SignLEF: Sign Language European Frame

SignLEF is a project of the Lifelong Learning Program and represents an innovation in sign language research. It supports linguistic diversity of sign languages in the European Union and helps to improve the quality of the structures and systems involved in language teaching. The result of this should be greater respect and similar treatment for sign languages in Europe, the strengthening of users´ rights as citizens and improved access to equal opportunities.

Furthermore these initiatives will help sign languages to attain the same status as spoken minority languages. SIGNLEF's basic aim is to promote the awareness, teaching and learning of the sign languages of each participating country.

Project coordinator is the University of Barcelona – partners are Istituto Statale Sordi di Roma and the Centre for Sign language and Deaf communication, Klagenfurt University.

 The aim of the project is to develop a common basis for studying the sign languages of Europe in accordance with the guidelines of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Thanks to the Framework the directives for learning and teaching languages in the European Union have been unified. A set of language levels has been developed in the Framework, making it easier to standardise all the various qualifications.

The six levels are: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 und C2.

SignLEF started in January 2011 and is expected to be completed in three years.