Deaf-Hearing Exchange Service Project by OSC

The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) an IB world school strives on the importance of service learning to harness the skills necessary to function as a well- rounded global citizen.

As part of the Creativity Action and Service ( CAS) two teachers initiated a new Service project with the Deaf school in Sri Lanka. In 2012, one of the faculty members of OSC who had teaching experience in a deaf school overseas wanted to continue her work within the Deaf community in Sri Lanka. They inquired further into the local situation of Deaf education and found the Ceylon School for the Deaf in Ratmalana.

Their goal is to build a relationship between the Hearing students from diverse cultures of OSC and the Deaf Sri Lankan students. In order to achieve their goals, two sets of learning objectives had to be developed. The initial learning outcomes were for OSC students to learn Sri Lankan Sign Language and for the deaf students to learn written English. These learning outcomes were enhanced through relationship building when students became more intimate and curious with each other’s worlds.

Additional skills that the students learned through the service are sign language, communication (collaborative discus- sions, email communication), technological skills (outlook use and management, editing pictures and websites), creative skills (developing visual material, editing pictures, creating posters, cards etc), and leadership skills.

One way the service was able to contribute towards this was by donating Sign Language-English dictionaries to the deaf school through funds raised. A group of supporters from amongst the OSC community was built by raising awareness of the project and soliciting the support to promote the partnership.

For more details, photos and video, visit: page https:// www. facebook. com/ pages/ DeafHearing-Exchange/9097695 49069511?ref=ts&fref=ts

OSC is regarded the most prestigious international school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Founded in 1957, OSC remains Sri Lanka’s oldest internationally accredited educational institution. It is the only school in Sri Lanka to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme from Preschool to Grade 12. At OSC parents and teachers partner in working together to create the kind of environment where children not only learn, but thrive. OSC develops the whole person as a responsible learner striving for personal excellence within a culturally diverse school.