We are sorry to see your complaint here, especially after our detailed response to your original complaint. We take all complaints seriously, and this helps us to uphold our high standards. After your complaint to Deaf Unity we undertook a full and detailed review of each issue in your complaint, including reviewing evidence, speaking with the teacher and seeing if any other students had made a complaint. We then responded in detail with our findings. We are a small charity working hard to encourage those learning BSL and to do our outreach work in the deaf community, and we find it disappointing that you have taken to the internet to post your views with some misleading and inaccurate information. To clarify a few points for those reading the review:
1. The number of students in the class was 9, which is in keeping with our policy and general advice on number of students in a BSL Zoom class.
2. The teacher asked the group re breaks in class, and the group consensus was to continue through without a break and to finish 15 minutes early. The teacher is flexible on this, and goes with what each group wants. It is of course always OK to take or ask for comfort breaks outside of this.
3. It is usual practice to offer time to honing practical skills with other students. BSL requires practice to learn - like any language - and the best way to achieve that is through repetition and live practice. The best way to achieve this on Zoom is through breakout rooms.
4. It is also normal practice for the teacher to interact with students, and to ask questions and gain responses – that way students can practise signing with a native signer, and get individual feedback on their signing. It also keeps class engaging. Powerpoint presentations are also a useful way of supporting learning, especially when starting out. Zoom guidance was provided at the start of the course, and if you struggled to adjust your settings to have the best view, we would have been more than happy to assist. However, unfortunately we weren’t aware this was a problem you had.
5. As with all flexible remote working, occasionally real life interrupts - this was an emergency due to a burst pipe. We are all human, and the teacher appreciated the understanding for this one-off incident.
6. We do not ask for all payment upfront (though many BSL courses do). We offer a payment plan of monthly instalments, which you signed up for. As you signed on early for the course (in February, for an April start), you thus started your payment plan early. To date, you have not actually completed your payment plan or full payment for the course, as you missed your final payment in April. We have decided to not pursue this missed payment, and we had hoped this would mean a reasonable compromise over the disagreement.
We hope that you continue with your BSL journey, perhaps seeking out a face to face class that may better suit some of your personal preferences/needs.