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http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=129&fArticleId=3004411
Now writing their final year exams, the hearing-impaired girls look set for lively future
Starting a new school can be a real challenge, especially if you are an "odd one out".
Five years ago Bibi Tilly, Lerato Maake-ka Ncube, Mpho Dlukulu, Kishayla Naidoo and Nyeleti Nkwinika enrolled at Parktown School for Girls in Johannesburg.
Among the hundreds of pupils attending the school, the girls were the only deaf learners in the hearing crowd.
Coming from a school for the deaf and having to adjust to a totally new environment, the four girls, apart from Kishayla who joined the school three years ago, Lerato, Bibi, Mpho and Nyeleti, met a much bigger challenge than those faced by other pupils.
"Schoolwork was double what we were used to. We had to catch up on a lot of things," says Bibi, whose whole family is deaf.
Although the school accepted and respected the five pupils, who are now in matric, the girls felt most children at the school thought of them as physically disabled and not just hearing-impaired.
By enrolling the five girls, teachers too had to adapt and use other methods of teaching, such as introducing overhead projectors and getting used to having a sign-language interpreter in class.
"There were many challenges academically and many other pressures. Those that are able to hear can listen and write, but the deaf need to write all the time and use other hearing children's notes in the afternoon to catch up on what they had missed," says Jesse Gallow, a sign-language interpreter.
Talking about the matric exams that the five are writing, Lerato says she had been used to writing the internal exams at her school but it concerned her that she was now writing a national exam.
"I hope those marking our papers realise that we're writing in our second language," she said.
Describing her life, Bibi said she lived in two worlds - that of hearing people and of the deaf.
"I communicate fine with both but I prefer the deaf world. My family is all deaf," Bibi says.
But Lerato, Kishayla and Mpho were not born deaf. Aged only 20 months, Kishayla lost her hearing when she became ill. Lerato and Mpho too lost their hearing while only a few months old after suffering from an ear infection.
With the support of their families and Parktown, the girls are positive that good things will happen.
"I can't wait to explore the big exciting world out there. I look forward to see what doors open and I want to grab every opportunity that comes my way," Mpho says.
Lerato, who will study film in London next year, says she can't wait to get out there, but her concern is that she'll be among strangers in a town far from home.
"I'm expecting a lot of new challenges," says Lerato.
Bibi has a lot to say about the society which she says often shies away from the deaf.
"We're normal, we're not a different breed," she says adding that she is confident because the school has prepared them well. Bibi says she hopes the government realises that the deaf have lots of obstacles to cross and therefore needs to be aware of needs for the deaf.
"We need qualified interpreters. Parktown over the past five years have done their best to support us, that's why we have achieved," she says.
Next year, Bibi will study psychology to help the deaf community which is in "desperate need of sign-language psychologists. "I want to help the young deaf children. They have many problems; I want to give them support," says Bibi.
Head of department, Rose Seery, says it was the first time that the school had had deaf pupils, but they had enrolled partially deaf learners before.
Seery says it has become harder over the years working with the deaf pupils. She says at the beginning of Grade 8, the learners had made a great effort to help their deaf colleagues, but over the years, the deaf pupils have had to be more dependent on themselves.
"When teenagers grow, they become less social and they focus only on themselves. The deaf pupils do work as a group with the other kids, but they feel more comfortable together," says Seery.
Gallow says she has become so close with the pupils, she knows when there was something bothering them.
Saying goodbye to them will be hardest, she says.
"I've taught them since primary school. They deserve a chance out there.
"I'm pleased that the girls became part of this school. They've grown in confidence," Gallow says.
She says she knows they will make it because "they are aware of how life is and don't take things for granted".
Now writing their final year exams, the hearing-impaired girls look set for lively future
Starting a new school can be a real challenge, especially if you are an "odd one out".
Five years ago Bibi Tilly, Lerato Maake-ka Ncube, Mpho Dlukulu, Kishayla Naidoo and Nyeleti Nkwinika enrolled at Parktown School for Girls in Johannesburg.
Among the hundreds of pupils attending the school, the girls were the only deaf learners in the hearing crowd.
Coming from a school for the deaf and having to adjust to a totally new environment, the four girls, apart from Kishayla who joined the school three years ago, Lerato, Bibi, Mpho and Nyeleti, met a much bigger challenge than those faced by other pupils.
"Schoolwork was double what we were used to. We had to catch up on a lot of things," says Bibi, whose whole family is deaf.
Although the school accepted and respected the five pupils, who are now in matric, the girls felt most children at the school thought of them as physically disabled and not just hearing-impaired.
By enrolling the five girls, teachers too had to adapt and use other methods of teaching, such as introducing overhead projectors and getting used to having a sign-language interpreter in class.
"There were many challenges academically and many other pressures. Those that are able to hear can listen and write, but the deaf need to write all the time and use other hearing children's notes in the afternoon to catch up on what they had missed," says Jesse Gallow, a sign-language interpreter.
Talking about the matric exams that the five are writing, Lerato says she had been used to writing the internal exams at her school but it concerned her that she was now writing a national exam.
"I hope those marking our papers realise that we're writing in our second language," she said.
Describing her life, Bibi said she lived in two worlds - that of hearing people and of the deaf.
"I communicate fine with both but I prefer the deaf world. My family is all deaf," Bibi says.
But Lerato, Kishayla and Mpho were not born deaf. Aged only 20 months, Kishayla lost her hearing when she became ill. Lerato and Mpho too lost their hearing while only a few months old after suffering from an ear infection.
With the support of their families and Parktown, the girls are positive that good things will happen.
"I can't wait to explore the big exciting world out there. I look forward to see what doors open and I want to grab every opportunity that comes my way," Mpho says.
Lerato, who will study film in London next year, says she can't wait to get out there, but her concern is that she'll be among strangers in a town far from home.
"I'm expecting a lot of new challenges," says Lerato.
Bibi has a lot to say about the society which she says often shies away from the deaf.
"We're normal, we're not a different breed," she says adding that she is confident because the school has prepared them well. Bibi says she hopes the government realises that the deaf have lots of obstacles to cross and therefore needs to be aware of needs for the deaf.
"We need qualified interpreters. Parktown over the past five years have done their best to support us, that's why we have achieved," she says.
Next year, Bibi will study psychology to help the deaf community which is in "desperate need of sign-language psychologists. "I want to help the young deaf children. They have many problems; I want to give them support," says Bibi.
Head of department, Rose Seery, says it was the first time that the school had had deaf pupils, but they had enrolled partially deaf learners before.
Seery says it has become harder over the years working with the deaf pupils. She says at the beginning of Grade 8, the learners had made a great effort to help their deaf colleagues, but over the years, the deaf pupils have had to be more dependent on themselves.
"When teenagers grow, they become less social and they focus only on themselves. The deaf pupils do work as a group with the other kids, but they feel more comfortable together," says Seery.
Gallow says she has become so close with the pupils, she knows when there was something bothering them.
Saying goodbye to them will be hardest, she says.
"I've taught them since primary school. They deserve a chance out there.
"I'm pleased that the girls became part of this school. They've grown in confidence," Gallow says.
She says she knows they will make it because "they are aware of how life is and don't take things for granted".