Sign language ‘necessity not choice’

Six months after deaf and hearing-impaired children in the region lost their deaf tutor, problems with the teaching of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) continue.

“New Zealand Sign Language is not a choice, it’s a necessity and we have to give these kids a voice,” mother Charmaine Strickland said. “Sign language was suppressed for so long and now it seems we’re going back to that.”

In December last year the Government made cuts which resulted in the loss of a deaf teacher for school children in the region. Since then parents in the region have been pushing the Government to reinstate the position, but have not had any luck so far.

One teacher of deaf children, based in Christchurch, has remained employed to teach 380 children from Timaru to Invercargill – each child will only receive around five hours of tuition this year, and Mrs Strickland said this was nowhere near enough.

“We’re still continuing to fight this. We have been in correspondence with the Government and are currently awaiting a letter from them. If we don’t speak out for our children, who will?”

Her son, Dion Mahoney, 10, has a cochlear implant and without it he is deaf. The only way Dion can learn to sign now is through a dictionary and DVDs.

“Our kids are at a stage where they are starting to forget how to sign, and if they lose it, they lose their identity. Something seriously needs to be done.”

This week is NZSL week and is about making people aware of the importance of the language. Included in this week’s events, NZSL taster classes are on offer at libraries around the region to help people to introduce themselves and say please and thank you in sign language.

“New Zealand Sign Language is not a language of choice, but a necessity,” Mrs Strickland said. “This week is a chance for us to celebrate New Zealand Sign Language as the official language we have, especially when people have fought so hard. That’s why we believe it’s important to us.”

Classes are until Thursday at Palmerston North City, Feilding and Levin.

NZSL Fun Day will be held at The Square, in Palmerston North, on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. It will include facepainting, taster lessons, competitions and ceramic painting.

Photo caption – Signing on: Member of the deaf community and teacher, Jackie Davidson gives Carla Bennett and her son Drew, 4, a lesson on how to sign at a taster class at Feilding Public Library.