For those of you who don’t know me, let me introduce myself before I give you my honest opinions.
My name is Wayne Barrow, and I am a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). I have spent the last few years of my life campaigning for BSL to be added into the National Curriculum, and with the support of many people and organisations, we managed to have the debate taken into Parliament.
Unfortunately, Nick Gibb, the Minister for the Department for Education, didn’t agree to this (I’m trying not to get angry at him whilst writing this), but we are closer than ever to having BSL taught in schools.
Anyway, now you know a little about me and my background, there is quite a big topical debate within the BSL community, and that is which is better, BSL or SSE? (British Sign Language or Signed Supported English – for those of you who are unsure, I’ve added a brief explanation at the bottom of this article)
I know there are so many different opinions on this debate, so I thought it would be a great chance for me to express my view.
I tend to lean towards SSE when doing my signed song videos and teach signed songs (I have my own company teaching signed songs). My reasoning behind this is because I am from a performing background, so I think it’s really important to try and stay as close to the artist’s lyrics that they have written.
They have created a piece of art, and for me to portray that art for someone who may not be able to hear it, I would rather they see it in the way it was written. Now, that’s not to say that those who use BSL in music are wrong, I completely celebrate them and think that it is fantastic to use both. You need to remember this is personal preference.
There has always been a huge debate within the deaf and hard of hearing community about BSL and SSE, I do think it is important to keep BSL alive, as it is something we should be proud of. It’s a beautiful language, with a wonderful, visual structure. I absolutely adore it.
But you have to remember, BSL isn’t for everyone. Some people prefer to use SSE, and that’s the big split in the deaf and hard of hearing community. I often come across comments towards my videos telling me how awful I am because I use SSE when I sign my songs, but I can imagine in the same breath, people who use BSL structure in songs will probably get abuse for not translating the song the way it was written.
We, as a society, have to recognise that every person is different, we all have different ways of communicating, whether you speak English, French, Spanish and so on. I do not use the same English when speaking to my friends as I do when I’m on the phone, and this goes with when I’m using BSL and SSE too.
Some people I use SSE with, and others BSL. We are all individual, and we all have our own techniques to deal with certain situations, and I think we should all celebrate one another for being able to express our own emotions in such a beautiful way.
I know what some of you are thinking now “there are ‘BSL Tutors’ who are teaching SSE, and giving people the wrong impression”, and yes, I am completely on your side for this argument.
I run my own academy teaching signing songs, and every new member who joins us will always be told that we are using SSE, and we give an explanation as to what the difference is between the two.
However, I have seen Tutors who claim to teach BSL and are actually teaching SSE, this is something that needs to be stopped and these Tutors need to explain what they are actually teaching.
We need to make sure that when people are learning any form of sign, they are educated correctly and properly, so they can make an informed choice as to what they are actually learning. However, that being said, I would much rather see someone using broken SSE/BSL and making the effort to learn, than know nothing at all.
At the end of the day, we need to be bringing more people together, and break down any communication barriers, we just have to make sure we do it the right way, and make sure that people are informed about what they are in fact learning.
Brief explanation of BSL & SSE:
BSL – stands for British Sign Language. This has it’s own sentence structure that is unlike the English spoken language. (E.g. your name what?)
SSE – stands for Signed Supported English. This is using signs from BSL, however reordering the sentences to be the same as the English spoken language. (E.g. what’s your name?)
Wayne Barrow is a TV & Radio Presenter who has grown up with deaf parents. His passion for music and signing have combined together to create another visual aspect to music by signing along to songs. He has used this as a tool to help promote his campaign to get BSL taught in schools.
Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:
The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf journalist, screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.
Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.
The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:
- BSL Zone: TV programmes in BSL for the Deaf community
- Deaf Umbrella: what support is available for deaf students?
- Bellman & Symfon: home alerting solutions, including the mobile phone transceiver!
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- SignHealth: check out the BSL health library
- 999 BSL: call 999 in an emergency, in BSL
- Appa: Looking for RSLIs, TSLIs and CSWs, apply here!
- Signly: Adding BSL to websites
- Signworld: Learn BSL online!
