How to sign “Read” in BSL
BSL and ASL are different languages — this is the British sign. See the ASL sign for “Read” instead
Step by step
- Hold your non-dominant hand flat in front of you, palm facing up like a page.
- Form a V with the index and middle fingers of your dominant hand.
- Sweep the V fingertips down across the palm, zigzagging from wrist toward fingers.
- Keep your dominant palm facing down while the fingertips glide over the page.
- Fix your gaze on the moving fingertips, as if your eyes are reading along.
Practice tip
The V's fingertips are 'eyes' scanning the lines — mime them reading each word.
Fingerspell “Read”
Letter by letter with the two-handed BSL alphabet — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
Text-based guide researched from BSL-specific references (BSL SignBank, BDA-adjacent teaching materials and BSL dictionaries) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade. BSL has regional variation — this is the most widely taught form.