South African Sign Language – Beginner Level 1A

Name: South African Sign Language – Beginner Level 1A
SKU: 21434
Price: 6900 ZAR
Availability: InStock

R6 900

Would you like to communicate with Deaf colleagues and clients in South African Sign Language? Take the first step and experience an expert in action!

This practical short course will introduce you to South African Sign Language (SASL). The course consists of interactive face-to-face sessions during which the presenter teaches introductory aspects of SASL, involving practical exercises and some explanation of language use. This will enable you to take part in basic conversations related to everyday life.

We will expect you to practise the language using video material available online and to work in pairs or small groups functioning as a check for each other. Certain sessions will be facilitated with the support of South African Sign Language interpreting, and course material is available in English.

2025 course dates

13 March – 26 June (apply by 15 March)
15 July – 18 September (apply by 15 July)

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Downloadable documents

– 2025 Info page
– 2025 Infoblad
– 2025 Comms Lab course calendar

Presenters

Susan (Modiegi) Njeyiyana is a Deaf poet and academic who recently obtained her master’s in linguistics. Her first poem was ‘June 16th’, followed by ‘Bear Wash Day’, and her poetry inspired many Deaf poets to explore new ideas. Her creativity also exposed Deaf children to poetry and storytelling in their own language. Susan is currently a lecturer at Stellenbosch University and teaches South African Sign Language Acquisition as additional language to hearing students.

Zulfah Shabodien is multilingual and uses SASL as her first language. She has been facilitating training and managing projects in the SASL field for well over 10 years and is passionate about sharing her language and culture with those who are keen to learn. Her footprint in the broader Deaf community includes working with various organisations to promote cultural activities by and for the Deaf community, and promoting inclusion in both the hearing and Deaf communities by empowering people through awareness, thereby uplifting both communities. She has been involved in helping to develop material for SASL as a school subject and is still involved in various other SASL projects. She has been co-lecturing first-year SASL acquisition with Modiegi Njeyiyana since 2019.

Location

The 12 face-to-face sessions will take place in the Seminar Room of the Language Centre, Kleine Bosch, 44 Banhoek Road, Stellenbosch from 14:00 to 16:00 on specific dates.

This course will assist you to:

use basic, everyday SASL vocabulary
interact using simple phrases and sentences to describe, discuss and ask about everyday topics and things you may need or use immediately
recognise visual input and understand the gist of that input relating to familiar words and basic phrases that deal with things that you or your conversational partner may need or use immediately
be aware of and respect Deaf culture when using SASL in various everyday social contexts.

Our courses combine face-to-face sessions, facilitated by the course presenter, with self-directed online learning.

This course opens before the face-to-face sessions and closes well after the last face-to-face session. This allows enough time for you to activate your SUNOnline presence before the first face-to-face session takes place.

The 10 face-to-face sessions will take place in the Seminar Room of the Language Centre, Kleine Bosch, 44 Banhoek Road, Stellenbosch from 14:00 to 16:00 on the following dates:

	Face-to-face sessions (14:00 to 16:00)	Course duration (opening and closing dates)	Apply by
Course 1:	3, 10, 17, 24 April, 8, 15, 22, 29 May, 5 and 12 June	13 March to 26 June	13 March
Course 2:	5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 29 August, 2 and 4 September	15 July to 18 September	15 July

During this course, you will spend your time as follows (this may vary for individuals):

weekly face-to-face sessions of two hours each
about six hours per week of self-paced reading and completing tasks, activities, and assignments

You will need a computer and reliable web browser to access learning material on SUNOnline. You should be familiar with creating electronic documents.

If you would like to learn more about South African Sign Language, then this course is for you!

Click on the ‘Start application’ button if you are interested in doing this course, and fill in the form. We will then send you a link to enrol for the short course.

You need to attend the sessions and complete all the given assignments. You will receive a certificate of competence after successfully completing this course.

Would you like to communicate with Deaf colleagues and clients in South African Sign Language? Take the first step and experience an expert in action!

Any questions?

Contact Michelle Pieters at michellep@sun.ac.za or 021 808 2812 for more details.

You could also discuss your specific short-course and development needs with us. Enquire about our available short courses, course dates and options for tailor-making a course.

Start application