Unit of the Month - Produce and Receive British Sign Language
21st January 2022 Date of publication
According to the Deaf Health Charity, Signhealth, most Deaf people who use sign language in the UK use British Sign Language (BSL). It is a rich combination of hand gestures, facial expressions and body language and, like English, has its own grammar, syntax and lexicons.
BSL was recognised by the UK government as a language in its own right in March 2003, but there are no accurate figures for the number of sign language users in the country.
A good estimate is that there are around 70,000 people who use BSL as their preferred language.
When Strictly Come Dancing's first deaf contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis took to the dance floor, the public were amazed to witness the couple's use of techniques such as eye contact, muscle memory and physical touch to craft their dazzling performances.
Rose herself has spoken about how she counts the rhythm for each dance and had a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter with her during shows and rehearsals.
The fantastic and well-deserved success of Rose and Giovanni, despite the odds, has led to a surge of interest from those looking to learn how to communicate with Deaf people in every-day situations or have a keen interest in learning British Sign Language.
We have a range of units from Entry Level 3 to Level 2 available for use. Centres should select assessors who are trained in assessment, and who have subject specific competence to assess at this level. Assessors will hold accreditation in British Sign Language to at least the same level as this unit.
| Unit Name | Unit Code | Level | Credit |
| Produce British Sign Language | KB6/E3/NE/003 | Entry 3 | 1 |
| Produce British Sign Language | KB6/1/NE/001 | Level 1 | 2 |
| Receive British Sign Language | KB6/E3/NE/004 | Entry 3 | 1 |
| Receive British Sign Language | KB6/1/NE/002 | Level 1 | 2 |
| Understand and Take Part in Conversations in British Sign Language | KB6/2/NE/004 | Level 2 | 6 |
Our range of accredited units may provide an ideal addition to your curriculum offer and it may be worth taking a look.
If you are interested in delivering Bespoke units or using any of our services, please click here to contact us or alternatively join us at our Bespoke Accreditation webinar on 10th March 2022.
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