Irish Sign Language
Irish Sign Language (ISL) is the main sign language in Ireland. Its grammar and syntax are very different to spoken or written Irish or English. Ireland has 5,000 Deaf native ISL users. About 800,000 people have hearing issues (including seniors). Around 30,000 hearing people know some ISL.
A deaf person’s knowledge of ISL depends on their family and educational background, so their fluency in ISL should not be assumed. The majority of deaf children and people are verbal, thanks to new hearing technologies. This comprehensive chart shows the main communication options in use.
In the ISL alphabet, all names (Christian and other) are finger-spelled, but learning this one-handed alphabet does not equate to knowing full ISL!
ISL and British Sign Language are both used in Northern Ireland. British Sign Language (BSL) is used in Britain, and by a small minority in Ireland.
English is the second language for many ISL users, which means literacy in deaf children and adults will be severely impacted without reading tuition. Many Deaf adults (using ISL), have a reading age of just 8.5 to 9 years old.
Regardless of how a child communicates, their early-years learning needs to include reading time. Literacy for deaf infants is the ability to read print (written letters), for learning English, new concepts and gaining information.
Deaf children and their parents in Ireland have several ways to learn ISL.
Children can learn through:
- Home ISL teaching (Department of Education)
- Simply Signing (for baby, parents and family, too)
- SuperHands Baby Sign Language
- School, or from other Deaf people
Parents and / or family can take classes at:
- The ISL Academy *
- Trinity College Centre for Deaf Studies
- IrishDeaf.com *
- DeafHear.ie *
- Local VEC or community colleges (enquire)
* ISL posters, DVDs, books and cards may be available at tuition classes.
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Please send all feedback to info@irishdeafkids.ie .