Karnabadhir Prabodhini

'ASTITVA' pay individual attention to each child. We detect the extent of hearing disability of such a child as soon as possible. The extent of disability helps in determining the power of a hearing aid. It is wrong to expect that a child will hear everything and be able to talk well the moment he is fitted with such an aid. A normal child can hear not only what others speak but also his own speech. Since these natural means are not available to deaf children we make use of instruments while teaching them in addition to sign language and lip movements. The children initially have to be habituated to paying attention to the face of the teacher who has to keep her face expressive and position herself in such a way that the light falls on her face. A deaf child has to be taught each and every word. So, whatever is talked about, the concerned object or its model or drawing has to be placed before the child. If a child tries to talk on his own initiative he is encouraged. The teachers also advise parents to take these children to family ceremonies or socials so that they learn how to behave in the society.

We teach these children not only the subjects common to normal students such as languages, mathematics, history, science etc. but also certain skills like dancing, singing, drawing etc. We attach importance to giving them listening practice and speech training.

We have a total complement of 73 students of whom 47 are boys and 26 girls, all within the age range of 4 - 18 years.

A group of 8 to 10 children is formed so that they can be trained simultaneously using a group hearing aid and can also be acquainted with voice modulations and rhythm simultaneously. The portion stipulated at school for normal children for a year can be covered by these children in two years and after the schooling upto 7th standard is accomplished, they can easily be trained in any workshop after having thus attained the age of 18 rendering it possible for them to support themselves financially and psychologically too.

Systematic and orderly exploitation of other faculties

Not all deaf children are totally deaf, they can hear to some extent. We make use of the limited capacity of these children for hearing. We make them respond to sounds. After listening to the sound, the child is made to act like clapping, jumping, throwing his arms up etc. After sometime, the child is able to respond to the sound even without seeing any action. The deaf and mute children are fully developed both mentally and physically. However, due to deafness it is not possible for them to hold a conversation. We put in our conscientious efforts to converse through signs and lip reading. With the exception of hearing ability and speech all other faculties of the deaf and mute children are quite normal and infact are capable of being activated to a greater degree to make good the deficit. We carry on as an ongoing exercise the study of each child with a view to activate his other faculties to enable him to make his living after he leaves the school.

Continuous process of improvising methods of teaching and training through modern aids

Admittedly, for the systematic and orderly exploitation of faculties other than hearing and speech and also for registering the desired level of progress in hearing ability and speech, the continuous process of improvising methods of teaching and training through modern aids has to be resorted to. Towards the end, our teachers are deputed to participate in the conferences/seminars/conventions organised by government/semi- government and autonomous bodies and also institutes of repute so that they can interact with their counter-parts engaged in other institutes and also understand the views of eminent personalities in the field to be able to improvise the methods of teaching and training periodically. The deaf and mute children are also deputed to participate in various tournaments/events organised by various bodies/institutes/social service organisations to enable them to avail the opportunity to present their individual performance and/or group performance in the field of art, acting, drawings, dance competitions, cultural programmes and also indoor and outdoor sports events. The behaviour of each child in the group is assessed meticulously and the corrective measures adopted in order to ensure overall development of the child.

Currently, we have nine teachers of whom eight are female teachers, assisted by seven members of non-teaching staff making a tally of 16 teaching and non-teaching staff. The divisions for the deaf and mute children are made according to their age and they are placed under the charge of trained teachers who continuously monitor their progress with the help of assistant teachers, craft teachers etc. We also have a speech therapist who renders yeomen assistance to teachers in deciding the methodology of teaching, the use of modern aids and in assessing the degree of progress registered by each child periodically.

Rehabilitation

With the exception of hearing ability and speech all other faculties being absolutely normal, the deaf and mute children can be easily placed in some gainful activity after leaving the school. We have thus far been able to secure gainful engagement to 53 of our ex-students. In all probability, this number could be much higher for the parents have somehow not maintained contacts with us inspite of our sincere efforts towards the end.

A special mention has to be made in respect of Ms. Seema Gokhale, who received education in our school upto 1986 and was later absorbed in the school as a craft teacher was the recipient of the President's Award on 19.3.1989 for combating the deafness.

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