Next week is ‘sign language’ week in the UK (March 17th-23rd); it is an annual event that is run by the British Deaf Association (BDA). It is celebrated every year in March to commemorate the first time BSL was acknowledged as a language in its own right by the UK Government on the 18th of March 2003.
There is a website dedicated to the Sign Language Week which is full of ideas and resources. Schools can sign up to a free pre-recorded lesson to introduce their children to British Sign Language: www.signlanguageweek.org.uk The theme of the week is ‘With Sign Language and Culture – We Prosper’.
Learning a new language is daunting, but by learning a few words at a time, it becomes manageable. On a recent class observation, we watched the teacher use signs to get the children’s attention, and the children used signs to ask to get a drink and go to the toilet. It is simple beginnings, but from this so many children will be supported.
If you need inspiration, then watch the clip from Strictly Come Dancing 2024 of Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice showing what it is like for Rose who was born deaf. The dance raised awareness for members of the deaf community when the music cut, and they continued to dance in silence. Rose said, “Learning to sign as a child helped me feel like I belong.”
Rose has been an inspiration for so many:
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” – Jane Goodall
Reach Behaviour 