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    British Sign Language

Staff

Jane Foulston
Louise Thompson

What is British Sign Language (BSL)?

British Sign Language (BSL) was recognised by the government as a language in its own right in March 2003 BSL is the first or preferred language of an estimated 70,000 Deaf people in the UK. BSL is a visual- gestural language, with its own grammar and principles, of English.

Qualifications we offer

We offer qualifications in British Sign Language from a range Level 1 to Level 6. Our awarding body is signature. As for Keys stage 3, we offer to BSL Level One or our school based tracker of developing skills, depending on the individual needs of our learners. As for Keys Stage 4 and 5, we offer to BSL level one, two or 3 depending on the abilities of the learner. We set ambitious targets to ensure that all our learners reach their full potential.

BSL level 1 Qualification - Aims

This qualification is designed to teach learners to communicate with Deaf people in British Sign Language (BSL) on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use. They will gain basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. The specification has been designed using the UK Occupational Language Standards 2010 at Level 1.

BSL level 1 Qualification - Aims

At the end of the qualification, learners will be able to:

♦ understand and use a limited range of relevant words and sentences in BSL
♦ take part in simple, everyday conversations in BSL
♦ give and follow simple directions or instructions in BSL
♦ give and follow simple familiar statements or descriptions in BSL

Assessment Methods

The qualification is divided into 3 units, each of which can be achieved separately. Learners who are new to BSL should cover the introductory unit first, as unit 102 and 103 build on this knowledge. Units 102 and 103 can be taken in any order.

BSL Unit 101 – Introduction to BSL
♦ Meeting people
♦ Using Numbers
♦ School/college
♦ Hobbies
♦ Directions

BSL Unit 102 – Conversational Skill
♦ Describing people, animals, and objects
♦ Using numbers
♦ Interest and Activities
♦ Food and Drink

BSL Unit 103 – Communicate in BSL about Everyday Life
♦ Getting around
♦ Sharing information
♦ Weather
♦ Using Numbers

BSL level 2 Qualification - Aims

This qualification is designed to enable learners to develop their skills to communicate with Deaf people using British Sign Language (BSL) in a range of everyday situations. The qualification will allow learners to participate in longer and more varied conversations than at Level 1. The course will develop communication in BSL about real life, routine, and daily experiences. The learner will be able to deal with most routine communication and have enough understanding of grammar to cope with some non-routine communication. Learners should be taught a number of regional variations in sign language. The specification has been designed to be consistent with the National Language Standards at Level 2.

At the end of the qualification, learners will be able to:
♦ Be able to understand signed communication in a range of familiar everyday situations

Be able to understand key grammatical features of everyday situations
o Be able to understand questions related to a range of familiar everyday situations

o Be able to use BSL to communicate a range of familiar situations
o Be able to use appropriate signing conventions of familiar everyday situations
o Be able to use non-manual features
o Understand and take part in routine conversations in BSL

Assessment Methods

The qualification is divided into three units, each of which can be achieved separately. The units can be done in any order at any time but it is recommended that the content of Unit BSL 201 is covered before Unit BSL 202 or BSL 203.

One theme from the three optional themes will have been chosen by the teacher in consultation with the learner before the assessment.

BSL Unit 201 – Receptive Skills
● Learners will be assessed on their understanding of a story presented in BSL on a DVD

BSL Unit 202 – Productive Skills
● Everyday Conversation
● Eating and Drinking
● Spending and Shopping
● Travel and Holidays

BSL Unit 203 – Conversational Skills
● Everyday Conversation
● Eating and Drinking
● Spending and Shopping

Useful Websites

 www.signature.org.uk
www.bslzone.co.uk
BBC Two - See Hear