Deaf News: Less than 1 in 10 Britons know more than two words in sign language, survey finds

Less than 10% people in the UK know more than two words in British Sign Language (BSL), a new study has revealed.

The survey, conducted by the adult education college City Lit, also found that over half of respondents did not know any BSL at all.

Commenting on the findings, City Lit’s Chris Jones said that it’s “important for more people to know some sign language” to better communicate with deaf people.

“When we go on holiday to a foreign country, we usually learn at least a few words and phrases to help us communicate with locals, and it’s just as important to be able to communicate with someone […] using sign language.

“Many people find it very rewarding,” he said.

The study also found that 60 percent of respondents were interested in learning to better communicate with deaf people, with almost the same percentage calling for sign language to be part of the National Curriculum.

The news comes ahead of Deaf Awareness Week next week, with City Lit launching an online quiz to test the public’s knowledge of British Sign Language.

The interactive quiz is available on City Lit’s website.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and blogger from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and makes the occasional video about deaf awareness on his YouTube channel. He can also be found talking about disability, politics, theatre, books and music on his Twitter, and on his website.