- DCAL: world-class research into deafness, cognition and language
- Action Deafness: “A Deaf-Led Charity” – interpreting & community support services
- Sign Solutions: Instant access to Interpreters, training and BSL translation nationwide
- InterpretersLive: On demand BSL video interpretation
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- BID: Deaf services, including advice and support, interpreting, employment and letters
- Performance Interpreting: BSL interpreting at concerts
- National Deaf Children's Society: The leading charity for deaf children
Katy
May 18, 2018
The debate wasn’t about whether SSE or BSL was better. People have simply been pointing out that they are 2 different things and it’s confusing to call one the name of the other.
It is also confusing that until this was pointed out to you all of the material around your songs and academy simply said “sign language”. That neither specifies BSL nor SSE and is also very confusing. To those outside of the community this gives the impression that BSL/SSE/sign language are all one and the same. That undoes all the work that has been done in educating the masses about BSL as a language it’s own right and removes SSE from the equation completely. That specifically was what people were commenting to you about.
They both have their place (as myself and others have been saying to you and other people on twitter). The debate was never one verses the other.
Cathy
May 18, 2018
Interesting article but it is not difficult to see why songs use SSE. They have to because the grammatical structure of BSL would make the song total nonsense. Even signed choirs use SSE, so unfortunately BSL loses its value in this respect.
As for putting BSL on the national curriculum to teach, has everybody really thought about this? I certainly have and I doubt it is achievable for several reasons. Firstly, we have nowhere near enough Deaf teachers to teach the language. We would be lucky to stretch around 1 region let alone nationally! Secondly, are Deaf people qualified to teach children? I doubt it. Most deaf teachers will have 7307 or 7407, which qualifies them to teach adults not children. Thirdly, where are all the interpreters coming from to support the Deaf teacher in the class? Or are they going to be left to their own devices and lipread a class of 30 children? We are already chronically short of interpreters, so supporting them in classes, week in, week out around the country is really not an option.
I did not put my name to this petition for these reasons and Iam not surprised that Parliament rejected the proposal, especially when they are trying to lessen teachers workloads in the classroom! To add more topics, for which the Deaf Community is ill prepared to carry out, would be educational suicide!
Jayne
May 18, 2018
Hi Wayne. I feel that you may have misunderstood some feedback you’ve been given about the type of language construct you’re using. Personally, I’ve not seen anyone suggest that BSL is better than SSE, I’m sure no one thinks that. As qualified interpreters we’re often asked to produce SSE for clients and do so without issue.
However, the comments I see regularly are along the lines of a) using the term “sign language” automatically makes people think there is no difference between the two, and that’s risky and b) I’m sorry but often the signed songs you share are simply not SSE. personally I think songs in SSE do have a place, and having interpreted live music, do use SSE intermingled with BSL depending on the song/pace/lyrics etc.
SSE borrows signs from BSL as you say, but it would borrow the right one at the right time so the context is still completely accurate. I’ve seen many people try to explain this to you and you simply tell them to “take their negativity elsewhere” instead of actually listening to what they have to say.
Such a shame.
Celestyn
May 25, 2018
“I often come across comments towards my videos telling me how awful I am because I use SSE when I sign my songs, but I can imagine in the same breath, people who use BSL structure in songs will probably get abuse for not translating the song the way it was written.”
The fact that Wayne acknowledges he has had criticism for his use of SSE but can only IMAGINE that people using BSL gets the same level of abuse— where’s the proof? (Most comments to fluent BSL sign-song videos are in awe, because people can acknowledge that despite it being beyond what they can understand, this further inspires them to learn/improve.)
Instead of writing a highly defensive post (and seemingly going quiet now) it would serve us ALL better if he reached out to the deaf community, listened and learn. He is young, we all get ahead of ourselves and make mistakes, now’s the time to swallow his ego and use this opportunity to build a bridge with the Deaf audience that he is supposedly fighting for.
