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Garry Slack
  • Male
  • Lincolnshire
  • United Kingdom
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Garry Slack posted a blog post

Learn to sign about Nature with Olli

This has been a really busy few months, not only have I been on tour with the Sign with Olli show at various Zoos and wildlife parks around the UK (Dudley Zoo and castle, Paradise Wildlife Park, Colchester Zoo, Fineshade Woods, The Sunday Times Festival of Education at Wellington College and of course Twycross Zoo!) but my latest book, 'Learn to sign about nature with Olli' was released (or is that escaped?!!!) on 5th July.‘Learn to sign about nature with Olli’ will help children of all ages to…See More
Jul 22, 2010
0 Comments
Garry Slack posted a blog post

The Shining Signing Star

It's still October but already I'm starting to feel a bit Christmassy!!!I think the reason is that since its release at the start of this month there has been a lot of interest from schools and church groups across the country in my new musical nativity play in English and sign language - The Shining Signing Star.Telling the story of the nativity in rhyme from the perspective of the animals and the stars who were at the very first Christmas, the play uses a combination of English, sign language…See More
Oct 27, 2009
0 Comments
Garry Slack posted a blog post

Help needed please!!!

Hi everyoneI very much hope that someone out there might be able to help me with some ideasIn addition to writing children’s sign language books, I also run entertaining, educational, fun and interactive sign language sessions for children and their families and carers.The workshops aim to teach the children fun rhymes and songs using sign language. Each workshop also features an appearance by Olli the signing monkey!(It’s a fantastic costume that I had custom made by the people who make the…See More
Oct 21, 2009
1 Comment
Miriam Halahmy commented on Garry Slack's blog post Woo Hoo an award!!!
"This sounds such a great book Gary, I used to teach profoundly deaf teenagers so have a special interest in the field. and brilliant to have done so well and self-published.Congratulations."
Sep 30, 2009
Sue Hyams commented on Garry Slack's blog post Woo Hoo an award!!!
"Well done Garry. Excellent news!"
Sep 29, 2009
Tracy Ann Baines commented on Garry Slack's blog post Woo Hoo an award!!!
"That's fantastic news, Garry and well-deserved. Well done and congratulations. :)"
Sep 25, 2009
candygourlay commented on Garry Slack's blog post Woo Hoo an award!!!
"well, you have done us proud! fantastic news!"
Sep 24, 2009

Profile

About Me
I write and self publish sign language books for children.
The Learn to Sign with Olli books aim to teach sign language to children, parents and professionals working with young children in an easy and fun way by featuring the character of Olli, a little monkey who prefers to communicate by using his hands rather than his voice. The signs featured in the books are all sourced directly from British Sign Language.

"Learn to Sign with Olli" was nominated as "Book of the month" for April 2007 by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf in their magazine "One in Seven" and it is described by the June 2007 edition of Early Years Educator Magazine as a "Highly informative and easy to use introduction to signing - a great resource for any nursery. Highly recommended"
The book is also recommended by the magazine as one of the top ten resources for special educational needs.
February 2008 saw the launch of the next book in the series, “Learn to sign and cook with Olli”

By combining the twin themes of food and sign language, this book will help children of all ages to improve their communication skills through the use of sign language whilst they learn about food and how to prepare it safely. Olli will then help children to put their new skills into practise by showing them how to prepare the mouth wateringly fun dishes that he has chosen from the Monkey family cookbook.

The book features a foreword by celebrity chef, Ross Burden, star of BBC’s “Ready, steady, cook”

This book has also been voted the book of the month by the RNID “One in Seven” magazine and Early Years Educator Magazine and was even featured in the April edition of the Somerfield supermarkets customer magazine which was available at over 1000 stores throughout the UK.
I also worked as the signing consultant on the children's television programme 'Make, Shake & Jake' for the Cartoonito channel on SKY.
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently working on the next in the series of the 'Olli' books
If you had to recommend just one children's book you've read in the last year, what would it be?
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Olli online!

