WEBLINKS BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE [Links last checked 16.4.12 unless otherwise indicated]
Consultation on a BSL Bill for Scotland
A background paper produced by Cathie Craigie (Member of the Scottish Parliament) to support the passage through the Parliament of a British Sign Language (BSL) Bill. It includes a comprehensive review of the current situation in Scotland, together with comparisons with provision in New Zealand and Finland.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S3_MembersBills/Draft%20proposals/20100712ProofedconsultationBSLBill.pdf
Creating Linguistic Access for Deaf and Deafblind people: A strategy for Scotland
A report prepared by the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters in 2002
http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/resources/deaf/sasli/intro.html The Scottish Parliament has a page for BSL users
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/help/3380.aspx Free BSL audio/visual tours at Holyrood
BSL users can tour the Scottish parliament building with a hand-held audiovisual guide incorporating BSL.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-09/pa09-068.htm Deaf voters 'unheard' by politicians
An item from BBC Scotland arguing that many deaf people are excluded from the democratic process.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/scotland/8640584.stm Deafsign.com
The site has a number of interesting features including an interactive discussion forum, an email subscription list, a BSL sample section, a myth buster and resources for schools.
http://www.deafsign.com Signs for Education
Forest bookshop specialises in books and other resources relating to deafness. They have a section of resources on Signs for Education.
http://forestbooks.com Some websites for learning BSL online
Some free of charge, some not.
http://www.learnbsl.org
http://www.britishsignlanguage.com
http://www.british-sign.co.uk
Provision for Community Language Learning in Scotland
Report of a study by Joanna McPake, published in 2006. The study aimed to investigate the extent to which current provision enables plurilingual children to maintain and develop their languages. It includes consideration of provision for BSL and Makaton.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/07093013/0 Furthering Access to College Education for Deaf Students (FACE)
Guidelines for best practice, including access to assessment (in conjunction with SQA)
http://www.facefordeafstudents.co.uk/ British Sign Language Studies
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)offers a Professional Development Award (PDA) in British Sign Language (BSL) Studies. Updates here:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48133.html Signed languages
Want to find out about uses of signed languages in Britain? Lots of information and links here:
http://www.signedlanguage.co.uk Signing provides common language
Here's a link to a short article on the BBC website about a primary school in Brighton where children speak 24 different first languages and which is teaching them all Makaton to help them communicate. Perhaps BSL or other full signed language could be used for the same purpose, especially, perhaps, in a school where there are some deaf children? Or should the lingua franca simply be English?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7645132.stm Signed stories
TV's online library of illustrated, spoken, signed and subtitled story books that deaf children and their hearing peers can enjoy together. May also be of interest to those teaching English as a foreign language to Deaf children.
http://www.signedstories.com/page/index.cfm British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust
Details of the programs on the BSL Zone each week.
http://www.bslbt.co.uk/ Minority status call for signing
An item from BBC Scotland (19.6.09) in which Professor Graham Turner argues that signing should be treated as an indigenous and minority language.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8107801.stm
Electrial Safety Council
TwoThirtyVolts aims to teach children about the benefits and dangers of electricity. This is a link to the British Sign Language (BSL) version. To acccess the site without BSL, just omit that part of the address.
http://www.twothirtyvolts.org.uk/bsl/
Identifying specific language impairment in British Sign Language: Implications for theory and practice
The abstract for a presentation given by Kathryn Mason during Direct Learn's Online Conference on Supporting Deaf People 9-12th February, 2011.
Abstract: http://www.online-conference.net/sdp2011/programme.htm#mason
The future of British Sign Language in an Inclusive Scotland
In November last year, two events took place at the Scottish Parliament to look at the future of BSL in Scotland. These events were organised by Scotland’s Future Forum and the Edinburgh Beltane. A short report has been published that gives information on what was discussed at the events. To read the report, go to:
http://scotlandfutureforum.org/assets/library/files/application/BSL_Report.pdf Sign Language and Bilingualism: discovering a different form of bilingualism
An article from Psychology Today, by François Grosjean
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201103/sign-language-and-bilingualism Widgit resources
Concept cards, BSL signs and words for teaching in the early years.
http://www.widgit.com/resources/communication/bsl/animals_pets/index.htm Talk With Sign Books
Talk With Sign Books Ltd is a mail order company specialising in all media relating to D/deafness and Deaf Culture.
http://www.talkwithsign.com BSL in the curriculum
Dingwall Academy is the first school in Scotland to offer BSL as an alternative to the traditional language options. Note reference to Curriculum for Excellence.
http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6115686 British Sign Language (Interpreting, Translating and Applied Language Studies)
This is a new programme – the first of its kind in Scotland and, in key aspects, unique in the UK – in which British Sign Language (BSL) is studied to professional level. Students are trained to work as BSL/English Interpreters and Translators, and to use BSL proficiently in related professional areas.
http://www.undergraduate.hw.ac.uk/programmes/Q196/
See the Scotsman's article on the above:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/signals_are_good_as_uni_to_offer_sign_language_degree_1_2004858 Benefits information if you are deaf or hard of hearing
A set of films has been produced in British Sign Language for people living in UK who are deaf or hard of hearing.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Video/DG_WP196003 1 + 2 = free?
