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 Questioning
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Holding signed conversations and exchanges
Entry 2 learners take part in short exchanges and Entry 3 learners in short conversations, using Wh- questions and prompt cards. Level 1 learners initiate and respond in everyday conversation, and Level 2 learners start and sustain conversations while showing Deaf aware behaviour. This is required by the assessment criteria.
Literacy: Questioning, Collaborative talk, Listening as part of collaborative talk, Purpose
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils practise a spoken greeting routine in pairs, asking and answering what, where and who questions, and then try the greetings in simple signs.
- Year 8
- Pupils hold a two minute conversation in pairs using question prompt cards, keeping eye contact and taking turns to ask the next question.
- Year 9
- Pupils start a conversation with a new partner without prompts, keep it going with follow up questions, and adapt when their partner shows they have not understood.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 3, assessment criteria Entry 2 to Level 2, page 21; Levels of supervision and support before and during assessment, page 24
“Level 2 learners can independently manage aspects of their communication, initiating conversations, sustaining conversations and showing Deaf aware behaviours.”
Progression step 3
I can ask and answer questions, building on and developing the ideas of others in group discussions.
I have experienced speaking with different people in a variety of authentic contexts.
I can listen to and respond to others with questions and comments which focus on reasons, implications and next steps.
Progression step 4
I have experienced speaking with different people in a variety of authentic contexts.
I can organise talk effectively to respond to how listeners are reacting by adapting what I say and how I say it.
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).