Parents are the first teachers
Ms Yao Change Zheng
HefeiChina
My Story
When my son Ding Xin was nine months old we discovered that he did not hear well. We saw the yearning for knowledge in his eyes and felt sad that there was nothing we could do. Our hearts, like his, were bleeding.
In September 2004 we sent him to a bilingual education class at Hefei Special Education Centre. This class taught sign language at the same time as spoken and written Chinese. There were lots of positive changes for Ding Xin.
I had doubts about bilingual education. I thought teaching children with hearing impairment to open their mouth and speak was the only way for them to communicate with others and assimilate into mainstream society. Students in the bilingual class recieved very little homework. Like many other Chinese parents, I thought the more homework the better for the children. My doubts disappeared upon seeing the changes in Ding Xin.
Before starting at the Special Education Centre, he could not say "Dad" or "Mom" clearly. After less than half a year at the Centre, he could pronounce several simple works and phrases. Though he did not yet speak very clearly, he had improved a lot. After one year studying at the Centre, he could not only read aloud children's poems and sign stories, but had also learnt six to seven hundred new words. In terms of daily life, he could not only do all sorts of things by himself but would also help us with housework. Before this we had done almost everything for him.
While good schools can provide a positive learning environment, it is the parents who are the first teachers of their children. The teachers provide sign language training for parents and show parents various ways to assist their children to learn. This enables children and parents to communicate more effectively and to enjoy a closer relationship. Both preants and children become more self-confident. I hope other parents of children with hearing impairment can confirm their beliefs and make efforts to improve themselves. This sets a good example for their children and also promotes a good living environment for their children.
