2-minute read. Over the last few years, Deaf children have had the chance to actually see themselves and their language represented on TV screens and media, for the first time.
Even if you go back 10 years and make a comparison……..you would never have seen BSL on mainstream TV ( and the only signed programs that existed were on at 3 am in the morning so as not upset hearing people!)
When you think that British sign language has been used, consistently with no change or no break for thousands of years it is quite ridiculous that it only gained legal recognition last year.
Unlike the English language that we read and speak which has evolved through the centuries from Olde English (Middle English) which is similar to Cornish - and morphed through phases and influences from Viking, French, Latin into what we know today……….. BSL signs remain unchanged through the centuries.
We are almost reaching the levels of acceptance and willingness to learn that existed in the UK and Europe in the 18th Century.
This was a period of cultural, religious and artistic enlightenment that saw Deaf people working as teachers, not Just of Deaf children, but also teaching sign language to hearing people, and BSL was recognised as legitimate and valuable.
Even before this Renaissance and period of enlightenment, deaf, people and British sign language were widely seen and accepted in the UK and Europe – Our very own “Samuel Pepys” wrote in his diaries about British sign language and how easy it was for the hearing master of the House to communicate in sign language to his deaf staff.
But here we are facing a brand-new benchmark, and also a brand-new challenge……..
Deaf people, Deaf culture, Deaf awareness, Deaf language, and the overall WORTH of Deaf people has been so downgraded in the last few decades of chronic underfunding, cultural devaluation and deliberate “hearing centric” policies to integrate deaf children into hearing schools and NOT teach them (or their parents) to sign - that we don’t have any Deaf professionals in working life.
We don’t have deaf people who are qualified as far as UK teaching standards are concerned.
Although I really welcome and embrace a GCSE in sign language and think it is a massive step forward, I have a very great fear that Deaf people themselves are not going to be awarded these teaching roles.
They were doing it in the 1800”s and although we’re stepping forwards, I’m not sure we’ll be able to reach the standards we had 230 years ago.
I’m going to bet money on only hearing people being offered teaching jobs, to teach the language of the Deaf.
Full interview with Sky News this morning talking about the BSL GCSE and the workforce development. Thank you Lauren Fletcher-Harris for the recording.
