ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
Ballyhooly children learn to sign
Ballyhooly pupils will soon be closing out their Languages Connect Sampler module through which they undertook a six-week sampler course in sign language, taught by local woman Helen Geary.
Speaking with The Avondhu earlier this week, Helen said that pupils in Scoil Mhuire, Ballyhooly thoroughly engaged with the programme over the term.
“They’re very good. They’re fascinated and they’re so attentive. They really are very interested in deaf culture and sign language,” she said.
Helen began learning Irish Sign Language (ISL) just over ten years ago when she found out that her son, Calum, was profoundly deaf.
“I really wanted to learn the language so that he could interact with us and everyone. I just loved the language from the start,” she said.
In May, the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, TD invited expressions of interest from schools to participate in the new language sampler module, which would see a different language introduced to schools for a six-week module.
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
According to vice-principal Margaret Sheahan, when Scoil Mhuire, Ballyhooly took on the new module, Helen was approached to enquire if she would be interested in teaching.
“From our point of view, the scheme that came out was ideal for our school because we are based in a community where we have children coming to the school who have a sibling who is deaf.
“We have a very good community in Ballyhooly - this means that if that child is out and about engaging in the community, it makes them feel more a part of it,” Ms Sheahan said.
Having taught ISL at home and to her family, Helen had some level of experience in teaching the language, however, with the rollout of the new initiative, she engaged in online classes to help with teaching at the local primary school.
“We got tuition online from tutors that are linguistic in ISL, they’re the top echelon of the linguistic people and they taught us the do’s and don’ts.
“I’m ten years practising sign language and with this course then, I was asked by the local school, as I’m a parent in the community, to take up the initiative and I said, ‘I would love it’.
“The children are fantastic. They’re so attentive and they really want to learn sign language,” Helen added.
OPENING A DOOR
For the school, it is hoped that they may continue to teach ISL in the future, as it does Irish and English with the help of new draft curricula.
“From a teaching point of view, ISL is officially recognised now as a native language and we should be teaching that just as much as we are teaching Irish and English. Hopefully, this scheme will work towards that.
“It is just a taster. In six weeks, you’re not going to have the whole language, but it is a start. It might inspire someone that if it does roll out in secondary or primary, it might be a language that is more accessible to children. It’s opening a door really and giving people a taster for it,” Ms Sheahan added.
While the class is only of short duration, it is helping to open up the community to deaf people locally as the local children learn more and more about ISL and deaf culture.
“I always sign what’s happening at Mass to Calum and last Sunday morning he said ‘ Our secret language, now we can’t have our secret conversation anymore’ because the children know what we’re saying. He really believes that they can all sign now!
“In the community everyone waves to Calum. They know that Calum is deaf and they make the extra effort to make eye contact and give him a wave. That inclusion is there alright, which is wonderful. He’s not hidden or anything. He’s part of the community and that is it.
“The children are learning a lot but with a language, like every language, it takes years and years to become fluent in it. But at least the children won’t have any fear in learning it and they might have the basics going forward,” Helen said.
For anyone seeking to learn ISL and become involved with the language, Helen advises getting in contact with the Cork Deaf Association located at 5 MacCurtain Street in Cork City, who may be able to direct you to courses and relevant events.