Beginning of last week at Gospel High

Bula! Today is the beginning of my last week here at Gospel High. Now I have to start saying goodbye to some of my students as some classes finish with me today - since I will be working with the deaf children every day this week at Gospel Primary School for the Deaf.

So here you have it, some pictures of drama games we played outside, a group photo of another class & pictures of the deaf drama workshop I led in the afternoon. As always, all of my students want to play lots of drama games as they love the games & have so little opportunity for this in school.

My challenges today - Fijian sign language! I need to know more as I am now working alot with the deaf children which is so much fun for me! They are so enthusiastic & keen to be my little actors but need clear instructions in Fijian Sign Language. (Some of the students have only just started developing language skills due to coming to school at a late age. This is a problem here in Fiji - lots of deaf children still out in the villages & not taught language or sign language & not accessing education! One day soon - we need a person to go out in the villages on the island to find all the deaf children & bring them to school!) Fortunately, I have a deaf & hearing teacher helping me in the workshops so we can work faster in communication because I dont have much time to direct them in a performance - for their upcoming 10yr school anniversary performance. Students are keen for me to return in October to help them practice again for their performance before showing the performance to the public - I will try see what I can do. If you know of any interested sponsors out there - let me know???

Tonight I will study my Fijian sign language dictionary so I can learn more signs!! Glad to have the dictionary - this is not available in other developing countries I have worked in e.g., India or Africa. So it's rare & excellent to have a Fijian sign language dictionary as a resource here!

Moce moce - goodbye!

PS: Non-verbal communication - I am fascinated with the way Fijian's use so much non-verbal communication here! Nobody points or says yes vocally. It's all done with eyes, a single head nod & the eyebrows.

E.g., at the end of a street i can get a taxi with a simple nod of my head - they can spot me from afar & know the head nod means I need a taxi; a teacher will point out the location of a duster (for the blackboard) in the classroom with a simple head nod, eye contact & eyebrows - she wont point to it with her finger; a father will call his son from afar in the shopping centre by 1x nod of the head & eye contact with the boy (approx. 3y.o) etc - no voice or name calling. It's amazing - in all my travels I have never seen so much nonverbal communication here with just the eyes, head & eyebrows.

Great for deaf people - but even us deaf Aussies could miss it - as its so subtle & quick here. I remember I was asking for the duster a few times last week & didnt realise the teacher had pointed it out already several times with just her eyes, eyebrows & head. The duster was not close by - it was on the other side of the room - yet she still didnt point to it with her finger. Amazing!

So my friends, when I get home I might be in a little habit of raising my eyebrows etc. for a yes or nod my head to point things out. Hee!