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Deaf centre rejoice reopening - news - the-press | Stuff.co.nz
A Christchurch deaf education centre has two reasons to celebrate this week – the reopening of its earthquake-damaged site coincided with New Zealand Sign Language Week.
The Van Asch Deaf Education Centre in Sumner marked the events yesterday with activities involving its 31 pupils and 30 pupils from other Christchurch schools.
Principal Bernadette Mulcahy-Bouwman said some of the school's buildings suffered moderate damage in the February quake, and the gymnasium might have to be demolished.
"There were a lot of small repairs which had to be done, but it's a special time for us," she said. "Our students have come back to school, and I think they're very happy to be back here together."
Some pupils were temporarily enrolled in mainstream schools throughout the city during repair work. Eight pupils spent a term at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre in Auckland.
Mulcahy-Bouwman said the school was using Sign Language Week to hold a range of activities.
"Not all of our children use sign language, but because it's New Zealand Sign Language Week we will definitely be focusing on that," she said.
Meanwhile, a sign-language interpreter said media coverage of the quake had helped to promote awareness of the language and the deaf community.
Interpreters Jeremy Borland and Evelyn Pateman used sign language during daily quake media briefings at the Christchurch Art Gallery.
"The awareness is getting out there slowly, but the last couple of months have been a huge step in the right direction because there was always an interpreter there [at the Art Gallery] and it became something people got used to. It wasn't such a strange thing any more," Borland said.
Christchurch is celebrating Sign Language Week with events aimed at promoting awareness for the deaf community.
Deaf Aotearoa's Christchurch branch is running free 45-minute classes to promote sign language, and the city will host the New Zealand Deaf Short Film Festival today and tomorrow at Hoyts Riccarton.
Finnish deaf rapper SignMark will perform at Addington Raceway today from 7pm.
For more information, visit Your Page Title.
A caption in yesterday's paper stated wrongly that Christchurch mother and New Zealand Sign Language interpreter Elizabeth Kay was deaf.
As the story said, Kay learned sign language from her deaf parents, and her husband and daughter are also deaf.
Click on the link and you'll find a video in there.
A Christchurch deaf education centre has two reasons to celebrate this week – the reopening of its earthquake-damaged site coincided with New Zealand Sign Language Week.
The Van Asch Deaf Education Centre in Sumner marked the events yesterday with activities involving its 31 pupils and 30 pupils from other Christchurch schools.
Principal Bernadette Mulcahy-Bouwman said some of the school's buildings suffered moderate damage in the February quake, and the gymnasium might have to be demolished.
"There were a lot of small repairs which had to be done, but it's a special time for us," she said. "Our students have come back to school, and I think they're very happy to be back here together."
Some pupils were temporarily enrolled in mainstream schools throughout the city during repair work. Eight pupils spent a term at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre in Auckland.
Mulcahy-Bouwman said the school was using Sign Language Week to hold a range of activities.
"Not all of our children use sign language, but because it's New Zealand Sign Language Week we will definitely be focusing on that," she said.
Meanwhile, a sign-language interpreter said media coverage of the quake had helped to promote awareness of the language and the deaf community.
Interpreters Jeremy Borland and Evelyn Pateman used sign language during daily quake media briefings at the Christchurch Art Gallery.
"The awareness is getting out there slowly, but the last couple of months have been a huge step in the right direction because there was always an interpreter there [at the Art Gallery] and it became something people got used to. It wasn't such a strange thing any more," Borland said.
Christchurch is celebrating Sign Language Week with events aimed at promoting awareness for the deaf community.
Deaf Aotearoa's Christchurch branch is running free 45-minute classes to promote sign language, and the city will host the New Zealand Deaf Short Film Festival today and tomorrow at Hoyts Riccarton.
Finnish deaf rapper SignMark will perform at Addington Raceway today from 7pm.
For more information, visit Your Page Title.
A caption in yesterday's paper stated wrongly that Christchurch mother and New Zealand Sign Language interpreter Elizabeth Kay was deaf.
As the story said, Kay learned sign language from her deaf parents, and her husband and daughter are also deaf.
Click on the link and you'll find a video in there.