C. School education

We share the long-term goal for school education set out in the BSL National Plan, which is:
“Children and young people who use BSL will get the support they need at all stages of their learning, so that they can reach their full potential; parents who use BSL will have the same opportunities as other parents to be fully involved in their child’s education; and more pupils will be able to learn BSL at school”


University of Edinburgh BSL Plan 2018-2024, Section C: School Education

ActionTimescaleAction ByOversight responsibility
  13. We will explore two routes for fluent BSL users, deaf and hearing, to become qualified school teachers: the MSc in Transformative Learning and Teaching (TLT) and a BSL pathway in the MA Primary undergraduate programme running alongside the Gaelic programme.

MSc TLT by 2019/20

MA Primary Education with fluent BSL by  2021/22

MHSES

with General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and Scottish Funding Council (SFC)

Head of CAHSS
14. We will explore sustainable long-term funding for the BSL Glossary Project at the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) at a sufficient level to employ a Development Officer.By 2019/20

SSC Co-ordinator

with RSO

Head of MHSES
15. We will explore the viability of a distance learning advanced BSL course at the SSC for teachers of deaf children.By 2020/21

SSC Co-ordinator

with RSO and COL

Head of MHSES
16. We will, if we can secure the appropriate funding, monitor the BSL skills of teachers of deaf children and specialist support staff working with deaf children in Scottish schools and local authority services.By 2019/20

SSC Co-ordinator

with Consortium for Research in Deaf Education (CRIDE), GTCS and Scottish Government

Head of MHSES
17. We will seek funding to provide at least one immersion BSL week-long course for Scottish teachers every year using University facilities and fundraising expertise.By 2020/21SSC Co-ordinator and RSO  with BSL Teaching to be confirmed via COL.Head of MHSES
18. The Scottish Deaf Teachers’ Group has identified demand for courses in the areas of:  recruiting, training and retaining BSL-using staff; developing a BSL curriculum as second /third language in the Broad General Education; developing a Deaf Studies curriculum; improving the assessment and monitoring of deaf pupils’ BSL skills; working with deaf BSL users to establish tactile BSL in deafblind children. The SSC will explore this demand further and subject to demand and resourcing, seek to develop courses in these areas.From 2019/20 to 2023/24

SSC Co-ordinator

With the Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (SCILT), Deaf Teachers Group and RSO

Head of MHSES
19. CALL Scotland will arrange the translation of the three nominated best Scottish children’s picture books each year to add to their accessible books project.From 2018/19

CALL Scotland

with BSL Officer & Scottish Book Trust

Head of MHSES

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