“Sign languages for pupils: Thinking about grammar” is a pedagogical grammar that fosters language awareness.
Concept and Selection of Topics
Concept and selection of topics
Concept
“Sign languages for pupils: Thinking about grammar” is a pedagogical grammar covering five different European sign languages. This pedagogical grammar
- contains a selection of areas from the entire grammar of signed languages;
- is characterised by a clear, concrete and understandable presentation that takes into account the developmental level and language(s) of the learners, and
- serves as a resource for fostering and developing language awareness.
Rather than containing specific exercises, this website provides easy-to-understand and illustrated explanations of eight selected grammar topics. Ideas for using this resource can be found in the tutorial Ideas for Teaching.
Goals
“Sign languages for pupils: Thinking about grammar” aims to raise pupils’ awareness of sign languages, language rules and linguistic knowledge that they need in order to communicate and reflect on languages. This resource is designed to support teachers in fostering pupils’ language awareness. Language awareness is an important foundation for language learning and general cognitive development, enabling learners to actively engage with their language(s). For more information on language awareness, see the tutorial Language awareness.
“Sign Languages for Pupils: Thinking About Grammar” takes a functional approach:
Our aim is for pupils to understand which linguistic means can be used to express communicative functions. Our pedagogical grammar therefore describes
- specific communicative functions (e.g. asking a question) and
- the linguistic means required to realise this function (e.g. as a content or polar question).
Target Groups
Anyone interested in the grammar of sign languages can use “Sign languages for pupils: Thinking about grammar”. It is particularly suitable for
- deaf, hard of hearing and hearing pupils aged ten and over;
- teachers, and
- anyone interested in learning about sign languages.
Pupils could be sign language learners or could already have mastered a sign language as their first language. As the grammar topics build on existing knowledge of a sign language, pupils should already be familiar with concepts such as hand shapes, signing space and sentence types. Therefore, we assume that pupils should be ten years or older to truly benefit from this pedagogical grammar.
Teachers can use the topics or sub-chapters independently and according to their needs in their lessons: They can use them to prepare lessons or to inform themselves or they can use sign language videos, drawings or entire topics in their lessons. Teachers can download all the material free of charge and adapt it as required for their teaching purposes
Selection of topics
“Sign languages for pupils: Thinking about grammar” contains eight sign language grammar topics. These eight topics were selected by teachers from the entire grammar of sign languages. The topics were then described based on the current state of sign language research. Next, these topics were didactically prepared, explained and presented in an understandable way.
Each topic contains
- texts in the respective sign language, with authentic examples of the communicative function;
- explanations of the communicative function and the linguistic means;
- examples, and
- new technical terms.
For information on the structure of the individual topics, please refer to the tutorial Structure of the website.
This resource can be used independently of curricula and textbooks.
The topics are not lessons. Teachers can use the topics, their sub-chapters and all associated materials in any order they deem appropriate.
Here is an overview of all grammar topics.
Eight topics
How to ask questions?
How to express negation?
How to express plurality?
How to express time?
How to refer to things and living beings?
How to express an action?
How to express aspect?
How to conduct a conversation?
Teachers of sign languages
The BAG Sign-team developed this grammar for qualified teachers who aim to support deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing pupils in developing linguistic awareness and grammatical competence in their sign language.
The BAG Sign-team recommends that teachers of sign languages have fluency in their respective national sign language at a minimum of level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This level denotes proficient language use, enabling users to use their sign language confidently and with nuance in challenging communication and teaching situations.
We explicitly support the Position Paper of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) regarding the leading role of deaf people in the development and teaching of national sign languages (document accessed May 2, 2025). We also explicitly endorse the WFD Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children which emphasises the right of deaf children to early access to role models as good examples of fluent sign language use and their right to learn about their cultural identity, as well as access to quality, inclusive, multilingual education (document accessed May 2, 2025).
To ensure effective teaching practice, we recommend aligning with these principles. Teachers using this website are responsible for fostering a linguistically accessible, culturally respectful, and community-oriented learning environment in which deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing pupils can learn together equally.