ABOUT DEAF EDUCATION

DEAF: SASL AND AUDITORY VERBAL

PROVINCIAL PROGRAMME MANAGER

POLICY AND GUIDELINE DOCUMENTS

MINNA STEYN

021 467 2028


Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds.

Hard of hearing' refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. People who are hard of hearing usually communicate through spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices.

There are four major ways in which a hearing loss/deafness affects children: It causes delay in the development of receptive and expressive communication skills (speech and language). The language deficit causes learning problems that result in reduced academic achievement.

With early help, your child may speak or use sign language (SASL) as well as children who hear. Recent research indicates that children identified with a hearing loss who begin intervention early may be able to develop language (spoken and/or signed) on a par with their hearing peers. Early detection and intervention are crucial to minimizing the impact of hearing loss on a child’s development and educational achievements. In infants and young children with hearing loss, early identification and management through infant hearing screening programmes can improve the linguistic and educational outcomes for the child. Children with deafness should be given the opportunity to learn sign language along with their families.

It is with the above in mind that the WCED caters for both the child who uses SASL as well as the child using spoken language and enroll them from the age of 3. Learners will exit at the age of 18.


LIST OF SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF