El Smith, Psychology, Lancaster University, (2024 Cohort)

Earlier this year, I was thankful to have received funding from the NWSSDTP Difficult Language Training Fund to undertake my Level 2 Certification in British Sign Language (BSL) training at the Manchester Deaf Centre.

This training will play an essential role in supporting my doctoral research project, “How does classroom background noise affect inner speech development in children with and without hearing loss and D/deafness?” The project seeks to explore how children with hearing loss and deafness experience inner speech, an area that remains under-researched but is central to understanding language development and cognitive processing in diverse learning environments.

Effective communication is crucial to the success of this work. Many of the children participating in my study will likely use BSL as their primary means of communication, and it is vital that I am able to engage with them directly. While I have previously completed Level 1 BSL, progressing to Level 2 provides the necessary language skills to communicate naturally and inclusively within classroom-based research settings.

By undertaking this training, I aim to ensure that children with hearing loss and deafness are fully included in my research as I will be able to ensure safe and accurate communication throughout a research visit.

I am deeply grateful to the NWSSDTP Difficult Language Training Fund for supporting this development opportunity and hope to continue to receive support for my Level 3 Certification in BSL next year. Their investment not only enhances the quality and inclusivity of my research but also contributes to broader efforts to make academic research more accessible and representative of all children’s experiences.