Discover the joy of learning New Zealand Sign Language

NZ Sign Language is a vibrant and exciting language to learn and you'll be part of a great culture and community while learning. NZ Sign Language is growing in popularity - why don't you challenge yourself and book a class today?


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Kelly Quirke
NZ Sign language Teacher
"I'm passionate about teaching people and letting them explore and discover sign language in a safe and comfortable environment."

Meet your course teacher, Kelly Quirke

My great passion is to encourage and help you discover and experience NZ Sign Language. I am a qualified teacher who has been teaching for many years. Anyone can learn sign language and I have the experience to support you on your journey.

See what my course attendees say

“Kelly makes learning fun and interactive. She creates varied learning opportunities and practical ways to use the language and connect to the Deaf community. Each class creates a layer of learning that helps you to progress in NZSL in a supportive environment. An enjoyable learning experience all round!“

Tracy (Cambridge)
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“Kelly is amazing. Very friendly, approachable, knowledgeable and well prepared for her classes. Her classes I’ve always found immersive and engaging, with a rich variety of exercises and teaching tools to help us practice, learn and have fun.”


See what my course attendees say

“Personally, this course has really helped in my confidence to communicate more with both hearing and Deaf people. Kelly is an amazing teacher who takes her time to explain any questions you have and is really easy to get along with. Both my mother who I took the course and we would 100%do it all over again.”

T’neya
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“Learning NZSL with Kelly is so fun, and she creates a very comfortable and relaxed environment."

Hannah (Hamilton)
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“Kelly is an incredible teacher. She carefully explained her lectures by using visual aids or helpful examples, so I was able to understand the majority of them. She always takes care to engage the class with either individual or group exercises.”


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“Kelly is the best teacher I have ever had – she is patient, deeply knowledgeable and has an excellent sense of humour."

Noa (Cambridge)
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“Kelly is a fabulous communicator and provides excellent courses. She really cares about each individual student.”

See what my course attendees say

”I really enjoy Kelly’s classes, learning is in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Kelly teaches without judgement, adds humour and a great insight into the Deaf culture. I have no plans to stop booking classes!"

Leah (Cambridge)

Learn at your own pace

If you have never learnt sign language don't worry. We start with the very basics at Level 1a and as you learn you move up levels at your own pace.

1
Level

Beginner sign language

Level 1 starts with a beginners class called Level 1a. No experience needed. Course content covers a general background of Deaf awareness and the Deaf culture. Once you have mastered 1a you can move on to Level 1b and then Level 1c

2
Level

Intermediate sign language

Level 2a This course is for those that have completed Level 1 and are ready to go to the next step.Once you have mastered 2a you can move on to Level 2b and then Level 2c

3
Level

Advanced sign language

Level 3 you will need to demonstrate understanding of signed talks and texts in less predictable contexts. Deliver a signed talk in NZSL and understand translations of complex sentences.

FAQs

Open FAQs below:

Certificates and prerequisites

To enter Level 1b you must have completed Level 1a. If you have not completed the previous level with me, I will need to assess your NZSL skills to ensure you can cope with the next level.  If you attended previous levels with another teacher, I will need to see proof of your attendance.  This is could be a certificate or letter from your previous teacher. The other option would be a one-to-one assessment for me to see your NZSL skills.

Is my Teacher Deaf?

Yes. It is important to learn from a qualified Deaf Teacher. A Deaf Teacher also teaches about the Deaf community and culture. Learning about the Deaf community and culture is an important part of learning NZSL.

Is Sign Language the same worldwide?

No. It’s the same as spoken languages, there are many throughout the world. While some countries may have similar signs, no two are exactly the same. For example, NZ Sign Language (NZSL) and Australian Sign Language (Auslan) are both based on British Sign Language (BSL) but there are differences.

If I miss this term, I can just enrol next term, right?

Maybe not. Altogether I provide 12 levels of class over a 3-year period. Depending on demand, some classes will be repeated next term, but for my level 2 and 3 classes especially, it may only be offered once a year. For example, this year I am teaching Level 2a in Term 1 so most likely will not offer it again until Term 1 next year. To move up to the next level a student has to have attended 80% of the classes in a term or made arrangements with me to have private lessons to catch up.

Is learning NZSL hard?

It’s the same as any other language, just more visual. To ensure you succeed, you should regular attend all the classes in a term and complete the homework that is assigned each week.

How many people are in a community class?

It depends on the level. For Level 1a, the minimum number of students is 12 .

How many people are in a class for business?

I work with businesses and will usually require a 12-person minimum to run a private class. The more people there are, the cheaper the rate per person. If I am travelling to teach a class, there may be travel costs involved too. Please contact me so we can work out the best option for your business.

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Still have questions?

If you have a question that you can't find the answer to, please use that contact us page.