Miss-Delectable
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School Gate - Times Online - WBLG: How the internet is helping deaf children to love to read
Only one third of deaf children can expect to get five good GCSEs including Maths and English, compared to two thirds of hearing pupils.
Deaf children usually take much longer to learn English and often their hearing parents are unsure of the benefits of reading stories to them when they are little so they don't become used to reading.
But a new website hopes to help children with hearing difficulties to become interested in books. Signed Stories is a free online library with the most popular children's books told through sign language videos and read aloud. "Where blind people had braile, deaf people now have broadband", says the press release.
The site is fun and easy to use and the people behind it hope it will be a space that deaf children can call their own on the internet. "It will help them to sample the joys of story telling," said Malcolm Wright, the managing director of ITV sign post, the company behind the website.
Meanwhile young deaf footballers met players from Manchester United (see picture) as part of the Premier League Creating Chances programme. In association with the National Deaf Children's Society the young people had the chance to play on the first team's ground at Carrington.
Adam Temple, Manchester United's foundation disability development officer said: “Making our coaching accessible to people with disabilities is a key objective for the Foundation. Our commitment to providing coaching opportunities for deaf youngsters means that our Football in the Community coaches are trained in sign language and have attended specialist courses on coaching football for deaf children.”
Only one third of deaf children can expect to get five good GCSEs including Maths and English, compared to two thirds of hearing pupils.
Deaf children usually take much longer to learn English and often their hearing parents are unsure of the benefits of reading stories to them when they are little so they don't become used to reading.
But a new website hopes to help children with hearing difficulties to become interested in books. Signed Stories is a free online library with the most popular children's books told through sign language videos and read aloud. "Where blind people had braile, deaf people now have broadband", says the press release.
The site is fun and easy to use and the people behind it hope it will be a space that deaf children can call their own on the internet. "It will help them to sample the joys of story telling," said Malcolm Wright, the managing director of ITV sign post, the company behind the website.
Meanwhile young deaf footballers met players from Manchester United (see picture) as part of the Premier League Creating Chances programme. In association with the National Deaf Children's Society the young people had the chance to play on the first team's ground at Carrington.
Adam Temple, Manchester United's foundation disability development officer said: “Making our coaching accessible to people with disabilities is a key objective for the Foundation. Our commitment to providing coaching opportunities for deaf youngsters means that our Football in the Community coaches are trained in sign language and have attended specialist courses on coaching football for deaf children.”