An article reflecting on the ‘1+2’ languages initiative recently announced by the Scottish Government and the opportunity it offers to strengthen provision for the wide range of 'home' languages used in Scotland, including BSL. (Scottish Languages Review, Issue 24, Winter 2011-12.)
http://www.strath.ac.uk/scilt/slr/iss/2012/24/ Heriot Watt University
See here for courses that combine study of two modern languages, including sign languages.
http://www.undergraduate.hw.ac.uk/sls/languages/courses/ http://www.undergraduate.hw.ac.uk/programmes/Q196/ European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters
Details of national organisations of sign language interpreters throughout Europe.
http://www.efsli.org/efsli/nasli/nasli_home.php ENGLISH/BSL GLOSSARIES
Related to subject areas in school, further and higher education [Links last checked 16.4.12 unless otherwise indicated]
Four glossaries from Direct Learn and the University of Wolverhampton:
Science: http://www.sciencesigns.ac.uk
Engineering: http://www.engineeringsigns.ac.uk
Art: http://www.artsigns.ac.uk
From the University of Edinburgh:
Maths, Physics, Biology and Chemistry: http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/bsl/list.html
Biotechnology: http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/public/sibe/signingbiotechnology/ BSL Glossary: Translation Studies
Bilingual glossary of introductory concepts. A British Sign Language Glossary of introductory concepts that is also a bilingual glossary as the English source texts are included for reference.
http://www.dur.ac.uk/bsl.glossary/ For other links relating to English as a second language for Deaf learners, see here.
OTHER SIGNED LANGUAGES [Links last checked 16.4.12 unless otherwise indicated]
French sign language
The website of deaf actress and author Monica Companys set up to market her own educational products teaching LSF (Lange des Signes Française)
http://www.monica-companys.com/
EUMASLI Project
European Master in Sign Language Interpreting. Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in partnership with Finland and Germany.
http://www.eumasli.eu Deaf Planet
A website specially made for deaf children, in Canada, so it's in American Sign Language (ASL) or Langue de Signes Québecoise (LSQ) with subtitles and sound in English or French.
http://www.deafplanet.com Education of deaf children in Norway
This account appeared in the January 2005 issue of the BATOD journal. It covers, amongst other things, the right of deaf children to study foreign sign languages and written English.
http://www.batod.org.uk/index.php?id=/publications/on-linemagazine/models/norway.htm Makaton
The Makaton charity website: http://www.makaton.org
An article about a Primary school that uses Makaton as a tool to support inclusion.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7645132.stm English for Deaf Sign Language Users: Still a challenge
A paper by Franz Dotter about access to international communication in English for deaf sign language users in other countries.
http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/zgh/downloads/Dotter_English_Deaf_SL_2008.pdf
Charity for deaf trains interpreters to help in Malawi
A herald Scotland article.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/charity-for-deaf-trains-interpreters-to-help-in-malawi-1.1072845 An article about sign languages in Zimbabwe
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14656983 Heriot Watt University
See here for courses that combine study of two modern languages, including sign languages.
http://www.undergraduate.hw.ac.uk/sls/languages/courses/ Deaf Individuals’ Bilingual Abilities: American Sign Language Proficiency, Reading Skills, and Family Characteristics
A scientific paper on psychology. Free to download.
http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?paperID=3951 [17.4.12] Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Centre has strong links with the Deaf community so it's worth keeping an eye on their website for theatre performances by BSL users, including shows during the Festival Fringe. The Events Manager says ,...the shows are most suitable for people with some interest in or knowledge of BSL, inlcuding those attending BSL classes'.
http://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk WORKING WITH DEAF AND HEARING LEARNERS [Links last checked 16.4.12 unless otherwise indicated]
Signature (formerly CACDP)
Offers nationally recognised qualifications in BSL, speech to text reporting, etc. Centres in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
http://www.signature.org.uk
Including all pupils: Dingwall Academy
A video about the inclusion of pupils with a hearing impairment in mainstream classes and the education of all pupils about sign language.
http://www.journeytoexcellence.org.uk/videos/dingwallacademy.asp Continuing Professional Development
Courses for teachers in Scotland working with deaf, blind or deaf/blind pupils.
http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/courses/deaf/courselist.html British Association of Teachers of the Deaf
Promotes the educational interests of all deaf children, young people and adults and safeguards the interests of Teachers of the Deaf. Branches UK-wide.
http://www.batod.org.uk The importance of language (any language) to mental health
In this interview a clinical psychologist talks about how the incidence of mental illness is higher higher amongst deaf people, and how language acquisition contributes to mental health.
http://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/news-and-events/all-regions/news/feeling-good.aspx Internationale Konferenz: Integration hörgeschädigter Kinder und Jugendlicher in allgemeinen Einrichtungen
International Conference, held December 2010, on the integration of hearing impaired children in mainstream schools. The Conference proceedings can be found online here, together with video reportage. Most of the speeches are in German, of course, but some are in English.
http://videoonline.edu.lmu.de/wintersemester-2010-2011/1854 English for deaf sign language users: Still a challenge
A paper by Austrian expert Franz Dotter about teaching English as a foreign language, or lingua franca, to deaf students. Likely also to be of general interest to those concerned with teaching English or foreign languages to deaf students generally.
http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/zgh/downloads/Dotter_English_Deaf_SL_2008.pdf
Benefits information if you are deaf or hard of hearing
A set of films has been produced in British Sign Language for people living in UK who are deaf or hard of hearing.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Video/DG_WP196003 Home – Themes and topics – Resource finder – Site map - CfE main page | 
