
14 May
5.00 to 7.00
Our class/university
21 May
5.00 to 8.00
Our class/university
28 May
5.00 to 7.00
Needs and wants
4 June
5.00 to 8.00
Needs and wants
16 July
5.00 to 7.00
Family and friends
23 July
5.00 to 8.00
Family and friends
30 July
5.00 to 7.00
Everyday activities
6 August
5.00 to 8.00
Everyday activities
13 August
5.00 to 7.00
Small talk
20 August
5.00 to 8.00
Small talk
10 September
5.00 to 7.00
Community and work
17 September
5.00 to 8.00
Community and work
24 September
5.00 to 7.00
My place
1 October
5.00 to 8.00
My place
8 October
5.00 to 7.00
Events and celebrations
15 October
5.00 to 8.00
Events and celebrations
Term 3 Thursday
Term 4 Thursday
UNIT CONTENT
Unit
1
Unit name
Learning outcomes
Meeting and
greeting
Learners will:
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exchange greetings and make introductions
understand simple class instructions
learn about the role of facial expression in NZSL
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Our class
Learners will:
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2
Needs and
wants
3
4
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5
Small talk
Community
and work
7
tell about immediate family/whānau and relationships (e.g. friends,
colleagues)
give and ask personal information about self and others such as where
one lives and their pets
use numbers for counting, age, ranking
Learners will:
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communicate about simple home and leisure daily routines and activities
express feelings about activities
use calendar and clock time phrases
Learners will:
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6
name common food and drink items
make and respond to requests and offers for basic wants and needs
ask and tell locations of familiar objects and locations in the immediate
environment
express likes and dislikes
understand basic signs about emergency exit procedures
Learners will:
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Everyday
activities
identify people in the class
name language(s) they are learning
give and follow simple instructions and action commands
ask for clarification, correction and confirmation
ask and tell where something is in the class
use appropriate phrases for arriving and leaving class
use numbers for counting (0-20) and simple time phrases in relation to
class activities
Learners will:
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Family and
friends
learn to get, and give, eyegaze before signing (requirements for visual
attention)
learn numbers 1-10
learn the fingerspelling alphabet, spell their own name, and ask for
repetition
start conversations with known and unknown people
make compliments (e.g. appearance, clothing) and congratulations
ask and tell about general wellbeing, health and everyday life
discuss the weather
close a conversation
Learners will:
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communicate about essential services and locations in their community
(e.g. doctor, bank, library)
describe occupations, tasks and transport in relation to work and
community activities
negotiate appointments and bookings
discuss prices on use of services and purchases, and ways of payment
My place
Learners will:
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8
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Events and
celebrations
invite others, accept and decline invitations to their home
give and ask for addresses and contact details (e.g. email, mobile
number)
describe identifying features of their home (e.g. two storey, brick, white
fence)
understand and give simple directions to their homes
identify rooms in the house
name essential household items relevant for visitors (e.g. meals, toilet
paper)
Learners will:
9
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communicate about events, celebrations and holidays
talk about destinations (places) and modes of travel
describe and discuss plans
make interruptions (e.g. to ask a third person for information or suggest a
different idea)
GRAMMAR
This course will introduce basic grammar and sentence structures in NZSL:
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Personal, possessive and plural pronouns
Plain statements, negated statements, topic-comment statements
Yes/No questions, Wh questions
Use of agreement and spatial verbs
Contrastive structure, listing and ranking
Basic classifiers
Number forms (cardinal, time, age, ordinal, money)
LINKS
NZSLTA - http://nzslta.org.nz/
Deaf Aotearoa - http://www.deaf.org.nz/