Hi, welcome back to a new video!
I hope you have had an amazing start of the year.
This video is about...
My first language is British Sign Language.
If you didn't know, I was born profoundly deaf and I grew up using BSL to communicate with my family, friends and work colleagues.
British Sign Language (BSL) makes me feel very included.
That's why it's incredibly important for hearing people to learn BSL for the deaf community.
Are you ready to find out the 10 reasons why you should learn sign language?! Let's start, woo!
The UK has millions of deaf and hard of hearing people.
BSL Act now!
You’ll bump into them one day.
If you knew sign language you wouldn't have communication barriers.
It would be beneficial for work, for education, at hospital etc...
When I see hearing people knowing basic BSL, it makes me happy.
It doesn't matter how much you know of BSL, it still makes me happy because it shows that you are trying for the deaf community.
Learning BSL means you could make new friends, build new connections and start new relationships.
Maybe learning BSL makes you realise that you have so much in common.
Maybe you both like going to the cinema, being social and going out to party etc...
A new best friend could be out there!
Most deaf people grow up knowing that hearing people don't really know how to sign, so we have to use different ways to communicate
like writing on paper, using notes on ours phones etc... but it's still not the same.
Deaf people are very close to each other because they know sign language, each other's cultures.
But we are welcome to those hearing people who are trying, it would be great to see you trying!
Especially, if all young people learnt it at school, it would be great because young people pick up things easily,
For example, my step sister learnt BSL when she was younger and she remembers it very well still, she hasn't forgotten it.
An old friend of mine from primary school, I taught them BSL in school and haven't seen them since then. I thought they would forget BSL.
Until one day I bumped into her at a shopping centre and she still remembers BSL... I was shocked because that was such a long time ago.
It really hits me how young people pick up things a lot easier when they were little,
so that's why it's so important to teach BSL in all schools, so young children will remember in their life.
If everyone knew sign language, we would not need to rely on others like interpreters/friends to translate for us.
We could communicate freely without having to worry.
An important service such as the hospital, doctor etc...
of course, it's so important to have an interpreter so we can have full access to information.
Us deaf people have rights to have full access to information, like if they someone used strong language.
But, I'll give you an example. When I'm at a family event lots of people don't know sign language so I rely on my family to translate.
"What did they say?" again and again.
If they knew sign language then I wouldn't need them, I would communicate with them independently.
We would have more freedom in our social life and in our work life. Smooth.
There would be equality. For both deaf and hearing people.
Why? You can have a private conversation in public because lots of people don't know sign language.
Make sure you learn before it's too late!
You can communicate across a whole room to your friend.
Or you can communicate through a window, where hearing people struggle to hear through the glass
but with people who know sign language, it's perfect cos it's visual so you can communicate through the window without any issues.
You can even talk underwater in the swimming pool! Without having to speak, you can just sign.
Check out my video link below! (10 Best Things About Being Deaf) to see what I mean!
That's why I love sign language.
If you know sign language you can make local events, parties and activities more accessible and inclusive to the deaf people in the community.
So deaf people are more keen to go to your events, where people can communicate in BSL.
Do you want more money for events? Then learn sign language and make your events accessible and deaf people will go!
Who knows, you can get to know your deaf or hard of hearing neighbours! You can communicate in sign language.
You can play outside or go out because you both live next door!
It means so much when people sign to us and include us.
I'll give you an example, it’s like when a stranger (not a creepy one lol) smiles and says you look pretty today. It brightens your day!
It's the same how we feel when seeing people use sign language.
Teaching your kids sign language gives them a great life skill.
It’s great for learning (good for the brain) but also for them to make a variety of friends.
Where they can play together at school and communicate in sign language.
Same as me when I was at a primary school, I made a lot of new friends because they all learnt BSL for me.
You can make a variety of friends, both deaf and hearing people.
This is why all schools should teach British Sign Language! There are so many good reasons why schools should teach BSL.
It's still not happening.
Lots of people want to learn a new language, new things.
So many people put this on their bucket list! You can add BSL to your bucket list as it's a language from your own country! (If you're English).
You learn how to read people's hands, gestures but also their facial expressions, their whole body language, their lips and their emotions.
Deaf people can read it very well. If you have learnt sign language, then you're able to be read it
as sign language is a part of body language.
How? You can become a good story teller using sign language.
People tell their story by speaking, but with sign language, it's more beautiful and visual.
Talking about their story using their hands is beautiful.
Maybe you can tell a story to your family or friends.
Learning sign language helps you to build your confidence, not having to worry about communication barriers.
Sign language does make you feel confident and happy, as there's no communication barriers.
Last one!
I'm really grateful to have British Sign Language (BSL) as my first language, I'm grateful that I have learnt it.
It made me become much more confident in my deaf identity. If it wasn't for British Sign Language (BSL), I would be so lost without it.
I love BSL so I can communicate in sign language when people don't understand what we're saying,
it's so cool to have a private conversation in public! I just love it. This is one of my favourite parts.
Also, meeting a lot of new deaf people across the UK from the north, south, west and east.
Meeting them and communicating in BSL, so I can make new friends.
Also, when I fly to a different country and I can communicate with deaf people using International Sign.
It's nice to make new friends with deaf people from abroad.
Is BSL the only the sign language in the world? No.
There is no universal sign language. Different sign languages are used in different countries or regions.
It's like spoken languages.
France, America and Spain etc... all have different sign languages.
You might find out why you love it if you started to learn it and realise what a beautiful language it is.
So, here's all the 10 reasons why you should learn sign language!
I hope you enjoyed learning them and maybe it'll make you realise how important it is.
You can learn from online course, your local classes,
but please remember to learn from a deaf tutor as they have real life experience being deaf.
You can have a look at links in the description box where I recommend the BSL courses.
Just be aware that British Sign Language (BSL) and Makaton are not the same. BSL is the language that UK deaf people use.
I really hope you have enjoyed this video and hopefully it helped you to see the 10 reasons why you should learn sign language.
Thanks for watching, bye!