Assessing British Sign Language Development:

Receptive Skills Test

by Ros Herman, Sallie Holmes & Bencie Woll of City University, London.

British Sign Language (BSL) is increasingly being used in deaf education, so it is imperative that deaf children’s language development in Sign is carefully monitored. Deciding on the most suitable educational placement for a deaf child presents difficulties since this can only be based on what skills can be measured. This is so often based on language development in spoken language.  However, many deaf children who cannot achieve good spoken language can make good progress in BSL.  To date, there has been no standardisation of the procedures and methods of conducting BSL assessment. This important, colourful and user-friendly resource represents two and a half years work at City University by a specialist team of Sign linguists and a speech and language therapist.  This professionally designed and produced pack includes:

 ·         Test video

·         Full colour plastic laminated  picture booklet - wiro-bound with stand-up  easel.

·         Full colour plastic laminated Vocabulary Flash Cards

·         Testers Manual

·         Score sheets

 The test pack is designed for use by teachers of the deaf, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and deaf instructors, both deaf and hearing, whose job it is to monitor and develop children’s language in BSL.  The test is aimed at children 3 - 11 years of age.

 Published December 1999            Price   £169.95  inc. VAT