Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he has taken to increase sign language fluency in schools.
Minister of Education: Provision for sign language in education sits alongside wider arrangements to support children and young people with additional needs to access the curriculum and participate fully in school life. This includes support delivered through the Education Authority’s Sensory Service, which provides early and ongoing assistance to families and schools, including advice on appropriate provision, access to funded sign language training for classroom assistants, and ongoing professional development for staff supporting pupils with hearing impairment.
Schools are required to identify and meet special educational needs, and where communication needs impact access to learning, tailored support is put in place. Schools also have discretion to offer sign language as part of their wider curriculum or enrichment activities, and may incorporate Makaton, British Sign Language or Irish Sign Language where this aligns with the needs of their pupils. They can draw on specialist organisations and use delegated funding to engage external providers to deliver sign language programmes or training, where considered appropriate.
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