Theresa Newson, 14, and Maria Griffiths, 13, are completely deaf. They are also students at St Catherine’s College, Kilbirnie.
Elaine Newson, Theresa’s mother, along with the mother of another deaf student, looked at several schools in the Wellington region in 1992 because they wanted their daughters mainstreamed.
Elaine Newson wanted her daughter to stay at home rather than go away to Van Asch school for the deaf in Christchurch.
She chose St Catherine’s because of the “supportive atmosphere” it encourages. She believed the school would be an “advocate” for Theresa and would help her reach her potential.
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She introduced Theresa to the teachers in 1992, the year before she began at the school. Teachers were apprehensive at first, she says. She conducted two brief weekly sessions for the teachers on sign language, needs of the deaf, and skills/attitudes needed to cope with deaf students. “Academically (St Catherine’s) has made her more independent… broadened her social outlook,” she says.
There are now four profoundly deaf students at St Catherine’s: Theresa, Maria, Joanne Ward, 14, and Tina Coleman, 13.
Theresa, with the help of an interpreter, says she has always been mainstreamed.
“I had been at a mainstream primary school and I am used to being with hearing students not deaf people,” she says. When she started at St Catherine’s a lot of her classmates from her last school went as well. She says her classmates have been supportive.
Maria Griffiths says she finds it difficult when another student does not understand her.
“It is hard when I try to communicate with a girl and she doesn’t understand and so I write it on the board.”
The Ministry of Education and Van Asch school for the deaf have provided funding for three part-time interpreters/communicators to help the students.
St Catherine’s principal Lorraine McArthur says at least 30 students have learnt sign language, and when the communicator is not in the classroom the students are able to communicate with those who are deaf.