Good sign for the deaf

Dominican School for the Deaf teacher Sophie Aphane can now let her fingers do the talking.

Aphane, a teacher at the school for 10 years, said communicating with her pupils used to be a "struggle".

"I did know a bit of sign language before this, but this course has made communication with my pupils so easy.

"They are very excited by my progress and have gained more confidence in me as their teacher, whereas it was a struggle before," she said.

Aphane and 114 other Gauteng teachers and officials yesterday graduated with certificates in South African Sign Language as part of an initiative by the provincial education department.

They were among the first group of teachers to be trained ahead of the roll-out of the new SA Sign Language Curriculum at schools for the deaf next year.

In Gauteng, there are currently 1786 deaf pupils at seven specialised schools.

In August, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said President Jacob Zuma's December 2012 call to have South African Sign Language declared an official language offered a "glimmer of hope for the deaf community".

"It is within this context that I, as minister, subsequently established a curriculum management team that will coordinate the development of the curriculum," Motshekga said.

Deaf SA spokesman Judith Madi said the newly developed curriculum would ensure a brighter future for the deaf youth of today.

Said Madi: "In my days at school, we did not have initiatives such as these.

"It was terrible, but all of that has changed and it is all thanks to you [teachers]."

A teacher at the MC Kharbai School for the Deaf, Kresheena Pillay, who is herself deaf, said: "The course was beneficial and I see that difference in class. The curriculum will certainly help to improve the education of deaf children in the country."