The Domino Effect: Changing Values = Changing Language = New Styles of Training

We will illustrate how demographic changes in the Deaf population, closure of Deaf schools and clubs, and TV/media exert significant influences on the culture and learning of British Sign Language. Immense pressures for change are currently experienced by many of the world’s languages and cultures. Most of these have seen dramatic alterations in relatively short periods of time. British Sign Language is affected similarly. In terms of concerns over disappearing regional dialects in BSL, there is currently a research proposal underway to preserve the London Sign Variation of BSL, which is in danger of extinction. However, something much more wide-reaching is needed. We need to set up new BSL Tutor training courses, perhaps something futuristic, like a virtual training institute to cater for Deaf sign language tutors in Europe and internationally. The need for tutor training courses and research into BSL teaching and learning are often ignored or overlooked. Improved Tutor Training would mean more hearing people would be taught a better standard of BSL and assessment procedures could be looked at in more depth. Consequently, teachers of Deaf children, interpreters and other professionals would communicate in a more richly informed level of the language and, given that mainstream education seems likely to be with us for a long while yet, children would benefit from this immensely. In this way we would hope to see a reversal of the current domino effect.