To think that it wouldn't be too difficult or costly to teach basic sign language in schools?

[Theicingontop]

Not expecting a five year old to sit and learn the entire BSL, but I think it would be nice if children were taught the basics. Maybe they do in some schools, but none I've ever heard of. Why do you think that is? Am I being unreasonable in thinking that it wouldn't be that difficult to do?

[mrsjay]

not all deaf people will have implants though I don't think I know a few deaf people and only 1 has an implant and I am able to communicate with the deaf people I know without sign language

[GailTheGoldfish]

BSL is available to anyone who wants to learn (level 1 and 2 courses and then NVQs) and absolutely should be promoted and made as accessible as possible, but I still think someone would have to be totally committed to a career working with BSL users before they took it as a GCSE. But anyone who wants a career in that area can now do NVQs so there is already a system in place which os why i wonder whether we need a GCSE. It's definitely a skill which is useful in a number of roles though.

[DamnBamboo]

p.s. Latin, whilst not used to communicate with appears a lot in sciences, engineering, maths art etc...

I have basic latin simply because of my science/medical background.

I still don't think that a language that circa 70,000 use and whose numbers will drop should be taught in school.

There are so many other useful things that could be taught instead.

Bring back basic domestic science/woodwork/metalwork etc... for a start which has largely been eroded over the years and which all pupils will benefit from

[UniS]

GCSE level qualification may be an NVQ, lots of school offer NVQs in a variety of subjects.

[Theicingontop]

lol ReallyTired, DS is getting to the stage where he may understand some of it. Have to be careful.
OH uses it alongside his speech when talking to DS and just from watching his dad he's picked up basic signs, it's amazing.

[GailTheGoldfish]

It isn't always the case that Deaf people have a cochlear implant and then no longer need to sign. But the increase of implants will most definitely have an impact on the number of BSL users and also influence how BSL develops as a language I think. As long as there are Deaf people there will always be signed language in some form.

[hazeyjane]

Sorry to return to Makaton again (there are 2 issues going on here, really).

Department of Health estimated that 65,000
children and 145,000 English adults have severe or profound learning
disabilities, and 1.2 million have mild or moderate learning disabilities.

[CaseyShraeger]

Cochlear implants aren't an option for everyone by any means (my DD's permanent hearing loss is only unilateral, but if she had the same problem in both ears she'd have no hearing at all and implants wouldn't be an option either. There are plenty of people who do have that kind of hearing loss bilaterally) and vary in how well they work for those they do work for. But obviously increase in implants will have an effect.

[DamnBamboo]

Perhaps this has been covered, but in terms of justifying the cost (and due diligence in this respect would have to be done) what do people perceive as being the benefits of all children learning this?

I honestly can't see for what good reason why this would be rolled out in schools

[Christmasberry]

All very well saying about cochlears and not as much use for signing (my daughter has one) but these can fail or you can't wear them all the time (swimming) so how do people communicate then? We are carrying on signing with dd (6) my other two (2 & 4) are picking it up and I hope all three will take it into adulthood with them, I have done level three and hope when I go back to work I can hopefully find a job where I can use my newfound skills.

[ReallyTired]

If you watch a talented signer it can really be beautiful. One of the most wonderful experiences I had was going to a pantomine which had BSL as well as English. I have to admit that my BSL was not great, but I could understand some of the jokes and humour.

Cochelar implants mean that Deaf children can attend normal schools. They do not grow up in the Deaf community. They are now very much part of the hearing community. Many Deaf people are anti cochelar implants.

Most children do 10 GCSEs. We don't expect all our children to be scientists or mathemticans or historians or artists or work in a country that uses French.

"But anyone who wants a career in that area can now do NVQs so there is already a system in place which os why i wonder whether we need a GCSE. "

Many people in the Deaf Community have campaigned for a GCSE in BSL. They want their language to get comparable respect to French, German or any other modern spoken language. Compared to the really stupid subjects that you can do a GCSE in, why not have GCSE BSL?

If you want a job that directly uses BSL then ideally you need a hell of a lot more than a GCSE. No one would think you can be a professional scientist with just a GCSE.

There is a huge difference between offering BSL and making BSL complusory for all children. Allowing BSL to count as an EBAC lanuage would help dyslexic children. Learning BSL would also help children with aspergers improve their understanding of body language.

[GailTheGoldfish]

That's fair enough Really tired, why not indeed. I suppose for me i just wonder whether i would want my child to have that over an academic subject when relevant qualifications in BSL already exist. I didn't mean that you would only need a GCSE to use BSL at a professional level, as I said in my post there is an NVQ system already in place which will take learners to the required standard, either that or post grad degree programmes. And I think the continuing fight for FULL legal recognition of BSL is what will put it on a par with other spoken languages, not by what system it is taught.

[elliejjtiny]

My primary school had a "deaf unit" (in quotes because it was called that then but not very PC!) attatched so we all learnt basic sign language, mostly finger spelling. DS2 went to SN nursery so he learnt makaton although he doesn't have a speech delay. This means he can communicate with another boy in his class who has a speech delay and uses makaton, which I think has been very helpful to them both. I think learning sign language is a good skill to have. I don't know much but I "speak" it far more than I speak french which I learnt in secondary school.