NSSCO Namibian Sign Language 6107 study plan
NSSCO Namibian Sign Language 6107 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Receptive Sign Language Comprehension (viewing and understanding signed texts) & Vocabulary and Fingerspelling (including lexical borrowing and number incorporation)
Build a personal viewing log: watch 10 short Namibian Sign Language (NSL) clips of 1–2 minutes and record the main idea of each in written English
Identify and label the five parameters (handshape, location, movement, orientation, non-manual features) on 20 unfamiliar signs encountered while viewing
Fingerspell the Namibian manual alphabet daily for 10 minutes and produce your own name, home town and school name from memory by day seven
Practise shadowing a signed text at 0.5 speed, then re-tell its content in your own signs without re-watching
Your checkpoint
A signed 2-minute summary of one 3-minute NSL clip, recorded on phone, plus a written viewing log of 10 clips with main ideas and 20 parameter-labelled signs
Receptive Sign Language Comprehension (viewing and understanding signed texts) & Sign Language Grammar and Syntax (including non-manual features and spatial grammar)
Distinguish question types (yes/no, wh-, rhetorical) by observing non-manual markers in 15 signed questions and note the marker used for each
Map the signing space in a 3-minute narrative: mark referents, loci and role shifts on a paper diagram
Watch one signed text twice and write down every sign you recognised, then check meaning against context rather than guessing from handshape alone
Practise predicting meaning from classifier constructions and depicting verbs in short clips
Your checkpoint
A one-page spatial diagram of a 3-minute NSL narrative showing referent loci, role shifts and at least three classifier constructions, with a written commentary
Productive Sign Language Use (expressive signing and signed interaction) & Sign Language Grammar and Syntax (including non-manual features and spatial grammar)
Record yourself signing 5 minutes daily and review for handshape clarity, signing space and facial grammar
Practise forming 20 questions using correct non-manual features and film them for self-review
Use role shift and constructed dialogue to retell a short personal anecdote
Hold a 5-minute signed conversation with a partner or language model, keeping eye contact and using back-channelling
Your checkpoint
A recorded 5-minute signed monologue (personal narrative) that includes at least three role shifts, two question types and consistent non-manual marking
Productive Sign Language Use (expressive signing and signed interaction) & Receptive Sign Language Comprehension (viewing and understanding signed texts)
Explain a simple procedure (e.g. making a fire, cooking porridge) in signs using sequencing and time markers
Watch an unfamiliar signer and summarise their message in signed form within 30 seconds of viewing
Repair breakdowns: practise asking for repetition, clarification and rephrasing in NSL at least 10 times
Review weeks 1–3 recordings and list three persistent errors with a fix for each
Your checkpoint
A recorded 4-minute signed explanation of a procedure, plus a self-assessment sheet listing three errors and the corrections applied
Deaf Culture, Community and Identity in Namibia & Sign Language in Context: translation, interpreting awareness and register
Read two reliable sources on Deaf education and community organisations in Namibia and write a 300-word summary in your own words
Describe three aspects of Deaf identity and community life in Namibia in signs, without reading from notes
Compare how register shifts between formal and informal signing in two contrasting signed texts
Practise interpreting-awareness tasks: explain in signs why a Deaf client may need an interpreter and what the interpreter's role is not
Your checkpoint
A recorded 3-minute signed talk on Deaf community and identity in Namibia, backed by a written reference list of the sources used
Sign Language in Context: translation, interpreting awareness and register & Vocabulary and Fingerspelling (including lexical borrowing and number incorporation)
Translate a 1-minute signed announcement into written English, preserving meaning rather than word order
Translate a 100-word written English notice into signs, checking for natural NSL structure
Practise number incorporation and lexical borrowing (e.g. fingerspelled loan signs) in 15 constructed sentences
Fingerspell unfamiliar proper nouns at speed and confirm accuracy by having a partner read them back
Your checkpoint
A translation portfolio: one signed-to-written translation with a short note on choices made, and one written-to-signed translation recorded on video
Language Awareness and Analysis (comparison of signed and spoken language structures) & Signed Literature and Media (narratives, poetry, storytelling and signed media texts)
Compare three structural differences between NSL and spoken English (e.g. simultaneity, use of space, question marking) with your own examples
Analyse one signed poem or story for repetition, rhythm and imagery, and note the visual devices used
Retell a traditional story in signs using character shift, pacing and repetition
Watch one signed media text (news, vlog or documentary clip) and identify its register and audience
Your checkpoint
A recorded 3-minute signed retelling of a story or poem, plus a one-page written analysis comparing signed and spoken structures with your own examples
Receptive Sign Language Comprehension (viewing and understanding signed texts) & Productive Sign Language Use (expressive signing and signed interaction)
Complete two full timed mock viewing tasks and two timed signed production tasks under exam conditions
Review all earlier deliverables and re-record the weakest one to a higher standard
Drill the 50 signs and 20 fingerspelled items you most often misread or misproduce
Run a final self-check against each of the eight domains and list remaining gaps
Your checkpoint
A timed mock exam pack: two recorded viewing responses and two recorded signed productions, plus a completed eight-domain self-check with remaining gaps listed
Milestones
Week 2: Can summarise the main idea of an unseen 2-minute NSL clip in signs, and can label the five parameters on 20 signs without notes
Week 4: Can sustain a 5-minute signed monologue with role shift and correct question marking, and can summarise an unfamiliar signer within 30 seconds
Week 6: Can translate a 1-minute signed text into written English and a 100-word notice into natural NSL, with number incorporation and fingerspelling accurate
Week 8: Completes two timed viewing and two timed production tasks at exam pace, with a written self-check showing no unaddressed domain