Stories in the Air
Stories in the Air (SITA) realised there was a wealth of fascinating real-life stories which would be lost to younger generations if nothing was done to record them. We secured funding from the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) for a 2 year project to collect and film these stories as told by some older members of the Deaf community in the West of Scotland whose ages range from 60 to 95. They have been filmed using their first or preferred language, British Sign Language (BSL). It is the first time SITA has aimed a project at this section of the Deaf community
The DVD Signs of Our Lives contains a varied selection of signed stories with topics such as Life at School; Growing Up; Employment; Family Life; World War II, etc. These stories are seen from the perspective of Deaf individuals and cover a wide range of emotions. They provide a valuable insight and a better understanding of the Deaf community, their lives and their part in Scottish history.
The Schools edition of the DVD has been sent free of charge to all mainstream and Deaf Secondary schools in Scotland, and includes an Education Pack. This pack aims to encourage teachers and students to research further into the Deaf community, its language and its culture.
Any other interested person can request a free DVD from us; send your name, full mailing address and postcode to Stories in the Air. Please note that the name and address you send will be the mailing label, so be sure to use correct punctuation and capitalisation. Thank you. The stories are signed only, with no voice-over. Use the translations listed below while watching the DVD or as a reference.
We hope you will enjoy watching and learning about part of our Scottish society, Deaf People, and share some of their experiences with them.
Signs of our Lives
Translation and interpreter notes: click the links below to download the free resource files
Signs of our Lives
Please support our work for British Sign Language, for deaf children and their families. Thank you!