Learn Sign Language as a Family

Learn Sign Language as a Family

This month welcomes Deaf Awareness Week, running from the 15^th – 21^st May 2018. Around 11 million people are affected by hearing loss in the United Kingdom. What may surprise you, is that 4.5 million of those affected are under the age of 60. Hearing loss and deafness can affect anyone at any age, so much so that British Sign Language (BSL) is the preferred language of around 145,000 people living in the UK. Despite the amount of adults and children affected, most British schools do not teach BSL. If you and your family have been considering learning a second language, why not choose BSL? Here’s some fun activities and ideas for you and your family to learn sign language together.

Easy as ABC A great place to start when learning sign language is fingerspelling. Fingerspelling is the BSL alphabet. While most words have a single sign, certain words – usually names of people and places – are spelled out using the BSL alphabet. Practising the alphabet before learning to fingerspell your and your family’s names is a great family-friendly introduction to sign language. Once you are all feeling more confident with spelling, try combining learning BSL with spelling tests – ask your children to spell out a word – both verbally and using fingerspelling – double gold star if they are correct! If they make a mistake – either with their fingerspelling or the spelling of the word itself, correct them by fingerspelling the word to them while saying the letters out loud.  

Learn the Words You Love Which words are used most often in your house? Let your children choose some words that they would like to learn to sign. Though this is a long way from being able to form sentences, they are far more likely to remember and practice them. Whether it’s their favourite food, sport or subject at school, start with words that you and your children are bound to remember. It will build your family’s confidence with BSL and your children will be proud to know that they can sign their favourite hobbies and interests. Here are some signs that come in handy, here at Easy2name!                      

Storytelling with Sign The combination language, gesture and facial expressions means that BLS is a really creative and expressive way to communicate. It also means that sign language lends itself incredibly well to storytelling. Incorporating sign when reading your child’s favourite book with them will help both of you develop your sign language, as you will be following a story that you are both already familiar with. If you have younger children, try singing nursery rhymes will signing.  

BSL Charades Every family loves a game of charades! When your clan feels more confident in their BSL abilities, put them to the test with this BSL twist on a classic party game. The ‘performer’ can act out their charade as normal, but rather than the first to shout the correct name of the film, book, TV show, etc. the winner of the round is the first one to sign the answer correctly – though raise your hand first, as this can quickly descend into chaos!

Congratulate Yourselves! However fluent you and your family would like to become, learning BSL is great. It’s a second language that can really make someone’s day; maybe you’ll serve a deaf or hearing impaired customer at work, or your child might meet a deaf child next time you are at the park. Congratulate yourselves after each activity and achievement, using BSL. To applaud using British sign Language, hold your hands in the air, fingers apart and wave your hand from the wrist: For more advice on learning British Sign Language as a family, take a look at our Pinterest board.

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