Jo Dennison Drake
May 18, 2018
This is an interesting debate you put forward. I’m deaf and am learning BSL level two. I can understand why some users use BSL as it’s quicker to get the point across. The biggest problem is the lack of BSL language at a more advanced level in BSL for those going onto further education at university. I’m a language support tutor working with deaf students at college and university. I currently work with one student who’s at university and the person is frustrated as they say that BSL limits them and they want to know and understand meanings of new words they encounter every day but aren’t in their vocabulary. They struggle dreadfully with the written work aspect as BSL is different and one can’t write BSL form at university level as they have to be able to use complex language and concepts! I’m seriously worried as many BSL users in higher education will not have the sufficient knowledge of written English to enable them to make the necessary progress. They have enough struggles in life without then having to suddenly adjust at university level to learning proper written English and indeed spoken English even if via an interpreter who may not know advanced new words learned at university to get their spoken dissertation across. It makes life so complicated at this point for the BSL users.
At this point I’m inclined to argue that perhaps we need to be more progressive and actively encourage SSE as then students can keep up with their hearing peers and be able to use and write English properly without being held back by the more limited BSL version. BSL for much older people in their late 70’s 80’s tend to involve more finger spelling so I’m told but not sure if that’s true so in a sense they get around the problem. However that’s a slow way of talking isn’t it if that has to be used so much?
BSL is useful in getting young children and babies communicating but I do think that SSE should be introduced later so that they can move smoothly into using every day English that everyone uses so they are not hindered later on in life in higher education. I suffered enough myself at university just using spoken English mainly because there was no support whatsoever for me at that time in the late 70’s early 80’s. It was really hard work following lecturers through lip reading and often no lecture notes anyway. I relied heavily upon my peers to borrow their notes to catch up all the time and the library. One year I had no hearing aids either! What do other people think, in particular those who are in university?
Cathy
May 18, 2018
Hi Jo, Iam currently a student of Chester University although the course is at Stockport College. You are perfectly right about BSL being seriously limiting. Iam fortunate to have good English but I still battle with interpreters who use BSL and wish things would change for deaf people who are bright enough to cope with university. As you said it suits babies and children but NOT university as English has a plethora of vocabulary that is totally missing in BSL, hence students struggle like hell. Personally, I know 2 profoundly deaf people with a degree and one got a 3rd and the other 2.2. These grades reflect the difficulties deaf students face, even though hearies get low grades too.
This is another reason I didnt sign the petition for BSL to be taught in schools: if BSL is wrecking deaf students chances at university level, will it also impact on hearing children with poor English skills, making their English worse? I have no desire to find out and agree with you, Jo, that SSE needs to be brought to the fore while BSL takes a bit of a back seat!
Jo Dennison Drake
May 18, 2018
I am sorry to hear of your struggles in that respect Cathy. Keep persevering and you will succeed. Seriously I think that where possible all deaf children should be given the opportunity to be bilingual in sign language whether BSL and or SSE plus spoken English. There will always be some that can’t learn to speak. I’m an advocate of cochlea implants for babies and young children to give them a greater chance to learn to speak well and also to improve what hearing abilities they have. I appreciate some parents prefer to wait until their babies are old enough to make a choice. However I suspect that some parents are not told that delay of learning speech is hugely detrimental to the child catching up on language later on. It affects the cerebellum and also affects the child’s brain from developing as easily on the intellectual front. The earlier the child gets the necessary help to hear the better the future chances of a child being able to compete on similar grounds to a hearing child. Of course this is hugely dependent on continuing support throughout the child’s education.
Editor
May 18, 2018
Delay of learning a language is what has a detrimental effect – it can be BSL or speech, to combat the effects of language delay/deprivation.
Cathy
May 18, 2018
Iam a student of Chester University and I agree with you Jo that BSL is far from adequate at this level of education. It is a shame that SSE is not more prominent in life because English has a plethora of vocabulary that does not exist in BSL! With so much language missing it is little wonder deaf students struggle.
Iam fortunate to be able to read and write well with less struggle academically but it is endlessly frustrating to have a BSL interpreter who is always asking what is the sign for this and the sign for that?! I make up a sign of my own and we use that!
I agree with you that we need more SSE to be used at university level and leave BSL for the babies and young children to use because its limitations are enough to send you round the twist!!
