Dr Luigi Lerose is a Deaf academic serving as Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Sign Language in the School of Psychology and Humanities at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), UK. His expertise spans sign language linguistics, pedagogy, interpretation, and community-focused educational initiatives. He notably chaired the European Network of Sign Language Teachers (ENSLT) from 2017 to 2023 and contributes as a language expert at the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) of the Council of Europe
Education and Early Career
Dr Lerose earned his PhD in Philosophy (Linguistics), specializing in Sign Language, from Alpen Adria University, Klagenfurt (Austria), in 2012[1][3]. He also holds an MA in Lettere Moderne from the University of Padova, Italy, completed in 2003[1].
Academic Roles and Responsibilities
At UCLan, Dr Lerose holds dual roles as Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer within the BSL and Deaf Studies department[1]. He teaches modules on British Sign Language (BSL), BSL–English interpreting, and Deaf Studies, while integrating applied sign linguistics into his pedagogical approach[1].
He also serves as a Language Expert in Sign Languages for the ECML, focusing on teacher and learner competencies[1][3].
Leadership and Affiliations
Dr Lerose led the European Network of Sign Language Teachers (ENSLT) as its President/Chair for six years (2017–2023)[1][3]. He sits on the boards of multiple organizations: Mason Perkins Deafness Fund (MPDF) since 2010, Association DeafMedia Onlus since 2003, and Deaf History Scotland’s Executive Committee since 2022[1].
Research, Publications, and Projects
His research encompasses multiple areas of sign linguistics, including phonology, morphology, deixis, classifiers, metaphor, semiotics, and studies across Italian Sign Language (LIS), International Sign, and BSL[1].
Dr Lerose is engaged in the CrossMoGramm Project, has authored children’s books in Italian, developed workshops in sign language storytelling, and contributed to research on phonological errors among second-modality, second-language (M2-L2) novice signers[1].
He participated in numerous European and Erasmus+ projects, including Signs2Go; BiBiKit; Signs2Cross; SignTeach; DeafEnterprise; Deaf Museums; and SignTeach Online[1].
- University of Central Lancashire. (n.d.). Dr Luigi Lerose – Academic Staff.
- Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Luigi Lerose – Fifteen Eighty Four author profile.
- The Strategic Nature of Interpreting (blog). (2025, March 14). Interview with Dr Luigi Lerose on his work as a deaf academic and his book Improving your British Sign Language.
