British Sign Language

Teaching Children BSL Achieves Life Long Ambition

The best news in the world is that a BSL GCSE will be available on the national curriculum in Wales from September 2027. Will children be interested in learning BSL? Well we’ll just have to wait and see, but from the involvement we have had with schools and the Welsh Government, all the signs are positive. “I couldn’t be more excited about it”, Sarah Lawrence told us, “I’m imagining a Wales when I’m an old lady where I can walk into a shop, a cafe, a restaurant, the doctor’s surgery, anywhere really, and I’ll be met by someone working there who can sign with me. What a game changer that will be.”

Since the decision to introduce the BSL (Wales) GCSE, we have been developing programmes of BSL suitable for children in Year 1 upwards to start to learn BSL from scratch. We have been delighted by the interest from some schools, and have been delivering what is called Progression Step 1 in schools since the start of September. In some schools, BSL has been offered to a single class, and in others, BSL has been offered to every child, giving those children the opportunity to be ready to start their GCSE when they join Year 10 or 11. “The response from the schools aware that a GCSE is being introduced in 2027 has been amazing,” said Sarah, “The work we have done on the Progression Step curriculum has proved hugely beneficial and the feedback we have had from the children and the staff has been amazing.”

Through the courses already run, the curriculum being delivered by Deaf Friendly Limited has been proven to be right on the money, with children enjoying signed conversations within hours of starting to learn. The curriculum design focuses on linguistically perfect BSL, BSL sign order and the precision needed to sign well. “The children have just lapped it up”, said Sarah, “With adults, we expect a learning rate of 12 – 15 signs an hours, with the children it tends to be between 100 – 150. The excitement, the signing rigour, and the enthusiasm of these children has just blown me away. I cannot wait to see what happens when the GCSE is available.”

If you or your school are interested in accessing BSL tuition form our team of experts, just email sarah@deaf-friendly.co.uk

Deaf Friendly Limited Offers FREE Level 1 BSL Courses to Deaf Youngsters in Wales

Having been told that BSL was for “stupid” children when she was in Primary School, Deaf Friendly’s owner and Director Sarah Lawrence has been championing access to BSL by all deaf children ever since. Having set up PremierBSL Limited to provide student’s access to full Level 1 and 2 BSL courses through an online distance learning course, Sarah has decided to offer free access to these courses to any deaf child from birth to 25 living in Wales.

The Level 1 and Level 2 courses are usually sold at £135 and £175 respectively, and have been used by learners to achieve formal Ofqual regulated BSL qualifications. As pre-recorded courses, learners are able to learn BSL at their convenience, whenever and wherever they happen to be, whether that is for a 5-minute drop in session, or a more structured hour session online. Feedback on these courses has been overwhelming.

“This is no gimmick of an offer to give FREE access”, said Sarah. “I was denied BSL when in school by my Teacher of the Deaf, and yet BSL has defined my life, giving me an income, a social life and access to the post school world. My teacher of the deaf might have been well-meaning, but it frightens me to think of what I might have done with my life, had I not found my own route to learning and flourishing through BSL. With my businesses doing alright, I can offer deaf youngsters free access to my courses, and I am delighted to do so.”

To get free access, young people will have to prove their age and that they are deaf. An email to sarah2@premierbsl.co.uk is all that is needed to gain access to the online courses. Learners will have to pay for their own exam fees.