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Volunteer Jocelyn Duncan's visit at the SLBB
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| Jocelyn teaching the sound "p", by showing the child how to aspirate. |
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| Teaching the sound "u" "Now you say it". |
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Jocelyn Duncan is a registered speech therapist from Canada. She very
generously volunteered her time to do some work with the students, parents
and teachers of the SLBB (Sekolah Luar Biasa, Kelas B/Hearing Impaired
Special School) in Jimbaran, Bali in April.
We decided to work only with the kindergartners (who range in age from
6-11 as their parents often don't bring them to school until they are
older) and test their hearing via some simple games.
Jocelyn used a simple oral test by saying six sounds:
"i"
"u"
"m"
"f"
"s"
"p"
Her technique was fascinating to watch as she spoke no Indonesian (by the second day her
vocabulary was at least twenty words). She would vocalize the sound, put the child's hand
up to her mouth so they could feel where the air went and then ask them to repeat. Those
with some hearing were able to repeat the sounds. Those with nearly total hearing loss
obviously could not.
She used pictures of everyday objects/animals to illustrate the sounds as well as colored
blocks. Again those with partial hearing (two were wearing hearing aids sponsored by ALF)
were able to "get" this game. Jocelyn's method was upbeat and full of positive
reinforcement; she also signed the entire time to get the children used to seeing sign
language (the premise at the school is to use the "oral" method and not to sign, so the
teachers are not fluent in sign language. If a child cannot hear, then s/he cannot read
lips and the oral method is ineffective).
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Choosing their favorite color. To test their ability to hear, Jocelyn had them choose their favorite color and say it out loud. Then she would say a color and have them pick it up. |
The results she obtained were supported by the audiograms that some of the children had
had done at the LUMINA clinic in Denpasar. When she met with the parents, she explained
how an audiogram tested a child's hearing and what they could be expected to hear based on
the audiogram.
Unfortunately, many of the children's audiograms were in the lower ranges, meaning that
they would never be able to fully hear, even with aids.
The difference between communication and language was explained. So many of the parents
are feeling frustrated that they cannot communicate with their child; again the need for
sign language is obvious.
Indonesian sign language has many similarities with ASL, if not in exact gestures then
conceptually so the children could understand what she was trying to say. It is Jocelyn's
view (and YKIP agrees with her) that giving a child a language is a gift so that s/he can
communicate. We would like to see all the children at SLBB using a standard form of sign
language so they can communicate with other hearing impaired people from around Indonesia.
To this end, another volunteer, Adrienne Oberoi, shall be working with the children,
parents and teachers and teaching them sign language as well as forming a support group
for parents (Adrienne is hearing and grew up in the US with two deaf parents).
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| Signing while playing a game with the children. |
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| Learning how to say the sound "mmmmm" and feeling it vibrate in the face. |
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It is interesting that the teachers at SLBB have no special training to work with children
with special needs. They use the standard Indonesian curriculum and try their best to get
the children to understand it. It is our hope that we can assist as many children as
possible get hearing aids so they can better communicate with the hearing world and to get
the non-hearing children a better hold on sign language as a tool of communication.
We need your help. It only costs about US $150 per child per year to have them tested, get
used hearing aids and pay for maintenance (batteries).
Thanks to Jocelyn for her wonderful work.
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