- No More Toast
- May 11, 2013
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Atheist! Imperialist!!
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Anyone got any tips on how to start learning sign language with a qualification at the end of the course?
A little late, but I thought I'd peek my head out from my lurker cave as a BSL-learner. In no particular order, my tips are:
- The main awarding body for BSL is Signature, so you'll want to go with an approved teacher/centre. Handily, the Signature website has a page where you can search for local centres.
- My recommendation would be to go to in-person classes if you can. I'm not saying you can't learn sign language via Zoom, but it's much harder in my experience.
- I'd also recommend learning with a deaf teacher, partly because with hearing teachers it's much easier to 'cheat' with talking/whispering and the best learning is when you're fully immersed. Another reason is that when learning BSL it's best to learn about Deaf culture and the UK Deaf community and not just the language in isolation. You want to be taught by someone fluent in sign as well, so that will usually be a deaf teacher or a coda (child of deaf adults) just due to the fact it is not a wide-spread language.
- The history of BSL and deaf people in the UK is worth learning alongside the language, but is pretty depressing in places. Lots of eugenics-y stuff went on, so just be prepared for that.
- You're probably going to have to spend money to learn. Free classes are rare although depending on your job you may be able to convince your employer to cover the costs. Expect to spend £400+ for level one, and the costs increase from there.
- Signature offers five levels of qualification in BSL, up to level 6 (level 5 does not exist, for some reason) - how far you want to go is up to you and why you wish to learn. Level 1 is a good introduction and fairly relaxed. Level 2 is a step up, and requires more study outside of the classes. Level 3 is generally what you want to aim for if you want to speak conversationally and support worker jobs etc will usually ask for level 3. If you want to be an interpreter, you will need to get to level 6, which is a degree level qualification.
- Most Cities and some towns will have regular BSL cafes or events where you can practice BSL with other learners and signers. From level 2 onwards attending these or similar events is highly recommended, as you will get used to you classmates' and teacher's signing and this will be the best way to hone you skills. Unfortunately most of these seem to be organised via Facebook, which somehow still exists.
- It's good to keep in mind that BSL grammar is different from English grammar, and it is a separate language from English, though is informed by it. Not every word has an exact sign equivalent and vice versa. British Sign Language is also a completely different language to American Sign Language, although you likely know that already.
In closing, BSL is a great language, and if anyone reading the thread has an opportunity to learn you should take it whether you know any deaf people or not. There are so many occasions where signing is useful (in loud pubs/clubs, across distances, behind glass etc.) and hearing loss can happen to anyone, so if everyone signed those deafened later in life would end up less isolated. If it was up to me, level 1 classes would be freely available to everyone and it's pretty sad that we're only now getting a BSL GCSE, in TYOL 2024.
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