Miss-Delectable
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Class of deaf children would benefit from books
Matt Palma sees a true desire to learn in his classroom in Kenya.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse graduate once used toy blocks borrowed from another teacher to demonstrate 2x3 is the same as 3x2. It amazed his class of deaf children, ages 9 to 19.
"Jaws dropped, arms were in the air," Palma wrote on his blog.
Yet supplies - like those blocks - haven't kept pace with that hunger to learn.
The Peace Corps volunteer is teaching English, math, Kenyan sign language, art and reading with little more than a blackboard and a piece of chalk.
At play, the students push around old tires and make balls out of twine and plastic bags from the garbage heap, he said.
The school does have textbooks but needs simple story books so students can develop the reading skills to understand the textbooks, said Palma.
Signing is the primary language for these children and English a foreign language. As with learning any foreign language, people need to use it and practice it, said Palma. Since they cannot hear the language, the only way they can understand it is through the written word, he said.
"Imagine trying to learn with no sound. Everything is visual," said Palma.
That's why Palma hopes local people will make a donation to his Web site so the Books for Africa organization can ship more than 20,000 books for his school and four other organizations in Kenya.
Books for Africa already has the donated books, but Palma and others have to raise about $10,000 to bring the huge container to Kenya.
Those who wish to contribute can go to the Books for Africa Web site through Palma's blog at Hear Kenya The Harambee Project.
Matt Palma sees a true desire to learn in his classroom in Kenya.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse graduate once used toy blocks borrowed from another teacher to demonstrate 2x3 is the same as 3x2. It amazed his class of deaf children, ages 9 to 19.
"Jaws dropped, arms were in the air," Palma wrote on his blog.
Yet supplies - like those blocks - haven't kept pace with that hunger to learn.
The Peace Corps volunteer is teaching English, math, Kenyan sign language, art and reading with little more than a blackboard and a piece of chalk.
At play, the students push around old tires and make balls out of twine and plastic bags from the garbage heap, he said.
The school does have textbooks but needs simple story books so students can develop the reading skills to understand the textbooks, said Palma.
Signing is the primary language for these children and English a foreign language. As with learning any foreign language, people need to use it and practice it, said Palma. Since they cannot hear the language, the only way they can understand it is through the written word, he said.
"Imagine trying to learn with no sound. Everything is visual," said Palma.
That's why Palma hopes local people will make a donation to his Web site so the Books for Africa organization can ship more than 20,000 books for his school and four other organizations in Kenya.
Books for Africa already has the donated books, but Palma and others have to raise about $10,000 to bring the huge container to Kenya.
Those who wish to contribute can go to the Books for Africa Web site through Palma's blog at Hear Kenya The Harambee Project.