Sign language

Sign languages are visual languages that use hand shapes, facial expression, gestures and body language. Like spoken languages, sign languages have their own vocabulary, construction and grammar. 

There are around 300 sign languages in the world. The main sign languages of the UK are British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL). This section explores ways to support deaf children learning sign language.

Many deaf children who use sign might also use speech alongside sign. Using signs and speech at the same time means following the grammar of spoken English, known as Sign Supported English (SSE). It’s important that children who use BSL or ISL alongside speech learn the different grammars of each language.

Sign languages are different to sign systems such as Signalong or Makaton. Sign systems may use signs or handshapes which look like, or have been adapted from, a sign language, but may have a different meaning when used with English.

If you choose sign language for your child, it’s important that they have the best possible access to BSL or ISL through seeing and experiencing lots of high-quality language. This is called a rich language environment. 

As well as being a method of communication, sign language is also an important part of a shared deaf cultural identity. 

Find out more about deaf culture and the deaf community. 

We’re very lucky that we started signing to Olivia from when she was 3 months old, because now her communication is coming on really well. She’s able to express herself and she’s learning just the same as any other child.”

Yasmin is mum to Olivia (1) who’s profoundly deaf.

Read Olivia's story.

Deciding to learn sign language

All children have the right to access language, whether signed or spoken. Every deaf child is different and will communication in different ways. They might use sign language, speech or a mixture of both. 

There are lots of reasons why families decide to learn sign language. Some families learn sign language because it will be their child’s first language. Other families raise their children using both sign language and speech, so that their child can choose whether they want to use speech or sign language in the future.

In fact, even families who do not have a deaf child might still decide to learn sign language with their hearing children to support language development. Hand-eye coordination develops earlier than speech skills. Lots of young children can use simple signs, such as “milk” and “more”, before they develop the ability to say these words. There is evidence that early access to sign language contributes to good language development for both deaf and hearing children. 

Some people worry that using sign language will mean their child does not learn to speak, or learns to speak more slowly. In fact, learning sign language can help you to communicate with your child. As long as your child is exposed to good spoken language as well as sign language, there's no evidence that learning to sign will delay or stop them developing speech.

Learning sign language allows deaf children to communicate with other children who sign and enriches their experience and understanding of deaf culture.

Find out more about choosing a communication approach for your child.

I want them to have the option to integrate with the deaf community in the future. Although they have cochlear implants, they’re still deaf and I don’t want them to feel that it is a strange world to them."

Oli is dad to Jessica (9) and Penny (6), who are profoundly deaf.