Why I wish I was taught sign language as a child

[Malik]

I'm not Deaf or Hard of Hearing. But as an autistic person, I feel like using BSL is less stressful than speaking.

I have difficulty processing verbal information due to my autism. If I am not looking at a human's face, it is more difficult to understand what noises they are making. Signing feels more natural to me, and reduces the things I need to pay attention to in conversations.

I am still at the toddler level of BSL, so I still struggle following a conversation in BSL. Especially fingerspelling. I hope by watching BSLZone TV I become more fluent. It is sad that I never learned the sign language of my home town. I feel like that would have helped with my communication skills. 

[MandyM]

I’m learning BSL because my autistic daughter is too. She can manage to sign in situations that she previously felt too overwhelmed to be in. 

[Lead Academy]

I wish I had been taught sign language as a child because it would have expanded my ability to communicate, connect, and empathize with others—especially those in the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Language shapes how we interact with the world, and learning sign language early on would have helped me understand that communication goes beyond spoken words.

Early exposure to sign language fosters inclusivity and accessibility, values that are essential in building a more compassionate and understanding society. It would have also developed my nonverbal communication skills, improved my cognitive abilities, and introduced me to a rich and expressive culture that often goes overlooked.

Most importantly, I believe that if children were routinely taught sign language, we’d grow up in a world where no one feels left out of a conversation. Learning it young would have made it second nature—something I could use not only to help others, but to build deeper, more inclusive relationships throughout life.