School for the deaf

Press, 29 March 1980, Page 14

School for the deaf

Sir. — The forthcoming speech by the Minister of Education, Mr Wellington, at the Sumner School for the Deaf centenary at Easter will he translated into sign language by a teacher of the deaf, as ' " rted in “The Press” recently. It was hard to believe that the Sumner School for the Deaf is actually teaching the alphabetical method of sign language. This is true, unfortunately. In my day as a pupil of the Sumner School for the Deaf all pupils were taught the oral method of speech and lip reading. Sign language was not acceptable.

The centenary is in memory of Gerrit Van Asch who was the first principal, and he successfully introduced the oral method of teaching for deaf people. Mr Van Asch would turn over in his grave when people congregate in his memory and use sign language. — Yours, etc., RACHEL CARNIELO.

March 24, 1980. [Mr S. J. Barlett, principal, School for the Deaf, replies: “The teaching of speech and lip reading skills continues unabated at Sumner but for a number of deaf students the manual aspects of effective communication are taught as a supplement to provide the concept of ‘total, communication’. The use of signs where appropriate at the centenary is to ensure that all deaf persons present have the opportunity of . understanding the speeches. Irrespective of our teaching, deaf persons do use signs (natural and structured) when they get together in a social situation.”]