Parents wanting a signed communication form for their child today are spoiled for choice - and teachers confused, says Radhika Holmstroem
British Sign Language (BSL) teacher Cath Smith is aware of the ignorance around her speciality. She recalls, 'When we put up posters with finger-spelling at a recent exhibition, teachers were coming up and asking us what they were. They'd ask if it was Makaton - a sign system derived from BSL - but they weren't really interested in the difference.'
There is a lot of confusion about different systems using signs and gestures to communicate. As a BSL specialist, Cath Smith is particularly concerned because, as she puts it, 'BSL is a proper community language, and should be treated accordingly'.
The National Deaf Children's Society would like to see it recognised as an official language. 'BSL is a complete language with its own grammar and structure,' says director of family services Anne McDowall.
But not all children are capable of using BSL. Some cannot see the signs clearly enough; others have a learning disability which means that they cannot currently grasp the complexities of a full language; and others have a disorder or problem specifically linked to communication.
Signed forms of communication are not languages, but methods of communication, for children who may or may not have hearing problems. In the main, they are based on BSL and/or spoken English - that is, on full languages - and there are a host of different systems in operation.
The important thing is to fit the system to the child, says Jenny Fletcher, head of family education advisory service for Sense West, a regional branch of the national charity working with deaf-blind people. She trains one-to-one supporters called 'intervenors', and says, 'You can't decide on the system in advance. Most intervenors will use a "total communication" approach, a combination of different forms.'
The sign systems specifically set up to help deaf-blind people include Block, in which the signer spells out words on to the hand; the more widespread Deaf-blind Manual Alphabet, which is linked to 'finger-spelling', a method used by BSL users to spell out words or names that don't have a sign equivalent; and signing with a person's hands on top of the signer's.
In practice, Sense intervenors often base their approach on Sign Supported English, which uses BSL signs in English word order. Another system for deaf children is Signed English, which uses BSL signs in English word order with additional signed gestures to convey the grammar. 'These are both useful tools for helping a child to acquire written and spoken English,' Anne McDowall explains.
Two other systems which are not derived from BSL, and are not used much today, are 'cued speech', which uses hand-shapes to facilitate lip-reading, and Paget Gorman, a simplified sign language. Finally, there are two main systems for children who may be able to hear, but who have other learning or communication disabilities. Both are based on BSL. Makaton is a structured system, using manual signs, graphic symbols and speech. Signalong, developed by former Makaton teachers, uses spoken language, gestures, tone of voice and facial expression in addition to signs.
With such a range, it's no surprise that many mainstream practitioners get confused. Nevertheless, it is certainly worth making an effort to understand the different systems. Jenny Fletcher says, 'We do encourage deaf-blind children to go to mainstream nurseries, with support from intervenors. There's no reason why they shouldn't. I work with an 18-month-old who's one of twins, and both of them go to the same private nursery.'
In other words, it's quite feasible for a child with relatively severe communication problems to be in a mainstream environment. The most important thing is to find out what sign system is used with a child, and how it works, and remember that it is a system - an aid to language - rather than a full language in its own right.
