Tag: RNID

‘Tis the season to be deaf aware

Five ways to be deaf aware this Christmas 

‘Tis the season to be deaf aware 

With less than two weeks to go until Christmas day, there is a lot to get ready – from buying last minute gifts and wrapping presents, to picking up a turkey. 

If you will be spending time over Christmas with family or friends who are deaf or have hearing loss, it’s important to consider how to make sure the seasonal celebrations are enjoyable for them too. 

RNID, the national charity for deaf people and people with hearing loss, asked their supporters for their top tips of how family and friends can make communication easier at Christmas.  

They are: 

1.         Ask how you can help 

Everyone is different, so ask the person who is deaf or has hearing loss what you can do to make communication easier. For example, they might need to see your face when you’re talking, or they might need the subtitles on if you’re watching a film together. 

2.        Make lipreading easier 

Make sure the room you are in for your Christmas get together is well lit – candles and fairy lights alone won’t be much use to people who lipread. Don’t cover your mouth when you’re speaking, and face the person who is lipreading. Try not to speak with your mouth full as this will make it harder for them to lipread you. 

3.        Take it in turns to speak 

Try not to speak over each other – it’s impossible to lipread more than one person at a time and your family member will quickly get lost in the conversation. Speak clearly and not too slowly, and don’t shout as this can be uncomfortable for hearing aid users. If someone doesn’t understand what you said, try repeating or explaining it a different way. 

4.       Keep background noise low 

If you’re playing festive music or if there is background noise, keep the volume low. This will make it much easier for people to hear, and it will help anyone who lipreads to focus on what you are saying.   

5.        Help people follow the conversation 

If the topic of conversation suddenly changes, make sure everyone is aware – maybe ask them a question to check. 

And crucially, if someone who is deaf or has hearing loss asks you to repeat something, never say “it doesn’t matter”. If you do that, you’re taking away their opportunity to be part of the conversation, and you might make them feel like they don’t matter.  

Harriet Oppenheimer, Deputy Chief Executive at RNID, said: “For lots of us, Christmas is a time of big family get togethers, noisy work Christmas dos and catching up with old friends. But we also know that Christmas can be an isolating time if you are deaf or have hearing loss or tinnitus, and our supporters have told us that they can feel left out of the festive fun going on around them.  

“Being deaf aware at Christmas doesn’t have to mean making big changes; there are small things you can do which will make the day a lot more enjoyable for your deaf family member or friend and allow them to be part of the celebrations.”  

The 12 Signs of Christmas  

RNID have made a video to help everyone learn some festive phrases in British Sign Language (BSL). 

From learning how to sign ‘Happy Christmas’ to asking someone to ‘meet me under the mistletoe’ or ‘pass the chocolates’, the charity’s 12 signs of Christmas will help to get everyone in the family signing and having fun together, whilst taking an important step to be more deaf aware. 

For more information on how you can be deaf aware at Christmas, visit RNID’s website.

British Sign Language Bill set to clear final hurdle before becoming law

Tens of thousands of British Sign Language (BSL) users are anticipating a momentous day today as a Bill that will see BSL become a recognised language in Britain is expected to clear its final hurdle on the way to becoming law.

The British Sign Language Bill, a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Rosie Cooper MP last year and backed by the government, will receive its third reading in the House of Lords today before it passes into law following Royal Assent.

The BSL Act will recognise BSL as a language of England, Wales and Scotland in its own right. It is also supported by a duty on the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to regularly report on what each relevant government department has done to promote or facilitate the use of British Sign Language in its communications with the public.

The Act further places a requirement on the DWP Secretary of State to issue guidance to departments on the promotion and facilitation of BSL. The guidance will be developed together with D/deaf BSL signers.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Chloe Smith MP said: “Today is a momentous day and I truly hope it will transform the lives of D/deaf people across the country.

“The BSL Bill will help remove barriers faced by the D/deaf community in daily life and is a further welcome step towards a more inclusive and accessible society.

“I am so grateful to the efforts of Rosie Cooper MP and the wonderful campaigners who have brought the BSL Bill to the point of passing into law and I’m proud to have played a small part in its journey.”

Rosie Cooper MP said: “At long last, the Deaf community will be able to say that their language is legally recognised.

“Working across party lines and with the Deaf community, I really believe we have made history by creating a mechanism for Deaf people to achieve equal access to public services. Their voices will be heard loud and clear and there will be no excuse for failing to respect BSL as a language.

“The hard work doesn’t stop here however, but the door is now open for the Deaf community make real progress fixing the injustices that they continue to face.”

David Buxton, Chair of the British Deaf Association, said: “We are extremely pleased to see the UK Parliament finally vote to recognise British Sign Language as a language of Great Britain in law today, after 19 long years of campaigning.

“Today is a historic day for the Deaf community in the UK, and an inspiration for other countries around the world where the national sign language has not yet been recognised in law.

“The British Deaf Association looks forward to working hand in hand with the government and civil servants to implement and monitor the progress of the BSL Act 2022.

“While today is a day to celebrate, we are aware that this marks the first step on a long path towards providing truly equal access to public services, information and opportunities for Deaf BSL users in Great Britain.”

Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive at RNID, said: “RNID and our supporters join with the Deaf community today to celebrate this historic moment as British Sign Language passes the final hurdle before it is legally recognised in England, Wales and Scotland.

“We’re immensely proud to have worked alongside other deaf organisations and parliamentarians to support this campaign. We look forward to the BSL Bill getting Royal Assent soon and to working with the government to make sure the BSL Act makes a real difference to the lives of Deaf people in the UK.”

The Third Reading of the BSL Bill takes place today in the House of Lords and following this it will receive Royal Assent.

The BSL Bill was first introduced on 16 June 2021 and passed through the House of Commons on 17 March 2022, receiving unanimous cross-party support.

The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has worked closely with Labour MP Rosie Cooper and D/deaf people’s charities and organisations, such as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) and the British Deaf Association (BDA), to ensure the Bill effectively meets the needs of those who will benefit most.

Figures from the British Deaf Association suggest that 151,000 people use BSL in the UK, 87,000 of whom are D/deaf.