New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week 2022 is happening this week!

NZSL Week is a chance for the Deaf community to stand proud as Deaf, and to celebrate their language and culture. It also works to increase awareness and understanding of NZSL and the Deaf community and to empower and strengthen the Deaf community.

The theme for NZSL Week 2022, is ‘NZSL is Essential’/’He mea waiwai te reo rotarota o Aotearoa’. There are multiple meanings behind this theme - it aims to highlight essential workers who are Deaf, and highlight the fact that NZSL is essential for Deaf people in education, health, workplaces and to be able to participate equally in society.

Check out nzslweek.org.nz and follow @vuw.nzsl.club on Insta and Facebook to keep up to date with resources and events throughout the week. 

Learn NZSL

learnnzsl.nz is a free learning portal starting from beginner level. Watch, learn and practise how to use NZSL in common situations, across nine topics. Within each topic, there’s plenty of videos, resources and exercises to help you along. 

Online NZSL Dictionary

nzsl.nz is the online dictionary of New Zealand Sign Language. You can keyword search in English or Māori, visual search by hand shape and body location, browse over 50 topics, and learn about the fingerspelling alphabet, numbers, and classifiers. 

New Zealand Sign Language Week 2022 mini webinars

In these short webinars happening throughout the week, academic and teaching staff from the University's Deaf Studies Research Unit will take you through some basics to help you start (or continue) your NZSL journey in a fun and interactive way. Sign up on the wgtn.ac.nz site.