British Sign Language at Ysgol Mynydd Isa
Contents
Synopsis�
Ysgol Mynydd Isa is a large primary school on a split site in the large village of Mynydd Isa, close to the border of England and Wales. We have 550+ pupils on role, 23 teaching staff, plus senior management and support staff. We have a Language Resource Centre on each site supporting pupils with specific additional speech and Language needs.
At Ysgol Mynydd Isa, we teach British Sign Language as our International Language at KS2.
In this document I will outline the process we have gone through to implement BSL as our International Language at Upper Key Stage 2.
Rationale: Why BSL?�
BSL Supporting Cymraeg
As part of our work for the Gwobr Efydd of the Cymraeg Campus, we had introduced Patrwmau y Pythefnos, where each fortnight a new pattern that could be used across the curriculum, was introduced to staff and children. It is well recognised that linking actions to new learning supports memory strength. With this in mind, we had started to link simple BSL signs to our patrwmau, e.g. using the sign for ‘answer’ when using the question ‘Beth ydy’r ateb? / What is the answer?’
It quite quickly became apparent that the action could be used by the teacher to help trigger the correct language response from pupils, and that seemingly for some pupils, the action was more accessible than the spoken phrase, but that when they used the sign, they were able to recollect the spoken language.
Initial Steps�
We had initially chosen French as our International Language in line with the other schools in our consortium. However, staff confidence was very low. The High School we feed into removed French from their curriculum at the end of our first year of teaching French, so it was the right time to reassess which IL we taught.
The decision to use BSL as our international language was made after careful consideration as to how a third language could best support our pupils in their communication skills. Covid disruption had had a clear impact on pupils’ expressive language skills and we felt that the use of BSL could, for some pupils, provide that extra level of scaffolding to support their development.
Our Language Resource Centre provides specialist provision for pupils with specific communication additional needs from across Flintshire. Some of these pupils already make use of Makaton.
We already use ‘Sign Supported English’ through teaching strategies such as Pie Corbett’s Storytelling, Talk for Writing, and when learning songs.
Curriculum Statement
Our Curriculum Statement includes, within our exploration and interpretation of the four purposes, reference to: growth mindset; exploration of different forms of communication; the rights of others; and how the things we do affect others. Our Four purposes drive the importance of learning about the experiences of the Deaf Community, learning to use and understand BSL, and learning about the importance of why and how to be inclusive.
Year 1 of BSL�
Initially, in the autumn term of 2023, we used the HWB resources to introduce some basic greetings and responses across the whole of KS2. These, along with the signs linked to the Patrwmau y Pythefnos, would continue to be the content of our IL curriculum for Key Stage 2 for our first year.
https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/resource/5bd7b272-4951-4e11-bb28-fd7a09be456f
Chloe and Sophie’s Special Ear Fund�
In October 2023, six members of the KS2 staff began a 6 week BSL night course through CSSEF (Chloe and Sophie Special Ear Fund), delivered by Jayne Fletcher. The course gave a very basic introduction that included fingerspelling as well as some grammar and Deaf awareness etiquette information.
The Abi Project�
Through our contact with Steph Ellis-Williams at GwE, in the second half of the Autumn Term, we were made aware of The Abi Project, a pilot project being run out of the COSSS (Centre of Sign, Sight and Sound), where schools are able to access a series of 10 lessons for a class, delivered by a deaf BSL user and a translator. The project uses a series of books about a young girl called Abi and her family, who use BSL to communicate. The series of books are available in Welsh and English and each story includes a QR code that links to a signed video of the story. These books are available to schools for free.
The Abi Project�
Our first session took place in the spring term with a Year 5 and 6 class, and continued over the summer term. The lessons were a great success. The pupils responded brilliantly to Angela and her hearing dog, Dasher.
Developing our Scheme of Work�
Steph Ellis-Williams was also able to share additional information and guidance such as an example progression document from Swansea Deaf Education Team.
An important piece of information from the guidance that Steph was able to share was the assurance that Progression in BSL at KS2 would sit very firmly within Progression Step 1. This meant that we were able to start looking in detail at the strands of BSL that we should be covering, and was the starting point for developing our own Scheme of Work for BSL.
Each Statement of What Matters in the LLC AoLE has descriptions of Learning for BSL as well as Welsh, English and Welsh in English Medium Schools.
Developing our Scheme of Work�
Our scheme uses resources from The Abi Project, as well as Hwb, and www.British-sign.co.uk , an invaluable source of games, posters and an online dictionary.
It was invaluable to have a contact at the COSSS as we worked to develop our scheme. We were able to share it with them as it was being written, and we very much appreciated their advice and feedback along the way.
The ‘finished’ scheme consists of 26 separate lessons, that address the different strands of BSL in the LLC AoLE, and builds progressively over the course of the scheme, ultimately aiming for pupils to be able to communicate and understand short narratives using BSL, as well as have simple conversations relating their news.
Developing our Scheme of Work�
Building our Resource Bank to support our SoW
Implementation�
From September 2024, BSL has been on each of our five parallel Bl 5 a 6 classes’ timetables. We have two very long morning sessions each week (9:00 -10:45). BSL fits as a short session (approximately 20 minutes) during one of these mornings. There are many opportunities to reinforce learning across the curriculum throughout the day.
Teacher support for these sessions is shared in weekly planning meetings.
As IL is a mandatory requirement at upper KS2, we made the decision that our scheme would be directed at bl 5 a 6. Year 3 and 4 still continue to use the signs around the Patrwmau y Pythefnos and daily greetings, and we were very pleased when the COSSS offered to revisit our school and bring The Abi Project to a Bl 3 a 4 class in the Autumn Term 2024.
BSL across the Curriculum
Evaluation and Impact�
Although we are at the very early stages of our BSL curriculum, pupil engagement has been high from the offset.
An additional, and very important driving factor of BSL at Ysgol Mynydd Isa has been the BSL choir. One member of staff who has experience of a Sign Supported English choir, set up our BSL choir last year. This has been so popular it now runs 2 separate lunchtime clubs, one for Bl 3 a 4, and one for bl 5 a 6, and has over 60 members. The choir have been able to perform to a range of audiences including for the community at a local church, for their families, and regularly to the rest of the school in assemblies.
Pupil Feedback�
'I enjoy performing with the choir.'
'I would like to speak it fluently.'
‘It helps me remember.’
‘I enjoy showing what I’ve learnt at Brownies.’
'I prefer BSL to French. It's easier. You don't have to worry about the pronunciation.'
'We can communicate.'
It's a whole new language that you get to learn.'
Where Next?�
The next steps in our BSL journey include looking at resources such as BSL dictionaries and rewards, and further opportunities for teacher Training, including for our support staff.
Establishing links with the deaf community is also a priority for the future. Next Spring we will explore ways to celebrate Sign Language Week
Contact Details