Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

I have wanted to learn BSL for many years now, but up until recently I have only ever picked up a few words and never really made the time to sit and actively learn it. I am a hearing individual but I also have ADHD and one of my "quirks" if you like, is that although my hearing is near perfect, I simply don't process the words. As such I have always been treated as though I'm either ignorant or hard of hearing, neither of which is true. I actually learned to semi lip read to try and combat this...whatever it is. Well I'm in my 30s and I now have a daughter who I am pretty convinced has ADHD too. She has all the problems I do and that includes being perfectly able to hear but not actually hearing the words. Her own language skills are incredible and when she hears the words her understanding is spot on. But you can tell that she's hearing your voice and not processing the word. It's quite difficult to actually explain so maybe you know what I mean and maybe you don't. 

I always wanted to teach her BSL as I believe it's a skill everyone should be taught, but she didn't seem really interested in baby sign classes so we stopped and never got around to it again. This Christmas though I've noticed more and more that I'm signing to her in busy rooms. Not BSL, but our own version. Today in a shopping centre with a brass band playing she broke down in tears because she couldn't "hear" me. She could hear me, she just couldn't distinguish my words. So I calmed her down and signed while speaking what I was trying to communicate with her and the look of relief just from being able to understand what was being said... it broke my heart that she was struggling so much. But as we both have near perfect hearing, it was never even considered for me and it's only because of personal experience that I know she could benefit. So that's my goal. I want to learn to sign so she and I can communicate properly with each other and others around us. As well as to include others with hearing difficulties who need to sign.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Posts

    • Hi there, I am Hannah-Mae and I am enjoying learning more sign language. I grew up with a partially deaf sister, and now my Dad is profoundly deaf. It always struck me how isolating the world still is for the deaf community. I unfortunately will be blind in a few years time but I know that both people's attitudes and modern living is much more accommodating of visual impairments than hearing ones. Because people don't see it they don't consider it. I work in communications for a charity, and am pushing for more sign language inclusion. All our videos have subtitles as standard but we can go further both on recorded and live events. I also am really behind BSL in the curriculum. Whilst I can still see I want to help make it so that the communities we live in are more inclusive.  
    • try the three versions i sometimes see being used
    • Hi, got a slightly odd issue - I find that signing the number 3 very difficult because of my tendons. The sign I've learned in the online course i'm doing is the index, middle and ring finger up, thumb and pinky down. It is currently impossible for me to have my pinky finger go down without my ring finger also going down unless i use my thumb to hold my pinky finger down manually, and on my primary hand it is difficult for me to get my thumb to hold my pinky finger down for long and without hand pain both while i'm doing the sign and for an amount of time afterwards. Is it permissible to switch primary hands for a single sign? it's a lot easier to hold my pinky finger down with my secondary hand without pain. if not, is there another sign that's able to be used for 3? or am I ok to just do thumb + index + middle finger for 3 and the context will be enough to confirm for someone I'm signing 3?
    • Embark on a journey of deeper communication and cultural immersion with our BSL classes in Central London.   Our Level 3 evening course starts this October. This course will refine your BSL skills and enrich your understanding of Deaf culture.    Secure your spot now and continue your BSL journey with us!   www.remark.uk.com/bsl-courses/wednesday-evening-level-3-october-2026   #BSL #BSLLEVEL3
    • Honestly, I can’t shake the feeling that learning stuff like fingerspelling works way better when you just turn it into a game. Trying to memorize hand shapes straight off a chart gets tedious pretty quick, low-key feels like homework. Interactive tech and screen time usually get a bad rap, but platforms like TruPlay kind of prove that wholesome, engaging games can actually make practicing stuff stick. I mean, if kids or even adults are gonna spend hours tapping a screen anyway, using that play-based format for sign language seems like a no-brainer
    • We are looking for experienced BSL Interpreters to join an exciting long-term accessibility project for a leading global streaming platform. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to making film and television more accessible for the Deaf community by supporting the development of future BSL accessibility solutions across a wide range of entertainment content. Project Details Location: Recording studio in London (London-based candidates preferred) Timeline: Approximately August–December (5 months) Working hours: Studio sessions between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM (BST) Commitment: Approximately 100 hours per participant Rate: USD $75/hour Please note: The recordings are intended for internal development and research purposes and will not be used directly as the final BSL interpretation presented to viewers. Requirements Native or highly proficient British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. Comfortable contributing to an innovative accessibility initiative. Available to attend recording sessions in London. Willing to sign the project’s confidentiality and release agreements. If you’re passionate about improving accessibility and would like to contribute to the future of BSL accessibility for film and television, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now by registering through our scheduling portal and sharing your availability. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] Thank you!
  • Fingerspelling Scoreboard

    (top 10 - past 24hrs)

  • Fingerspelling Animation Maker

×
×
  • Create New...