Finally, you’ve been waiting for this class all day. You see your friend and wave. Everyone takes a seat. The teacher begins class. You see mouths moving but yet you don’t hear any noise. That’s when you look over at your translator.
“My students are English language learners. They are bright and often don’t see themselves as having a disability. Many of my students are hysterical, too,” deaf education teacher Katy Faircloth said.
Many of these students have trouble at home when it comes to communicating with family. Some of them even have to come up with a different language for use at home. When you get home from school today and your parents ask how your day was imagine what it would be like if you couldn’t tell them. For one day imagine if you had a great time at school and you couldn’t verbally tell them about it, no matter how bad you want to.
“At home I sign, but my parents don’t understand sign, we have home signs, we made them up to communicate. It’s really hard to voice for me, often I’m just texting them,” senior Katanya Yingyoth said.
At school these students use translators to make communication easier. These are trained people who help them talk to others. They go with them to every class while helping them understand instructions and interact with peers. Kids who are deaf or hard of hearing often get really close to their translators because of how much time they spend with them. The translators make sure not to be a second teacher to the student they’re translating for.
“It’s not my business if they choose to chat, be on their phone or just not do the work. That is totally up to the teacher to intervene in those situations. If they’re having a Sign Language conversation with someone, I definitely look away, not to eavesdrop or be nosey,” translator Ann Hivley said. Despite having barriers in communication, these students are just as involved as other students. Michaela Aunspach is a hard of hearing sophomore at East who is a manager for the volleyball team. She is also in Ambassadors. With everything she does it’s no wonder why most, if not all, of her classmates and teachers use the words “sweetheart” and “amazing” to describe her. Aunspach is just one example of the countless things these students are involved in.
“She’s really positive and smiley. She brings a good vibe to the classroom,” sophomore MaryKate Walling said.
Just because someone can’t hear doesn’t mean they can’t speak. However, many kids who are deaf or hard of hearing can talk, but they don’t. For them talking with out hearing is like drawing without seeing. They aren’t quite sure how it will turn out and they don’t want to mess up.
“I need to be quiet, I have to turn my voice off and sign. I can voice and sign but the students will look at me weird. I’m just still nervous to voice.” Yingyoth said.
These students aren’t looking for your pity. In fact it is quite the opposite. They overcome much more than other students and yet they still manage to succeed. Though these students aren’t looking for your pity they are looking for something from you, acceptance and patience. It takes a lot of work to do the things they do. Give them some credit for it.