Katy
May 18, 2018
I have a couple of responses to this. Part of the problem is that Deaf children aren’t actually being taught either English or BSL to a suitable level in many cases. The BSL language models in schools are often communication support workers with level 3 language or below or worse ‘signers’ with a level 1 or nothing. Teachers of the Deaf more often than not have little or no BSL themselves so can’t act as suitable language role-models.
Without a strong first language, how is someone supposed to learn a second?
Also, with regards to BSL being limited, I respectfully disagree. (Having interpreted for students at all levels from college entry to PhD)
The issue here perhaps is that any BSL using student is only as good as their interpreters and education is not seen as a specialism so there is little additional training for interpreters in that domain. Worse in fact that some regard it as an easy option.
The problem of encouraging SSE use as you are suggesting is that it leaves Deaf people in a half way house without firm footing in either language. From my experience, those who have been taught through SSE in this manner struggle MORE. Focusing on teaching written English fully and BSL as a full rich language too feels like a better option to me. SSE has its place, I am on record saying this, but ultimately it is English, and that English also needs to be taught too.
Joesph
May 26, 2018
I am astonished that someone who is studying BSL Level 2, (the equivalent of a GCSE grade B) can have the gall to declare BSL limited. Of course it’s limited to YOU, because you are not fluent yet.
Again just because ONE student complained that they are encountering new vocabulary that has no equivalent sign in BSL, does not mean it can not be translated into BSL. The same way that medical students will undoubtedly have to pick up latin terminology for anatomy, or any new scientific terminology they have never heard of before. Any advance studies exposes all students to new jargons/terminology in their field, which doesn’t mean they can’t understand the concept, and that deaf students cannot create an equivalent sign between themselves and their interpreter.
“One can’t write BSL form at university level as they have to be able to use complex language and concepts!” That is one area that Deaf students can request support for from their interpreter/ DSA/ University Disablilty Support office – some unis even allow a filmed BSL submission of work, most allow assistance with written English. Just because you are not aware of such options, does not mean it doesn’t exist!
“I’m seriously worried as many BSL users in higher education will not have the sufficient knowledge of written English to enable them to make the necessary progress.” I am seriously worried that for a language support tutor supporting deaf students at college and university – you seem to have low expectations of your students, and perhaps limited awareness on how best to support them.
Tim
May 18, 2018
SSE is part of the BSL spectrum, strong BSL on one side and English grammar exact SSE on the other, they’re not really two separate languages.
It’s also important to note that many people don’t have a choice. I’m in the middle, but would love to be strong BSL, but struggle because of the oralism that was inflicted on me.
Thom
May 25, 2018
Therefore some might say SSE is the by-product of oppression.
Cathy
May 18, 2018
I have tried to reply to you twice, Jo, but reply button fails!
Iam a student at university and totally agree that BSL is literally useless at university level due to the academic writing that is required. We need SSE to be more prominent in life for students in academic settings. We should leave BSL to babies and children to learn because it does not contain the kind of vocabulary needed for university and its limitations are enough to send you round the twist when you are trying to write up an assignment!
Deaf people have achieved degrees in the past but this has probably been due to having good English skills to start with, so native BSL users are at an even worse disadvantage.
This is another reason I did not sign the petition for putting BSL on the national curriculum due to its limitations for higher and further education.
BB
May 18, 2018
I am gobsmacked to read that you feel BSL is limiting(!) I am a native BSL user, have two degrees and used interpreters for all my qualifications. I now work in the public sector and guess what? Yup, in a senior role and I have team of interpreters. I also teach and train interpreters at a university level. BSL didn’t and does not limit me. Actually it sets me free. So please be careful when making such a damaging statement.
minty
May 18, 2018
Cathy and Jo, respectfully, I disagree with what you are saying about BSL at university level. I suspect my (Deaf BSL using) PhD supervisor, my two (Deaf BSL using) PhD colleagues and our (Deaf BSL using Postdoctoral Research Fellow colleague would also disagree. I suspect it is not BSL that is holding you back, but a lack of BSL ability (yours and that of your interpreters). SSE, as someone has already pointed out, is simply manual English. That’s perfect for someone who wants to access their studies in English, but it’s not much use to a BSL user.
