Deaf Kids First Week in School
We are used to first day in school stories because venturing into a new territory with so many other five or six year old kids, can bring a few tears.
Some kids have been waiting for it. They envied older brothers and sisters who eagerly ran for the school bus every morning, or walked to school with friends.
But we don’t hear about how teachers cope with the first week. It must be daunting, looking at the responsibility, 20 little souls staring at you with either fear or adoration. Teachers are also scared of the unknown, for example deaf kids.
Teachers are used to opposites: shy and boisterous kids. Boisterous is healthy as long as it doesn’t translate into repeated classroom disruption or bullying. Teachers might think certain kids are shy only to realize later that they are deaf. Combine that with kids still grappling with a new language.
The school office has files on kids and they might confirm they are deaf, provided parents provided that information. If not, teachers will plough in the dark, which is more damaging to kids in their formative years.
While parents and the school decide on how to simplify school time for deaf kids, teachers must to talk to them with their eyes. Eyes and the whole body can talk. We just forgot it because of loud-sounding-nothing noise.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
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