Jump to content

  • BSL Forum
    Fingerspelling
    Game
    Create an
    Animation
    Print a
    Word
    Make a
    Word Search
    Fingerspelling
    Alphabet
    Online BSL
    Course

Hi! Tom from London, living in Vietnam

Tom Leigh

By Tom Leigh
in Introduce Yourself

 Share

Recommended Posts

Tom Leigh Newbie

Tom Leigh

Posted
Posted

Hi! This forum looks pretty quiet, but I hope I can meet some people with the same interest as me.

My name’s Tom, I’m from London but have lived/worked in Hanoi for the past year and a half.

 

I actually have a question for everyone about BSL level 1, this seems like a good place to post it.

I’m travelling right now, back to the UK around May. I want to take the Level 1 BEFORE starting Uni in september.

The problem is, most courses are either very very long (24 weeks) or very very intense (6 days!).

I’ve found a few courses in-between (e.g: 3 days a week x 4 weeks OR 1 day a week x 11 weeks).

How long would you suggest, for a first-timer? I’m learning a foreign sign language but I have almost zero BSL. During this time I might work part-time, but the Level 1 will be my main focus.

What is the minimum length everyone would suggest, to really get to grips with the content? Thanks!

T

Bec Meachin Newbie

Bec Meachin

Posted
Posted

Hi Tom,

I’ve just done the training for level one online https://www.bslcourses.co.uk/

Basically you get videos to watch, then you have tutorials over skype when you are ready. You can take the actual qualification, but I am doing all of the courses including level 6, so you don’t need to do the exams if you don’t want to and just jump to the next level. This saves money too!

I’ve really enjoyed level 1 and the chap I had doing the tutorials was really nice. As for time, I think I needed the full week to practice using the signs and looking up some things in between too. I have 11 month old twins though, so time is a bit short for me! ? So if I was going to an actual course rather than online I would do the once a week.

 

Hope that helps and welcome to the forum. I’ve been off for a few weeks with poorly babies, but try and check in most days. 

Cheers, Bec

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
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Posts

    • Julie King
      Why I am learning BSL

      By Julie King · Posted

      Hi  My name is Julie. I have been fortunate enough to be able to access the British Sign Language course via Nerve Tumours UK, a national charity which provides support and advice for families living with Neurofibromatosis. I was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) in 1994 when I was 30 years old. I am fortunate to be mildly affected by the condition with only slight hearing loss in my right ear following surgery 30 years ago. I have made many friends over the years who are profoundly deaf and I have always wanted to learn but never had the time or opportunity. Learning about this course through the charity gave me the impetus to set aside the time to learn. I want to be able to communicate with my friends and family and future proof my life if I lose my hearing further down the line. I am finding it quite hard to set aside the quiet time to learn as we are in the process of relocating to Devon, but I am determined to succeed.
    • Hannah-Mae Trow
      Loving learning

      By Hannah-Mae Trow · Posted

      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.  
    • Lysander
      Signing number 3 alternatives

      By Lysander · Posted

      Thank you so much!
    • Qriti
      Signing number 3 alternatives

      By Qriti · Posted

      try the three versions i sometimes see being used
    • Lysander
      Signing number 3 alternatives

      By Lysander · Posted

      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?
    • remark.uk
      BSL LEVEL 3 - MONDAY EVENINGS (FACE-TO-FACE) - Starting 5TH OCTOBER 2026 - CENTRAL LONDON

      By remark.uk · Posted

      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
    • Rebecasui
      Fingerspelling game.

      By Rebecasui · Posted

      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
    • Anna879
      Hey there! learning BSL

      By Anna879 · Posted

       

  • Fingerspelling Scoreboard

    (top 10 - past 24hrs)

  • Fingerspelling Animation Maker

×
×
  • Create New...