Learning a language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils' curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. At Manston St. James we have chosen to learn British Sign Language (BSL). Learning BSL can inspire and enable learners to: become multilingual, able to use BSL, develop an openness to and curiosity about all languages and cultures of the world; enjoy learning languages and develop a positive perception of themselves as users of those languages; use the language and culture of their homes and communities, including deaf culture, as a foundation for subsequent language learning; have a firm foundation in BSL and English to build on when learning other languages and when broadening their understanding of national and global contexts, in addition to a number of additional skills and attributes.