Anon
May 18, 2018
Both myself and wife are lifelong profoundly Deaf, (ci users) and insist on SSE because we try to hear people at the same time. If interpreters are using BSL then this does not help in trying to hear along with what is said by hearing people, BSL to us is very limiting!
I thought Wayne gave an honest open opinion. Many times we have heard and understood that in time BSL will die out because of the many now who have Cochlear Implants, especially among children which is great. Our own implants have been life changers for us and things can, and will only get better with progress, but there will always be SSE.
(Sorry about being Anonymous as we have been badly flamed before now as anit BSL’ers 🙂
Jen
May 18, 2018
The ignorance in some of these comments is quite breathtaking, and bordering on prejudice. I don’t get what the point of BSL-bashing is; it’s just another form of oppression, I suppose. BSL is a rich and fully operational language with many amazing features that transcend other languages, but if you aren’t fluent in it, I understand that may be hard to appreciate.
Marnie
May 18, 2018
It is absolutely critical to remember a few points here:
1. SSE is not a language. English is a language; BSL is a language. I’m not a linguist, but linguists will tell us this. It does not and can not convey the full meaning of the English language.
2. If a child has been deprived of a full language in the early years, their brains will not develop to their full capacity. I’m sorry, but that is science. That means if a child is not able to fully access English or another spoken language, they need BSL because it is a language. The child needs a language. The person needs a language.
SSE, or at least the SSE that is delivered by well-meaning ToDs and CSWs in schools, is not sufficient.
3. We must not conflate the suitability of SSE for use for leisure/ the arts, for conversational support, for ‘bringing people together’, as a ‘bonus’ or point of interest with its appropriateness as a first language or the language of education and for access.
SSE is fine, but it does not guarantee access.
Jo Dennison Drake
May 18, 2018
I support Marnie’s thoughts on the importance of a child learning a language whatever form it takes as long as it enables a child to understand their world and communicate their needs as to stifle this is to restrict the brain development.
I’m thrilled to see that Jen, BB and Minty have their own view points that BSL isn’t limiting. I’m only reflecting upon what the university student who was a BSL & SSE user said to me. The student said that the interpreters she has who are fully qualified are unable to extend her vocabulary and she’s frustrated by that which is why I was asked to help out. I help out more verbally still as my BSL is still limited as am currently only on level 2. My student loves learning the English but moans that she wishes the interpreters could extend her vocabulary on the BSL front. This is how I came to believe what I did and it seems that from the post above that my student wasn’t the only one to suffer from BSL limitations at university as Cathy also struggled as she stated above.
Guess those who had good interpreters were jolly lucky!
Additionally it looks like Minty has a brilliant command of English and is truly bilingual which is fabulous but sadly not everyone is in Minty’s lucky shoes. Congratulations to you Minty and I sincerely hope all future deaf children have your opportunities, though with the proposed tax cuts it looks like deaf education will really suffer in the service it can provide to the deaf children and young deaf people.
BSL Guy
May 19, 2018
SSE is limited to the vocabulary of BSL. So it’s staggering to read that SSE would be used in place of BSL in higher education- of therestno sign for a specific concept word for sign basis, then like any other spoken or signed language, it goes back to the fundamentals behind the concept of that word and arriving at a sign best matched with it. I agree with the previous poster who stated it’s probably down to the skill/abilities/fluency (or even their academic status, dare I say!), of the interpreter or the deaf recipient, it’s as simple as that. Without BSL SSE cannot exist and that’s a fact.
Ellie
May 19, 2018
It interests me that you see this as a debate around BSL vs SSE.
As I understand it, SSE is Sign Supported English. When produced clearly it borrows the grammatical features of BSL. It is an English informed Signed Language, but it is not divorced from BSL.
I appreciate what you do, your experience in the Deaf Community and your campaigns. Having said this, I disagree that you use SSE. I would argue that your signed songs use Signed English.
