Table of content:
Background On Founder Of Sign & Speak Australia
Overview of Sign & Speak Australia
Overview of Sign & Speak Australia

Overview of Sign & Speak Australia

 

Staff at Sign & Speak Australia specialise in teaching key word signing to people of all ages and abilities, including:

  • children and adults with disabilities
  • families, friends and co-workers of people who are deaf or hearing impaired 
  • hearing children with speech, language or literacy difficulties
  • disability and community workers
  • people who deal with members of the public, eg. retail, hospitality, healthcare 
  • people of any age with an interest in learning a new style of communication

 

Services available through Sign & Speak Australia include:

Beginner and Intermediate Level Workshop Series

Workshops specifically tailored for Disability Staff

Workshops specifically tailored for Child Care and School Staff

Workshops available throughout Australia through Distance Study Mode (includes DVD)

Key Word Signing Choir Programs

Children’s Programs (before & after school, school holidays)

Social activities using key word signing

Baby sign workshops and groups

Private tutoring and assistance with literacy

Speech pathology services

A Range of Products are also available, including DVDs, booklets, posters and flashcards

 

Background On Founder Of Sign & Speak Australia
 
Jane Beale, Speech Pathologist and Owner / Manager of Sign & Speak Australia, has fifteen years experience teaching children and adults the benefits and enjoyment of communicating with key word signing. Jane shares her passion for signing with people of all abilities, through ‘hands-on’ style workshops and informal style groups.

 

Jane first learnt to communicate using sign as a teenager, through socialing with friends from the Australian Deaf Community, in Adelaide, South Australia.  She learnt Signed English in the 1980s when it was used as the main method of instruction in Australian Primary Schools.   

 

At the beginning of the 1990s, Australian Sign Language (Auslan) had been formally recognised as an official community language of Australia and was gaining in use throughout schools and the community.  At this time, Jane continued with her study of sign language, taking steps to improve her knowledge and skills in Auslan. 

In 1993, Jane qualified as a Speech Pathologist,  after completing a Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Path) degree at the Flinders University, South Australia. She began using ‘key word signing’ (using Auslan signs) as a regular part of her speech pathology practice, with a wide range of clients and family members. 

Jane taught her own daughter, Felicity, key word signing from five months of age.  Family and friends were astounded at the ease at which Felicity learnt to communicate using a combination of spoken language and signing from a very young age.  Jane continues to use both spoken and signed language with her daughter (now aged 7) in all aspects of their lives.

Jane taught key word signing (based on Southern Auslan) to people of all ages and abilities through her Government and private speech pathology work in South Australia, for ten years.  This included working in the country areas of Naracoorte, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island, as well as metropolitan based positions in Adelaide.

In 2003, Jane moved to the Central Coast of New South Wales at which time she began to learn and incorporate Northern Auslan signs into her signing vocabulary. She undertook formal study of Australian Sign Language (Auslan) through attending community courses and Auslan only events through the Deaf Education Network (DEN).  

In 2005, Jane resigned from the Government to began her own business in developing and teaching ‘key word signing’ training courses. Sign & Speak Australia has grown from humble beginnings into a responsive, innovative and fast growing business, meeting the communication needs of many Central Coast residents. 

In 2007, Sign & Speak Australia employs eight staff members, enlists the skills of eleven volunteers and conducts workshops in five community locations.  Plans are underway to expand services to the Newcastle/Hunter region in July 2007 and Northern Sydney region in 2008.