Which Strictly performance has lead to people taking up a new language?

More and more people in the UK are thought to be taking up sign language following Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing.

During Rose Ayling-Ellis’ performance the music stopped whilst she was still dancing, giving us all an insight in what it’s like being deaf.

Bethan Lishman is an elite shotput athlete from Cockermouth, Cumbria, who also happens to be deaf.

The Cockermouth athlete told Clyde 1 that they believe attitudes towards dead people in society are starting to change

Bethan said: "Deaf people in society have been overlooked, 100%. However, it is changing. I keep getting asked if I want to change the fact that I'm deaf, and I say no. If I wasn't deaf I wouldn't be me."

"Now that Strictly Come Dancing has come out the awareness is just insane. Rose is amazing"

"The amount of people asking me to tell them simple signs blows my mind", she added.

"In a school I was in last week they were asking if they could be taught to say 'hello', because they go to the swimming pool and there is a deaf lady who works there. Apparently they came in, they all signed 'hello' to her, and I think that's amazing."

Google searches related to learning sign language have gone up by 500% since Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing hit our screens.

The shotputter believes that educating children about the sign language will help break even more barriers, and that schools in England should follow after those in Scotland.

Bethan said: "Carry on with bringing the deaf into schools. We've had it in Scotland now for three years where they can do a British sign language as a GCSE, which is outstanding. Wales schools are trying to get it in as well."

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