I take your point that you sign them as they are written. However, every lyricist writes with an intent. They structure language to realise this intent. By using such a strict methodology, of Signed English, you risk losing this intent.
There are lots of very talented, very experienced Interpreters who have offered you advice. We should always be open to learn and develop our craft. You have talent and passion. You could reach a wider audience and truly reflect the meaning of the song through a more diverse approach to your language methodology.
Maxine
May 19, 2018
I find some of these comments so depressing. I thought the idea of BSL not being a complete language wasn’t a thing any more. I remember along my path from Level 1 to MA in BSL/English Interpreting someone said to me quite simply that everything you say in English can be interpreted and obv vice versa. And that person was right. It’s only a lack of skill that would prevent that happening.
Deaf Advocate
May 20, 2018
Wayne you send very confusing signals in your article, you advocate for BSL to be taught in schools yet advertise and profiteer from ‘sign song’ in SSE. (NOT a language btw, there is no debate, only ignorance). I too, support my Deaf community, and respect the small world ethics contained within it. ‘Nothing about us without us’. I would love to know, do you employ any Deaf people at your ‘academy’? And regarding those who come to your classes, how many Deaf people attend? Just curious.
To all those Deafies commenting here who have been denied full immersion in BSL with all its complexities, subtleties, and nuances, I feel ashamed at our education system, that you have been let down in your language access and tuition. In the UK we are very far behind with equality for Deaf people and access to BSL. Of course I disagree and am mortified that you think BSL is limiting.
My sister is profoundly Deaf, has completed an undergraduate degree, and will go on to complete an MA. Upon discussing her dissertation, her tutor remarked she had never seen a student so driven, passionate, and forward thinking about the work she set out to do. She is not limited by communicating in BSL, she is liberated by it.
Hartmut Teuber
May 21, 2018
Without any doubt, BSL ought to be the language every Deaf child to acquire, mostly as a first language. It is also to be the primary language of deaf people’s face-to-face communication and used in instruction. SSE does have its place in the communication between Deaf people in certain situations and in instructions. It will become useful for learning English as a second language, if not already acquired as a first language. For example, if you wish to cite verbatim something already written. It can be tolerable as a vehicle to communicate with those who happen to have not learned BSL, like with deafened adults.
We are often in bilingual situations, where we need to use either BSL or English coded with BSL glosses that you label as SSE. We learn academic subjects in English, often it cannot be helped to use SSE when discussing academic subjects requiring spelling out technical terms or creating new signs for them. I have sometimes done that way to another Deaf academician, but I found myself not doing so when tutoring or interpreting an ASL monolingual. I have seen British Deaf academics signing ASL technical vocabulary. I also have seen Deaf priests and rabbis doing the prayers (and sometimes sermons) in signed English, instead of creating a poetic ASL version that could be memorized in the frozen form. Code switching between a signed and spoken languages happens very often and done by bilinguals, like with the late Canon Sutcliffe.
Deaf children of Deaf parents are in most cases bilingual. They often sign in the English syntax with or sans mouthing of English words. That is for them equally comfortable for them as signing in ASL
As to rendering the lyrics to accompany songs, it is a different matter, and complicated to explain what is best. Suffices to say, it is best for you, Wayne, to translate the lyrics in the poetic rendition of BSL in its own rhythm, in the rhythm of the arm movements, and disregard the music if the movement rhythm does not coincide well with it. You have to know how to create a signed poetry. Watch Dot Miles for this as a model. I have found frequently, the lyrics are inane and unworthy to be translated into ASL poetry. A critic of songs has said, songs’ lyrics often stink but are saved by music.
So many Qs...
May 25, 2018
I understand Wayne you are a CODA, but do you have ANY formal qualifications in BSL?
If my brother’s gay, do I have the right/ full knowledge to tell his coming out story, or what its been like to come to terms with being gay?
Are you at all familiar with “Nothing about us, without us”?
Why does the Wayne Barrow Academy set up “to help those learn SSE” use the American Sign Language logo of I-love-you – something that is neither BSL or SSE? Why are you promoting that among your students (judging by your publicity images) when surely that would confuse the issue further?
