Level 4 BSL (Online)

The aim of this course is to further develop your linguistic skills in British Sign Language towards upper-intermediate level, or B2 of the CEFR. Teaching begins by briefly re-visiting the vocabulary and grammatical structures covered in Level 3, before moving swiftly onto developing skills, understanding and knowledge in BSL grammar, receptive skills, productive skills and conversational skills.

The course is delivered in an informal and relaxed environment and your teacher will use a variety of teaching and learning methods to cater for all learning styles and to meet the needs of all learners. The course is designed to be fun, engaging and meaningful and will give you the opportunity to practice your productive and receptive skills by means of group work, pair work, role-plays, games, presentations and discussions.

The Level 4 course is useful for anybody who is in regular contact with deaf people, be it through work or social life. On completion of this course, learners will be able to further develop their linguistic skills by progressing onto the Level 6 Certificate in British Sign Language course and/or onto professional training in interpreting, translation and communication support.

Theme	Topics covered
Employment and business	Applying for jobs Positive and negative discrimination, tribunals, equal opportunities Setting up your own business – banks, accounts, tax Advantages and disadvantages of being self employed Unemployment rates, how easy/difficult is it to get a job? Access to work – do all deaf people know about it? Is this available to everyone? What are the limitations? Part time vs Full time work / Maximum working hours when doing 2 jobs What obstacles do Deaf people face in employment? Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Pensions – private pensions vs state pension, retirement age changes, how this will affect the younger generation. Is there enough access to information for Deaf people on pensions? Benefits available for those who can’t work Work ethics
Education	Access to education – has this improved over the years? Are Deaf people limited to what further education courses they can do? Are mainstream schools fully inclusive for Deaf people? What improvements could be made to all levels of education to support Deaf children/students? Interpreters vs CSWs Deaf children’s social relationships in mainstream schools vs deaf schools What difficulties do deaf children face in education? Transition from primary/secondary/college/university Educational methods used to teach Deaf children. Deaf role model/Deaf Identity Special Educational Needs (SEN) – Education, Health, Care Plan (EHCP) Tribunals – fighting for school choice Work placements
Health and wellbeing	Access to information on health and well being Mindfulness/meditation/relaxation apps Can deaf people access therapies – Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Long-term impact of isolation/barriers Gym/fitness/exercise classes – how important is exercise for mental health? Do Deaf adults and children have access to these services What can schools do to support children’s health and well-being Top tips for mental health and well-being Healthy eating – myths and facts Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Differences in deaf and hearing mental health
Society and politics	Deaf World – how has this changed over the years? Hearing World – is this more inclusive now? How does society influence young people? Barriers deaf people face in society Does the government make sure Deaf people have full access to political updates? Are their policies accessible? Access to information before voting Politics within the deaf community Speed awareness/driving courses/parking fines Attitudes towards Deaf people Terminology used to describe deafness BSL Act Scotland
Science and technology	Communication methods How have deaf people benefited from changes in technology? New inventions – SUBPAC (music vibration vest) so deaf can hear, subtitle glasses Space travel - NASA vs Russia vs China/effects on balance Ocean Technology - search for missing aeroplanes Big Brother - cameras watching and recording us New signs linked to science – e.g Ebola, Coronavirus New Apps – sign translation apps pros and cons Problems with online technology – internet safety, cyber bullying, trolling Cochlear implants Medical advancements in restoring hearing/gene therapy
Media and culture	Interpreted theatre, Deaf theatre Deaf Comedy, humour Deaf History History of Deaf Schools History of BSL up to Recognition and beyond History of fingerspelling The Milan Conference 1880 and 2010 official apology Social and medical model of disability Diversity in the deaf community How other countries religion or beliefs impact on their deaf community

Assessments

There are total of 3 assessments for this qualification:

No.	Topic	Assessment
1	Productive skills	Formal presentation (10-12 minutes)
2	Conversational skills	Informal conversation (12-14 minutes)
3	Receptive skills	Receptive skills written exam

Entry Requirements

Level 3 qualification in BSL (or have Level 3 equivalent BSL skills)

Pass the interview and aptitude test

You must also have a good level of literacy to be able to read and understand the course materials.

Ideally, you will already be working or socialising with native signers on a regular basis

Progression

When you have completed this course, you will be able to commence professional training in sign language interpreting by joining our Interpreting Foundations course. You may also continue to develop your linguistic skills by progressing on to the Level 6 Certificate in British Sign Language.

Careers

Learning BSL isn’t just fun, for many it’s the starting point of a new and exciting career, or professional development in their current role. Popular careers include BSL/English Interpreter, BSL/English Translator, Communication Support Worker, Teacher of the Deaf and BSL Teacher. Our courses are designed to respond to industry demand, which means they won’t just prepare you for the assessment, but also they will equip you with the skills to succeed in your chosen career, or any other career involving the use of BSL.

Our teachers have a wealth of knowledge and experience in British Sign Language, teaching, interpreting, translation and communication support, so no matter what your goals are we will help to achieve them.

Here are some popular careers that require knowledge and skills in BSL.

BSL/English Interpreter

International Sign Interpreter

BSL/English Translator

Communication Support Worker

Teacher of the Deaf

BSL Teaching Assistant

Educational Communication Support Worker

BSL Support Worker

Communicator Guide

BSL Teacher

Notetaker

Lipspeaker

Deafblind Interpreter

Dates and times

BSL 4 - Sept 24 - Thursdays 18:00-21:00

Semester 1 - 12 September 2024 - 19 December 2024
Semester 2 - 9 January 2025 - 17 April 2025

BSL 4 - Sept 25 - Thursdays 18:00-21:00

Semester 1 - 18 September 2025 - 18 December 2025
Semester 2 - 8 January 2026 - 16 April 2026

BSL 4 - Sept 26 - Wednesdays 18:00-21:00

Semester 1 - 16 September 2026 - 16 December 2026
Semester 2 - 6 January 2027 - 17 March 2027
Semester 3 - 7 April 2027 - 21 April 2027

Fees

Course fee inc VAT: £840
Exam fee: £176

£195 deposit required to reserve your place (this will be subtracted from the total cost).

£50 non-refundable interview fee is also payable. This is not returned in the event you are not offered a place on the course.

Instalments
Deposit: £195
Instalment 1: £129
Instalment 2: £129
Instalment 3: £129
Instalment 4: £129
Instalment 5: £129
Instalment 6: £176 (exam fees)

Fees include awarding body assessment fees and access to Moodle. Monthly Direct Debit payment plan comes as standard. Our fees are always all-inclusive so there are never any unexpected costs!

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Level 4 BSL (Online)