The first Olli book has just been featured in the magazine, Junior Education Plus, the essential teaching resource for ages 7 to 11.


They have featured the book as an online interactive resource. To view it go to


www.scholastic.co.uk/junioredplus



and scroll down the page to “Interactive sign language – learn to sign with Olli”



You may need to register with Scholastic to view this but registration is free.




Regards



Garry

Garry Slack's Blog

Learn to sign about Nature with Olli

This has been a really busy few months, not only have I been on tour with the Sign with Olli show at various Zoos and wildlife parks around the UK (Dudley Zoo and castle, Paradise Wildlife Park, Colchester Zoo, Fineshade Woods, The Sunday Times Festival of Education at Wellington College and of course Twycross Zoo!) but my latest book, 'Learn to sign about nature with Olli' was released (or is that escaped?!!!) on 5th July.…

Continue

Posted on July 22, 2010 at 15:50

The Shining Signing Star

It's still October but already I'm starting to feel a bit Christmassy!!!



I think the reason is that since its release at the start of this month there has been a lot of interest from schools and church groups across the country in my new musical nativity play in English and sign language - The Shining Signing Star.



Telling the story of the nativity in rhyme from the perspective of the animals and the stars who were at the very first Christmas, the play uses a combination… Continue

Posted on October 27, 2009 at 10:59

Help needed please!!!

Hi everyone

I very much hope that someone out there might be able to help me with some ideas

In addition to writing children’s sign language books, I also run entertaining, educational, fun and interactive sign language sessions for children and their families and carers.

The workshops aim to teach the children fun rhymes and songs using sign language. Each workshop also features an appearance by Olli the signing monkey!



(It’s a fantastic costume that I had custom made… Continue

Posted on October 21, 2009 at 15:47 — 1 Comment

Woo Hoo an award!!!

Hi everybody!



I just wanted to share my good news!



Last Friday I attended an awards ceremony at Manchester University.

The event was The Practical Pre School Magazine awards for 2009.



My children's sign language book, 'Learn to sign and cook with Olli' was awarded the joint overall gold award in the books for ages 5 to 7 category.



The other joint winner in this category was a book published by Dorling Kindersley



What made this even… Continue

Posted on September 24, 2009 at 12:38 — 4 Comments

The first Olli book has just been featured in the magazine, Junior Education Plus, the essential teaching resource for ages 7 to 11. They have featured the book as an online interactive resource. Yo…

The first Olli book has just been featured in the magazine, Junior Education Plus, the essential teaching resource for ages 7 to 11.



They have featured the book as an online interactive resource. You can view and hear the first story in the book and learn the signs featured in the story.



To view it go to



www.scholastic.co.uk/junioredplus



and scroll down the page to “Interactive sign language – learn to sign with Olli”



You may need to… Continue

Posted on January 5, 2009 at 11:06

Comment Wall (7 comments)

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At 14:34 on June 25, 2010, Amanda Lillywhite said…
Thanks Garry!
I saw the mention of the Hyde Park launch for your new book in the SCBWI chatroom but am unclear on the date - is it next week or the end of July? We are Olli fans and hope to be able to go.
I love what you are doing for sign language.
Amanda x
At 1:04 on October 27, 2009, Chitra Soundar said…
Congrats Garry
At 1:04 on October 27, 2009, Chitra Soundar said…
Congrats Garry
At 12:35 on June 17, 2009, linda sarah said…
Hello to you too! Hope you have a lovely day...with many creative bits...
At 17:05 on May 10, 2009, Tracy Ann Baines said…
Forgot to mention in email - take a look at Home page on here.
At 16:53 on January 11, 2009, Dave Jeffery said…
This is fascinating, Garry. I worked with the Deaf community for 10 years and use BSL. It's great to see sign language now gaining the recognition it deserves. This can only help to bridge the woeful gap that exists between the hearing and deaf world. I will certainly recommend your work to my colleagues.

Best

Dave
At 16:21 on December 19, 2008, candygourlay said…
hi garry! welcome to the ning!
 
 
 

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