Celestyn
May 25, 2018
Dear Charlie,
As editor of Limping Chicken I do understand the appeal to post exciting/controversial topics to spark debate (alongside the evident spike in web traffic) but where is the balance?
I’m sure its not the lack of trying, but sadly one of the on-going weaknesses of Limping Chicken is not enough of your articles are being presented or translated into BSL. If someone were to translate a BSL version of this article, and share it among any of the prominent Deaf groups on Facebook – I can only imagine the uproar this would cause.
I sincerely hope you will follow up on this topic with relevant experts, as the sheer level of ignorance/misinformation being spread, even among the comments is staggering and quite frankly upsetting.
Editor
May 27, 2018
Hi Celestyn, thanks for your comments, ultimately being able to translate articles into BSL comes at a cost and so we are not always able to translate the articles into BSL. We do publish a range of articles from different viewpoints, that’s what the site has always done. I’ve asked several people if they’d like to respond but no-one has been willing to yet. With thanks Charlie
Jo Dennison Drake
May 27, 2018
We mustn’t forget that this is a debate and also we are all learning from this. I’ve learnt hugely from this and only spoke initially from one perspective and accept that I did so from ignorance and lack of experience. I did make it clear that I was only learning at this point and feel no shame in learning BSL even if at present I’m only on level 2 having started late last month.
Additionally I specifically make a point of asking what people’s views were which shows I was open to other people’s points of views and experience given the fact that my student at university complains about her interpreters not extending her knowledge of new words to extend her vocabulary in BSL.
My student wasn’t the only one to suffer this problem so clearly it seems that there are BSL interpreters (not me), with a wide range of skills and as always the case there will always be some vastly better than others so people will differ in their experiences to access skilled interpreters hence the differing points of views.
We can all learn from this and no one should not be insulted, upset or angered from the ignorance of others like me and my BSL student. We can only report from our own personal experience and knowledge of what we know. It’s all about being open minded and willingness to learn from others. 🙂 Surely that’s what a debate is all about, sharing information and explaining why one has a point of view?
BSL is indeed a wonderful language and I’m really interested in learning more and can’t learn fast enough despite my more senior years and less flexible brain cells. I only wish I’d been allowed to continue to use BSL alongside oralism that was so popular in the 60s to early 80’s. It would have been so helpful and avoided the isolation I suffered at main stream school. However I still maintain that there is a place for SSE as well and can see why some people add ASL as well on top. It’s wonderful to learn more than one language/dialect apart from BSL. BSL remains an accepted and recognised language by the British government which is fantastic. Let’s all have the opportunity to learn it.
Tim
May 28, 2018
Some of the comments just serve to show how insidious oralist oppression is.
The deaf child is denied BSL at a young age and at school and so struggles along, making do with English and lip-reading. But it’s not good enough, so their communication method transposes into SSE.
This is because they have been taught to think in English, with its grammar, they can’t suddenly switch from English to BSL, it’s too wide a jump.
So the problem is that the SSE user who says that BSL is limited etc just doesn’t realise how much s/he has been oppressed. An uproar would be fine, but it should be directed at the oralists. Getting angry at SSE users – or looking down your noses at them – will achieve nothing.The antidote for prejudice is education and demonstration of how rich and operational BSL is.
Jo Dennison Drake
May 28, 2018
Hi Tim
I support in large what you say but feel that to say it’s too wide a jump to learn BSL after using oralism/SSE is not true. It’s true it takes a little adjustment and effort especially for the older students like me whose brain cells are a little less flexible in learning but is not too wide a jump. Personally it’s considered an adventure and a joy to use BSL & be able to communicate even at a basic level very quickly. I’m making new friends in the deaf world & with hearing folk who have a desire to learn & people who use BSL accept my bumbling efforts to learn.
The sad thing I have learned is the hostility some hearing folk incur in their efforts to learn BSL in some deaf clubs. Why? These people are ours & our children’s future enabling deaf & hearing to mix & socialise & achieve ‘normality where deafness is no longer a disability. We deaf people are only disabled by other hearing folk’s attitudes to the deaf.