Recently I came across a brilliant American Sign Language (ASL) resource by Glenda Hampton Anderson, as a result I searched for a similar resource related to British Sign Language (BSL) and did not find anything as comprehensive.
I’ve been a BSL learner for last 2 years and I’m in the process of completing a Level 2 BSL certificate at hfals. During this time I have gathered a comprehensive list of BSL resources that I will now share with new, current or future BSL learners, which I hope you will find useful.
This resource will cover BSL websites related to: information, news, mobile apps, TV, events, dictionaries, books and Twitter.
Last update: 21 March 2012, 13:36.
Information
- British Deaf Organisation http://www.bda.org.uk/
- Action on hearing loss (formally RNID) http://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk
- Sign Post BSL Britain’s biggest supplier of British Sign Language (BSL) on-screen services for all platforms, including television, video, CD-ROM, DVD, film and the Internet http://www.signpostbsl.com/
- Actual Sign deaf-led organisation providing a range of training and assessment programmes in BSL-related topics http://www.actualsigns.com/
- BSL Broadcasting Trust http://www.bslbt.co.uk/
- Deafax http://www.deafax.org/
- Deaf Lizards http://www.deaflizards.co.uk/
- Critizen Advice Bureau for BSL users http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/bsl.htm
- NHS, Hearing impairment (deafness) http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Hearing-impairment/Pages/Introduction.aspx
- BSL uptake http://www.bsluptake.org.uk/
- Family Sign Language http://www.familysignlanguage.org.uk/
- Signature promotes excellence in communication with deaf and deafblind people http://www.signature.org.uk/
- UCLAN http://www.uclan.ac.uk/ahss/education_social_sciences/deaf_studies.php
- Christian sign project http://www.christiansigns.co.uk/public/index.php
News
- Remark! News Deaf News from the Deaf Community! http://remark.uk.com/community/deaf%20news
- Under the Lamp with Carolyn Deaf chat show in BSL from Remark! http://www.bslbt.co.uk/chat/
- Hearing Times only national UK newspaper for deaf and hard of hearing people, their relatives and friends, audiologists and professionals in the hearing industry and equipment manufacturers and dispensers. – http://www.hearingtimes.co.uk/
- Deafstation http://www.deafstation.org/news/
Dictionaries
- British-Sign-Fingerspelling finger spelling resource including posters, flash cards and practice tools http://www.british-sign.co.uk/fingerspelling.php
- Actual Signs BSL Dictionary http://www.actualsigns.com/BSL_Dictionary-i-123.html
- British Sign Language A Guide to British Sign Language http://www.britishsignlanguage.com/
- Science Signs BSL/English glossary for science education http://www.sciencesigns.ac.uk/
- ArtSigns Sign Language videos http://www.artsigns.ac.uk/
- EngineeringSigns BSL/English glossary for engineering and the built environment http://www.engineeringsigns.ac.uk/
- Learn BSL sign dictionary http://www.learnbsl.org
- British-Sign free BSL resources http://www.british-sign.co.uk/index.php
- Deaf 247 directory of British Sign Language and deafness related resources http://www.deaf247.co.uk/
Mobile and Apps
- MobileSign free British Sign Language dictionary for mobile devices http://mobilesign.org/
- Everyday BSL The first comprehensive British Sign Language dictionary for iPhone http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/everyday-bsl-dictionary/id427605105?mt=8
- British Sign Language Reference Dictionary for iPad contains over 7500 videos and definitions http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/british-sign-language-bsl/id431219226?mt=8
- BSL Sign and Spell takes the user through each letter of the alphabet, with the help of two videos showing the front and side view of each sign http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/bsl-sign-and-spell/id482359027?mt=8
TV
- See hear magazine for the deaf community highlighting the issues affecting the community – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m9cb
- BBC Signed Zone on iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/categories/signed
- Hollyoaks Omnibus on Sundays, Channel 4
Events
- Deafinitely Theatre http://www.deafinitelytheatre.co.uk
- V&A Museum BSL Tour http://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/1150/bsl-tour-figures-fictions-2147/
- Science Museum events with British Sign Language http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/events/bsl_signed_events.aspx
- National Gallery BSL http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/bsl-events/
- National History Museum BSL signed events http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/daily-events/bsl-signed-events/index.html
- Deaf Club Holborn Shakespeare pub every second friday of the month from 7.30pm
Books
- BSL Books http://www.forestbooks.com
- Sign Language Link; a pocket dictionary of signs http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sign-Language-pocket-dictionary-signs/dp/0953506959/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332338515&sr=1-2
- British Sign Language For Dummies http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Sign-Language-For-Dummies/dp/0470694777/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332338478&sr=1-1
- Dictionary of British Sign Language: Compiled by the British Deaf Association http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dictionary-British-Sign-Language-Association/dp/0571143466/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332338478&sr=1-6
- Let’s Sign Dictionary: Everyday BSL for Learners http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Sign-Dictionary-Everyday-Learners/dp/1905913109/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332338478&sr=1-7
- British Sign Language : A Beginner’s Guide http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Sign-Language-Beginners-Guide/dp/0563211342/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332338478&sr=1-9
- Revision on multi-channel signs http://www.forestbooks.com/forest/british-sign-language-dictionaries/revision-on-multi*channel-signs/0000008109.html
Other
- BSL Homework http://www.bslhomework.org.uk/
- List coming soon…
Try Signworld – the newest, biggest, best BSL learning website:
http://www.signworldlearn.com
Thanks!