Skills for Life: British Sign Language
British Sign Language is a Pearson Skills for Life unit in which learners learn fingerspelling, greetings, Wh- questions, numbers, time, dates and directions in BSL, and learn about Deaf awareness, Deaf culture in Wales and Deaf inclusion. It is one 20 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma, assessed internally by the centre. Literacy is the core: BSL is a visual language, so the speaking and listening statements cover producing and receiving signs, fingerspelling moves between English spelling and BSL, and learners describe and explain Deaf culture. Numeracy is light: signing numbers, times, dates and simple prices, and giving directions from maps.
- Awarding body
- Pearson
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Medium
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): One assessment criterion at each of Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3, moving from stating the role of BSL in the Deaf community and using basic fingerspelling and signs, to outlining Deaf awareness and short exchanges, to identifying aspects of Deaf culture and short conversations. Evidence is internally assessed by the centre, which sets and marks the assessment, and quality assured by Pearson through standards verification. 20 guided learning hours. Graded Pass or Fail.
- Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each of Level 1 and Level 2: describing aspects of Deaf communication and using BSL in everyday conversation, then explaining aspects of inclusive Deaf communication and using more detailed BSL. Evidence is internally assessed by the centre, which sets and marks the assessment, and quality assured by Pearson through standards verification. 20 guided learning hours. Graded Pass or Fail.
Skills that use Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context
-
Describing and explaining Deaf culture and inclusion
Entry 1 learners state that BSL is a language in its own right, Entry 2 learners outline Deaf awareness, Entry 3 learners identify aspects of Deaf culture, Level 1 learners describe Deaf culture including Wales, and Level 2 learners explain its importance, the role of interpreters, allyship and workplace inclusion. This is required by the assessment criteria.
Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Understanding, response and analysis
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils write three sentences explaining why BSL matters to the Deaf community, using the words visual language and community.
- Year 8
- Pupils read a short article about Deaf awareness and make a poster of three tips for talking with a deaf person, such as facing them directly.
- Year 9
- Pupils research the role of BSL interpreters and allies and write an organised explanation of why Deaf inclusion matters in a workplace.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 3, assessment criteria Entry 1 to Level 2, page 21; Essential information for assessment decisions, pages 22 to 23
“Learners will consider why Deaf inclusion is important and the role of interpreters, allyship and inclusion practices”
Progression step 3
I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.
I can write a comprehensive account of a topic, theme or viewpoint.
Progression step 4
I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.
I can research a wide range of reference and digital sources to develop a full understanding of a topic or issue.
Good to know
- The unit is Unit SfL 3, listed in the unit summary as "SfL 3 British Sign Language (BSL) 20" guided learning hours (Unit summary, page 5).
- Unlike every other Pearson unit, BSL "can be retaken at multiple levels in order to achieve a higher level", but "GLH will only contribute to the overall qualification claim once" (Rules of Combination, page 6). This differs from the WJEC unit, where each level achieved counts towards the qualification GLH.
- Support decreases by level: "Entry 1 learners will perform tasks with considerable support and emphasis on repetition and, mimicry", while Level 2 learners manage conversations independently (Levels of supervision and support, page 24).
- Evidence is flexible: "there are no mandatory evidence requirements and centres can select the type of evidence" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 22).
- Pearson maps the unit to the Languages, Literacy and Communication statements "Languages connect us" and "Expressing ourselves through languages is key to communication" (Statements of 'what matters' mapping, page 25).
- AI tools must be acknowledged: "If AI is used, the final submission must be in the learner's own words and reflect their own effort" (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 24).
Links with other qualifications
The closest comparison is the WJEC Skills for Life unit British Sign Language, also 20 hours. WJEC organises its unit into six learning outcomes (meeting people, fingerspelling, numbers, weather, transport and directions) and each level achieved adds GLH, while Pearson has a single criterion per level, adds more explanation of Deaf awareness, Deaf culture in Wales and inclusion, and counts the GLH only once. Fingerspelling and moving between English and BSL build on the translanguaging in WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature and the modern foreign language GCSEs in French, German and Spanish, and the time, date and direction work links lightly to GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 3: British Sign Language (BSL).