Culture is Key when Teaching Zambian Sign Language

Little did I know the extent of Zambian culture until I started with attempting to learn Bemba, the main dialect spoken in the Copperbelt area of Zambia.  Learning Bemba goes beyond memorizing words and basic grammatical rules. You must understand the importance of R-E-S-P-E-C-T and the degree of who it is given to when speaking the language.
​Every area of life is embraced with its culture. Living among one of the Copperbelt communities has given me a portfolio of information to learn how I should incorporate it into rudimentary gestures for my students without language for them to understand. Then I can eventually teach them Zambian Sign Language and English. Yes, it is a process.
​Join me below in laughter as I have a brief clarification conversation about some of the family roles in Zambian culture. Comment below and share with us your experience with a different family culture.

---