Each country has its own sign language and, in the UK, deaf people use British Sign Language (BSL).

Like any language, British Sign Language (BSL) has its own grammar and syntax. People who use BSL also use fingerspelling. Some words – usually the names of people and places – are spelled out on fingers. However fingerspelling alone is not sign language.

It is estimated that 50,000 deaf people in the UK use BSL to communicate.

Some deaf people use Sign Supported English, which is not a language in its own right, independent of English. It can be better described as English with signs.

Over the last 20 years, BSL has gained a great deal of popularity and influence – many hearing people are now learning BSL.

If you are interested in learning BSL, our Start to sign courses (opens new browser window) can teach you words and phrases in BSL that you are likely to use in your workplace.  We also provide training for people who are interested in becoming a sign language interpreter.

And although it is impossible to learn BSL just from books, have a look at our Start to Sign package - a useful resource to back up classes in BSL.

The full colour book explains the basics of sign language with helpful examples of how to use the signs. Inside each book is a unique code that will give you access to more than 1000 video clips and you can test your knowledge with online quizzes.