Book ISL Class

If you want to learn or improve your Irish Sign language, you’ve come to the right place! We provide fun and easy ways to learn ISL.

We offer ISL QQI level 3, 4 and 5 for hearing adults over 16 years of age. Our courses are open to anyone, including families, professionals, people working in both private and public sectors.

All our classes are provided by graduates of Bachelor’s Degree in Irish Sign Language teaching from the Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College. Our curriculum that is designed to follow the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and QQI framework.

All courses are part time- morning, afternoon or evening.

More information on Irish Sign Language: https://www.irishdeafsociety.ie/irish-sign-language/

We will update this page as more information becomes available, so please check back regularly and social media to stay informed.

Contact education@irishdeafsociety.ie for more information


Book an ISL Courses for the Autumn Term 2025 (Booking available on 7th July)

More information about our ISL Courses for the Autumn Term 2025


QQI Award Level 3 Irish Sign Language (15 weeks)

QQI Award Level 3 Irish Sign Language is a beginner’s course where you will learn to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases and learn more about our language and culture.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Display basic awareness of Deaf culture and some of the organisations representing the Deaf community
  • Use introductory vocabulary, to include greetings, introductions, courtesies, basic personal information, numbers 1-100, time, simple directions, making purchases, food and drink
  • Use sentence connectors, question words and simple grammatical constructions with correct non manual features (NMF)
  • Exchange familiar information, to include personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have, notions of time and quantity, space and location, lifestyle preferences and responsibilities
  • Indicate a breakdown in communication, to include a signal of non-understanding, asking for repetition or slower signing
  • Understand short simple messages in ISL on familiar subjects, to include social and/or work-related information
  • Interact in a simple way in Irish Sign Language, to include simple exchanges and use of basic phrases, ordering food and drink, and making familiar purchases

Course Details:

  • Award Type: Minor
  • Credit Value: 10
  • CEFR: Basic User Level A1 – Level A1
  • Fee: €250.00 (including examination fee)
  • Duration: Classes run for 15 weeks @ 1.5 hours per week
  • Entry Requirements: None except learners must be aged 16 years or older.
Read more

QQI Award Level 4 Irish Sign Language (20 weeks)

QQI Award Level 4 Irish Sign Language is a pre-intermediate course where students understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of everyday life. When you finish this course you will have a degree of fluency and be able to engage in conversation with ISL signers. Level 4 courses suit those who have successfully completed our Level 3 course or good level of ISL skills that will progress you to QQI Award Level 5.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Display awareness of some of the key features of the society and culture of the target country, to include greetings and other courtesies, food and drink, and the infrastructure of daily life
  • Use routine vocabulary, to include social and/or work-related terms and topics
  • Use the conventions of grammar and syntax to construct simple sentences and conversations
  • Exchange information in a range of personal, social and/or work-related contexts, to include names, addresses, numbers, aspects of their background, immediate environment, and in matters of immediate need
  • Sustain conversations with others, to include greeting, taking leave and repairing a breakdown in communication by signalling non-understanding or asking for repetition, and making enquiries
  • Read everyday information and instructions, to include signs, notices, advertisements, articles, brochures, a menu, operating instructions for a ticket vending machine, websites, email, mobile communications
  • Write short, relatively simple pieces of text that are relevant to personal, social and/or work-related needs.

This course suits those who have successfully completed our Level 3 course or have a good level of ISL skills which will enable you to progress to QQI

Course Details:

  • Award Type: Minor
  • Credit Value: 10
  • CEFR: Independent User Level A1 – A2
  • Fee: ONLY €340.00 (including examination fee)
  • Duration: Classes run for 20 weeks @ 1.5hours per week
  • Entry Requirements: Learners must be aged 16 years or older. Learners are expected also to have successfully completed the QQI Level 3 ISL course recently or demonstrate evidence of Recognised Prior Learning (RPL).
Read more

QQI Award Level 5 Irish Sign Language (25 weeks)

QQI Award Level 5 Irish Sign Language is a intermediate course where students understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of everyday life. When you finish this course you will have a degree of fluency and be able to engage in conversation with ISL signers. Level 5 courses suit those who have successfully completed our Level 4 course or equalivaet that will progress you to QQI Award Level 5.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Describe the Irish Deaf community, Deaf culture, history and education
  • Use standard ISL vocabulary, to include everyday terms and topics and those related to familiar area of interest and or work
  • Use the conventions of ISL grammar and syntax to produce simple connected sentences in a range of social and or work-related contexts.
  • Use the appropriate courtesies and conventions in ISL and electronic communications, to include formal correspondence, making and receiving video calls and providing or using local services such as medical centres, education services, shopping.
  • Use ISL receptive skills (watching video recordings in ISL) and research skills to gather information from a range of social/cultural and or work-related documents (which have been recorded in ISL), to include articles, TV News reports, advertisements, signs, health and safety information, regulations, letters, emails, invoices, forms, websites and other mobile and electronic communications
  • Use ISL skills to send and deal with a range of formal and informal correspondence, to include a curriculum vitae (CV), letters, invoices, order forms, emails, and text messages
  • Summarize, in written notes and ISL, essential points from formal/informal discussions, to include presentations and meetings
  • Exchange information in a range of formal and informal contexts, to include greetings, taking leave, describing experiences and events, hopes and ambitions, reasons and explanations for opinions and plans, getting things done, repairing a breakdown in communications
  • Exchange technical information, to include descriptions of a product or service, location of a service or organisation, facilities and equipment, dealing with complaints and communication typical of a job interview

Course Details:

  • Award Type: Minor
  • Credit Value: 15
  • CEFR: Independent User Level A2 – A2
  • Fee: €410.00 (including examination fee)
  • Duration: Classes run for 25 weeks @ 2hours per week
  • Entry Requirements: Learners must be aged 16 years or older. Learners are expected also to have successfully completed the QQI Level 4 ISL course recently or demonstrate evidence of Recognised Prior Learning (RPL).
Read more

The Irish Deaf Society’s Deaf adult courses are funded by the Department of Education and Skills and we provide free classes for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people nationwide.

Looking for information about ISL courses for Deaf learners? Click here.

  

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Irish Deaf Society