Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL)

BSL teachers: reminder that our BSL Linguistics for Teachers CPD course is open for registration. 🗓 Deadline: 12 February 2026. Places are limited. Full details and booking info below 👇

DCAL highlights staff promotions, research funding and new PhD completions We’re resharing the congratulations section from DCAL’s 2025 end-of-year newsletter to give wider visibility to recent staff and student achievements.

We’re resharing staff and student achievements from our 2025 end-of-year newsletter, including promotions, research funding and PhD completions.
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Update on BSL GCSE and CPD Courses for Teachers An update on our plans for the BSL GCSE and the CPD courses being developed to support BSL teachers.

We’re launching a new CPD course: BSL Linguistics for Teachers. This update shares our plans for the BSL GCSE and the CPD courses being developed to support BSL teachers. Find out more and register: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

DeafATW and RNID are collecting evidence on Access to Work – including budget cuts and renewal issues. If you’re deaf, deafblind or have hearing loss and have used or applied for AtW since Oct 2024, please take or share this survey:
connect.deafatw.com/ty/cl/eyJ2Ij...

Job Opportunity at University of Leeds: Research Assistant – Examining the multilingual experiences and repertoires of DHH children growing up in migrant contexts of Germany and the UK **The appointment is available on a fixed term basis for 36 months at 50% fte**The School of Education, University of Leeds, seeks to recruit a Research Assistant for a AHRC funded research project th...

🔍 Job opportunity: Research Assistant (50% FTE, 36 months) on an AHRC-funded project exploring multilingual experiences of deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the UK and Germany. Based at the University of Leeds.
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

YouTube video by DCAL UCL BSL Cognitive Screening Test (BSL-CST)

New lay summary release! Dr Joanna Atkinson shares the development of the first screening test for detecting cognitive impairment and dementia in deaf signers: the British Sign Language Cognitive Screening Test (BSL CST). youtu.be/pm_TbR77wAc

Our DCAL 2025 Christmas Newsletter is out now 🎄
Read the newsletter and watch the BSL videos here: mailer.ucl.ac.uk/7SWP-2ECWZ-3...
Thank you for your continued support. Wishing you a peaceful festive break and a positive New Year.

Congratulations to Brennan Terhune-Cotter on receiving a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society! He’ll be with us at DCAL until Nov 2027, working on neural mechanisms of reading in deaf adults: fingerspelling.
royalsociety.org/news/2025/11...

Deadline extended to Friday 5 December.
UCL DCAL is recruiting a PhD researcher on tactile BSL and DeafBlind communication. DeafBlind applicants especially encouraged.
Apply: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

YouTube video by DCAL UCL "And", "Or", and intonation in BSL

New lay summary!
Dr Matt Brown shares key findings from his PhD on how BSL expresses “and”/“or” through signs, facial expressions, body movement and space and why this matters for linguistics, pragmatics, and deaf children’s language development.
🎥 youtu.be/6FbIw9aAslo

Some of our colleagues at DCAL attended the British Library’s Family Festival: Imaginary Worlds on Saturday 22nd November, where we hosted a DCAL stall. We had a fantastic time meeting everyone!

PhD opportunity at UCL on tactile BSL & DeafBlind communication.
3-year FT / 5-year PT, £27k stipend, start Feb 2026.
UK students only. Deadline: 1 Dec 2025.
More info + how to apply: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Last call for the Bencie Woll Prize – apply by 8 December. £500 award for early-career researchers with a BSL-focused publication from the last two years. Send your CV, 500-word summary and publication link to dcal@ucl.ac.uk. Deaf researchers encouraged to apply: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

There’s still time to apply for the Deaf in AI & Technology workshop. The deadline’s this Sunday, 23 November. Re-sharing in case you haven’t seen it yet.

YouTube video by DCAL UCL Interview with Vernon: DCAL Internship Experience

Meet Vernon, a final-year university student in Biomedical Sciences, who shares his internship experience at DCAL. His week at DCAL gave him insight into research, brain imaging, and better clarity about his future career - youtu.be/ylHW99wRuT8

YouTube video by DCAL UCL Academic Spotlight Series | Kearsy’s Journey: From Studying ASL Linguistics to Director at DCAL

In our next #AcademicSpotlightSeries, Prof. Kearsy Cormier shares her journey from studying ASL linguistics in Texas to leading DCAL. Her 20+ years at UCL exploring BSL structure, use & brain processing have shaped sign linguistics. Watch her story: youtu.be/7Pkq-qUpkUc?...

We’re joining the British Library’s Family Festival: Imaginary Worlds on Sat 22 Nov (12–4pm). Visit DCAL’s Fingerspelling Space Race to race friends and test your BSL skills.
More info: events.bl.uk/events/famil...

Deaf in AI and Technology Workshop Join the Deaf in AI & Technology workshop on 9 Dec 2025 in London. Explore how deaf professionals are shaping the future of tech, AI and sign language.

