British Sign Language (BSL): National Plan 2017 to 2023

School Education

Our long-term goal: Children and young people who use BSL will get the support they need at all stages of their learning, so that they can reach their full potential; parents who use BSL will have the same opportunities as other parents to be fully involved in their child’s education; and more pupils will be able to learn BSL at school.

By 2020, Scottish Ministers will:

16
Work with the General Teaching Council for Scotland ( GTCS) to remove barriers that make it difficult for BSL users* to become registered teachers.

17
Undertake additional investigations into the level of BSL held by teachers and support staff working with D/deaf and Deafblind pupils in schools.

18
Work with the General Teaching Council for Scotland ( GTCS) to review the guidance it provides to teachers of pupils who use BSL.

19
Work with the Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA) to develop an initial suite of awards in BSL, which will form the basis for any future development of BSL qualifications up to Level 6 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework ( SCQF).

20
Work with Education Scotland to share advice and examples of good practice for education professionals and support staff about how to engage effectively with parents who use BSL.

21
Work with BSL users* to develop information and advice about how parents who use BSL can get further involved in their child’s learning. This work will be led by Education Scotland.

22
Seek the views of parents who use BSL when we revise legislation about parental involvement in education.

23
Instruct Scotland’s National Centre for Languages ( SCILT) to lead a programme of work to support BSL learning for hearing pupils. This will include, but will not be limited to:

a) making sure that education authorities and schools know that BSL can be part of the language offer in schools under the 1+2 language policy.

b) Gathering detailed information on where and how BSL is being offered in schools as part of the 1+2 language policy, and update this information regularly.

c) Gathering and sharing examples of good practice in teaching BSL to hearing pupils as part of 1+2, and make sure there is guidance to support this.

24
Assemble an expert advisory group to support this work. This will include recommendations for a longer term strategy to support the teaching of BSL to hearing pupils, and gathering data to measure progress. This will be led by SCILT, and will report to the Scottish Government by 2020.