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February 19, 2003

Sign of the times for schoolgirls

From: Manchester Evening News, UK - 19 Feb 2003

THREE schoolgirls have learned how to get their message across using just their hands.

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HANDS ON: Faye Dowdall, Cheryl Burgess, Francesca Williams


Faye Dowdall, Francesca Williams, and Cheryl Burgess, from Astley High School, in Tameside, have spent the past six months learning the art of sign language.

They already have the Open College Sign Language level one, and think everyone should be able to learn it at school.

Faye, 15, from Stalybridge, started to learn sign language so she could communicate with a little boy who lives next door.

She said: "I thought it would be nice to be able to communicate with him. It was hard to learn but I find it harder to learn foreign languages. I wanted to learn this and it was more important to me.

"Signing is more useful than a foreign language because there are so many deaf people in England."

Fellow signer Cheryl Burgess, 16, from Dukinfield, said: "It will help me as I want to go into child care and work with children with special needs."

The girls were taught to sign by Rev Edward Inglis from the Congregational Church, in Dukinfield.

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