Deaf in AI & Technology workshop – 9 Dec 2025, London. Find details and apply at www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

PhD Opportunity at UCL – Tactile Sign Language & DeafBlind Communication Join a pioneering ERC-funded project at UCL’s DCAL, Europe’s leading centre for Deafness, Cognition & Language research.

PhD Opportunity at UCL – Tactile Sign Language & DeafBlind Communication. Funded PhD at DCAL exploring tactile BSL and DeafBlind interaction. UK only. Deadline 1 Dec 2025.

www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Job Advert: Research Assistant – Tactile Language Project Are you passionate about language, communication, and inclusion? Do you want to help shape the future of British Sign Language (BSL) for the deafblind community?

Join UCL’s DCAL as a Research Assistant on the Tactile Language Project – exploring protactile and tactile forms of BSL with deafblind people across the UK. Full-time, 18 months. Apply by 17 Nov 2025

👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

New paper with Evelyne Mercure: hearing children of deaf mothers learn sign and speech – showing bimodal bilingualism as enriching and adaptive.
🔗 cambridge.org/core/journals/bilingualism-language-and-cognition/article/BB899E0B4FCB32AE0DEF5D160F2EA4AA

YouTube video by DCAL UCL Academic Spotlight Series | Kate’s Journey: From Research Assistant at DCAL to Deputy Director

In our latest #AcademicSpotlightSeries, Dr Kate Rowley, deaf scholar & Deputy Director at DCAL, shares her inspiring journey from Deaf Studies to PhD, exploring sign linguistics, deaf culture & accessibility in education. Watch her story: youtu.be/BOSXQ6KwMiU

The Bencie Woll Prize for Linguistic Research on British Sign Language The Bencie Woll Prize celebrates exceptional research in British Sign Language (BSL) linguistics.

Applications open for the Bencie Woll Prize 2025 — celebrating top research in BSL linguistics. Early-career researchers welcome. £500 + talk at DCAL. Apply by 8 Dec: dcal@ucl.ac.uk 🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc... #BSL #DeafResearch

Recruiting deaf adults from Greater London (under 35yo) for a new focus group series (interpreters provided!)

Help identify priorities and best practices for future research with deaf children & receive £200 for your time!

Email Victoria at v.stclair@bbk.ac.uk

Dr Kate Rowley, in a bright blue top, signs at the lectern. Behind her, a slide titled “Grant Success!” announces a £1.4m ERC award for a 5-year tactile BSL project with job opportunities starting in 2026. Live captions run across the top of the screen.

Dr Patrick Rosenburg presents in BSL beside a lectern with a laptop. His slide shows logos from deaf schools and universities he has worked with, including Boston University, Gallaudet and Frank Barnes School. Audience heads are visible in the foreground.

A DCALx flyer rests on a desk in the foreground, showing the three presenters’ portraits. In the background, Professor Kearsy Cormier presents in BSL on stage with a slide about early BSL research and annotation challenges.

Professor Kearsy Cormier presents at a lectern with slides about BSL and AI. The caption reads “What DO Deaf people want from sign language AI?” Audience members sit in rows with notepads.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for #DCALx 2025 last week! Inspiring talks, great conversations, and a brilliant evening celebrating BSL, literacy & cognition. We can’t wait for the next one! ✨

Groundbreaking Research on Tactile British Sign Language Kate Rowley has been awarded a £1.4M ERC grant to lead a 5-year study into tactile British Sign Language, used by deafblind people across the UK.

Exciting news – Kate Rowley has been awarded a £1.4M European Research Council (ERC) grant (#ERCStG | @erc.europa.eu) for a 5-year project on tactile BSL in the UK. Starts Jan 2026.
🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

DCALx 2025: Showcasing Research in BSL, Literacy and Cognition Thursday 4 September 2025 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM University College London, near Russell Square, London

Join us for #DCALx 2025 – an evening of bite-sized talks in BSL exploring sign language, literacy & cognition 📚🧠✨
🗓 4 Sept | 🕕 6–8pm | 📍 UCL London
Free & fully accessible
🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

‘No evidence’ BSL harms speech or literacy, as researchers stress benefits of early access Hearing families should stop being told not to use sign language with their deaf children, deaf academic Dr Kate Rowley has said, with there being “no evidence” it impacts speech or literacy.

‘No evidence’ BSL harms speech or literacy – instead, early sign boosts language, memory and more! Hats off to @liamodell.com for the scoop. Read the full report: liamodell.com/2025/07/19/e...

💬 Powerful voices, proud community.

We were thrilled to attend the BDA Conference and see so many brilliant people – from passionate presenters to an engaged audience. A celebration of deaf identity, advocacy, and connection.

📸 Photos by Charlie Swinbourne – thank you!

The Bencie Woll Prize for Linguistic Research on British Sign Language The Bencie Woll Prize celebrates exceptional research in British Sign Language (BSL) linguistics.

🎉 The Bencie Woll Prize is open for applications!
Celebrating excellence in linguistic research on British Sign Language.
🔗 Apply by 8 Dec: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...