Pupils in England will soon be able to do a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL) including those in Yorkshire. It’ll give students the opportunity to learn how to “effectively communicate” using BSL, the Government confirms.
The Government has said BSL is an important like skill and aims to advance inclusivity within education. The qualification will become available in 2023 and comes after a 12-week public consultation. The Department for Education (DfE) has said it received “overwhelmingly positive support” from parents, teachers and organisations for the new GCSE.
The government hopes to have a BSL GCSE exam board syllabus approved by the start of the academic term in September 2025. The qualification will be open to all pupils the Government confirms.
In line with all other qualifications, the BSL GCSE will be open to all pupils, the Government has confirmed. And, it will also be recognised and accepted in all school and college performance tables.
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Designed to attain global recognition, the Government asserts that students engaging in the novel BSL GCSE will cultivate the ability to convey and negotiate meaning through visual-spatial language. Additionally, they will develop effective communication and visual memory skills, offering a lifelong advantage.
Beyond the acquisition of signing proficiency, the GCSE curriculum includes a historical exploration of sign language in the UK, furnishing students with a robust foundation to comprehend the language’s evolution. This knowledge is deemed essential for understanding the current state of the language.
The qualification is envisioned to provide students with insights into the collective communication of thousands of individuals, potentially broadening their career prospects. According to Ms. Keegan, the newly introduced qualification not only dismantles barriers and imparts valuable skills to the youth but also pays homage to the rich cultural history of British Sign Language.
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