David Rose special school

Deaf pupils gained the film experience
from Lawrence Hallahan at Xmas party

Deaf schoolgirls (Grade 4) having a break


David Rose pupils in November 2005


I am a British Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)'s Youth for Development (YfD) volunteer, working in Guyana, South America since August 2005, my service will be end in either July or August depend on the election date confirmation.

My main role is facilitator, literacy programme for Deaf people like working alongside with teacher of Deaf at schools, teaching ASL to anyone and gain Deaf awareness. Another British Deaf volunteer Steven Wynne's work focusing on the sport, recreation and Deaf awareness like me. Stevo

After Steven and I arrived Guyana, I was so eager to meet Deaf children soon! Met the Guyana Deaf Mission team Lawrence & Mary Hallahan, they both are fluent ASL users from New York, USA, they taught me American Sign Language for just 3 days (normally it was supposed to be a month for hearing people!) I fired questions at them about the Deaf community in Guyana, learned that it wasn't good.

I first visited the David Rose 'special' school (10 minutes smooth walk from my house!), it was summer school in hotty August. There was about 10-15 Deaf black & East Indian children with the teacher includes Lawrence. I noticed the most of Deaf children's the level of knowledge and communication was lower than I thought. Some of them thought I was Guyanese because of my colour of the skin! It was really breathtaking meeting and chatting to them for the first time! They were nervous to meet me at first but I did shared the British experience which enlightened them!

I started working with the teacher and Deaf pupils at the David Rose in November after visiting different of regions with Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) team for almost 2 months, pheww! It was only 2 times visits at the David Rose, although I detected the method of teaching and communication wasn't very good especially the teacher's lack of movitation due to their exhausion of using ASL.

After 5 months, I noticed their education was 'very little' better than before but it's not good enough for Deaf children. Not all of the teachers are bad but some of them are good which I'm very pleased about!

Although, there isn't any bilingual education, however most of teachers used the Signed English but seems Deaf children misunderstood what they were saying most of the time. Still there is English texted which is good thing though. At the spelling test, I had to sit and watch how the teacher got on with Deaf children aged 12-16. All Deaf children has been revised all 20 words beforehard. The teacher oralled 'Cars', a Deaf pupil signed 'Car' then fingerspelled 'S', it wasn't so right, even wasn't pural for beautiful ASL! For ASL, they supposed to sign 'Car, car, car' for 'cars' in English. Also the hearing teacher judged Deaf children's signing style which was so wrong, they should be comfortable to sign with their own style, it's bit like hearing accent. The teacher still couldn't understand Deaf children's first language. I have been explained to them many times, they are getting know about the natural language (ASL). There was so much I can tell you about!

I set up a ASL class for teachers and parents but they haven't turned up which i was bit disappointed because it's tick, tick, tick!

I will facilitate the basic bilingual education workshop includes story-telling & handshapes rhythm skills for teachers and Deaf role models in May, the Ministry of Education will support us with new teaching materials and meal provision!!

Better Deaf education is that all I care about...

I will be back on 4th May after the Easter!

Any comments?

Hope you enjoyed reading my ESL (English as a second language)!

Ashton xXx