Deaf drama at Hilton Special School (for the little ones)

Here are some photos of me with the little ones - deaf children at Hilton Special School. We had lots of fun playing drama games. This was a new experience for them as they have never played drama games before. Lots of laughs especially when we played 'duck, duck, goose!' - we sat in a circle & tapped each other on the heads & sometimes tapped twice to chase each other around the circle.

After this, I finalised my deaf awareness training for staff at Hilton Special School & discussed ways teachers can provided better support for deaf children for when they go on to highschool - Gospel Highschool.

*** Something funny for you to know - the teachers of this school said they have a problem! They can't use any of their computers because some of the children sneaked into the computer lab room yesterday & took the balls out of 'all' the mouses - for the computers - including the new box of mouses! These children like to use the balls to play marbles! (How clever & resourceful are these children! Ha! But not so good for the teachers or their school finances or for other students who may want to use the computers!)

Finally, at the end of my visit to this school, my interpreter & I had to make a quick run - by taxi - to get back to Gospel Primary School for the Deaf to get students ready for their show - in front of an audience! Busy time, wailei (tired from hectic schedule) & rather hungry as I havent had much time to eat this week!

Some group photos with students & colleagues

Here are some group photos for you to see - taken today:

(i) Left photo: me with one of my art classes
(ii) Next photo - below: with my deaf drama students
(iii) Bottom photo: with one of my deaf poetry / english students, my interpreter, a deaf colleague at the deaf primary school at my favourite location - the Raintree lodge for coffee, chat & some much-needed chillout time!

Hmmm ... my day today? Busy!!! Two art classes - collecting students final drawings & playing a drama game for some fun as it was my last day with the art classes; Deaf Awareness Training for Gospel High staff; & then deaf drama with the children in the primary school.

We had some interuptions today during my deaf drama workshops at the deaf primary school - too many visitors!!! So many people are fascinated to meet my gorgeous deaf Fijian students. I dont blame them really!

Yesterday we had visitors from America's Gallaudet university - the all-deaf USA university.

Today, we had some elderly deaf Australians from Brisbane & Caboolture region (near to my Aussie home!!!) stop in to visit - as part of their stopover trip in Fiji via a P&O cruise ship. The children were fascinated to see these visitors, my Aussie interpreter & myself all signing 'Auslan' (Australian Sign Language). Some of the children would ask me what this or that Auslan sign was. It was fun to be able to translate for them so that they would understand.

Also, my deaf Fijian colleague nudged me on the elbow & said he has never seen elderly deaf white people before - that signed. He was really intrigued by these elderly deaf & white Aussie visitors. Hee!

After my deaf students & I posed for lots of photos for the deaf Aussie visitors, the visitors finally left so we were able to get on with my drama workshop - cos its showtime tomorrow!

To wrap up the day, my deaf colleague, my interpreter & one of my deaf students went out for coffee to relax at the Raintree lodge - in amongst the rainforest, birds & 'large' water ponds. Very nice!

By the way, I am pleased to say - I get lots of big hugs now - each day from my little deaf Fijian students. I love it - cos I miss my hugs sometimes whilst I am here! Hee!

(Part 4 - Final) Hand Art Classes - Theme "Fijian Identity"

Here is my final collection of hand art & aboriginal-inspired art images from my Fijian art students. Enjoy!

A visit to the Fijian Deaf Association (FAD)

Wailei! I am tired! What an exhausting day it was - but it was so great!

Here you have a photo of me visiting the Fijian Deaf Association for the 1st time! Finally I visited & was so glad because the deaf people at this organisation were fun to be with & we had some really great conversations. My Fijian signing is improving each day now but I was so tired at the end of today as there was a lot of head work going on for me - with me trying to remember all the Fijian signs as I chatted. I think I did rather well! The president of the organisation was glad to have met me because now he wants to see how he can get me back to do more work in Fiji especially in the area of Deaf Awareness. (He told me a story about how a deaf man was shot by a member of the army not so long back - perhaps some communication breakdown! Just terrible! So FAD tries to inform as many organisations as possible about Deaf Awareness)

FAD & I swapped a copy of our books - I gave them a signed copy of my Deaf Awareness book called 'Look at Me' & they gave me a signed copy of their recently published Fijian Sign Language Dictionary.

Prior to coming here, I had a cup of coffee with a deaf Fijian man who happens to be the boyfriend of my deaf Aussie friend. He will move to Australia next week to finally be with his girl! He is nervous - a bit worried about Australian security at the airport. I think he has heard too many stories about how tough our security is at the airport! Hee! He wants to know if he can bring some Kava (Fijian alcohol) to Australia & if he wont get into trouble with Australian security. I said he'll get thrown into prison! Hee! No I said was not too sure & that he best find out from someone before he goes. Quite funny really - he is very nervous. He has a wild cheeky side to him - so perhaps he has reason to be a bit worried. Ha! No seriously - he'll be fine I am sure & I'm sure Australia will welcome him with open arms. He is also very worried about the cold weather in Australia. I said it's freezing cold! Ha! No not really but for Fijian people it might be a bit cold - as I know Fijians get cold very easy as they are so used to the warm humid weather here in Fiji.

It looks like my new friends here at FAD want to throw me a farewell / end of university celebration party this Friday night! I am looking forward to it! It might be a calm & easy night or it might be a wild night - I have no idea. I think I maybe visiting a nightclub also - hope so cos my deaf friend in Australia says I must visit one before I go as its a unique experience & quite different to western nightclubs. I'll let you know if I go.

Tomorrow night I maybe going to finally try some Kava - my deaf Aussie friend's Fijian boyfriend (as mentioned above) will take me out tmw night to try some Kava. I hope it wont make me too drunk as I hear the drink is potent! I do need to attend school the next day to teach & dont want to sleep through my alarm or come into school with a bad hangover. Ha!

Hmmm ... it's turning out to be a great last week in Fiji! I am making the most of my last few days here - with just 5x more days to go! Oh!

Though I must say I feel more tired each day now & really look forward to lying on that hammock by the beach in Nadi before I fly out to Australia!

Moce moce - goodbye!

Poetry Class with deaf & hearing students

Here are some pictures of my english class - we have been doing poetry this past 5-weeks & today was my last day with this class. We had some great success - lots of students including my deaf students wrote some beautiful poetry & presented them to the class!

This class has been a real challenge for me. I had to learn how to work with a sign language interpreter whilst teaching & had to refrain from signing or otherwise my deaf students would get confused as to which person they would look at for signs - me or the interpreter.

Here are some good tips for hearing teachers working with sign language interpreters or teaching to both deaf & hearing students:

(i) Talk next to the teacher! So deaf students can see both of you at the same time. Deaf people, including myself, dont like 'tennis ball match' interpreting!

(ii) Talk slowly & clearly with good sequenced structure - so the interpreter may have sufficient time & an easier time in translating the spoken english into sign language.

(iii) Dont talk at the back of the classroom - if you do - make sure you get the attention of your deaf students also before you talk.

(iv) Make sure your interpreter is ready to translate before you speak.

(v) Encourage hearing students to sign also.

(vi) Encourage equal participation & understanding between deaf & hearing students.

(vii) Be visual - write instructions, lesson topic or new key words on the board; provide photocopy handouts; provide visual concept mapping exercises etc.

(viii) Talk with your interpreters before starting your lesson e.g., make sure the interpreters know what you are going to talk about & make sure they have time to create or find signs for new vocubulary as they will need to teach the deaf students these new signs so they may understand the sign language interpretation such as signs for poetry words - poetry, similies, metaphors, figures of speech, idioms etc.

(ix) Make sure your sign language interpreter has sufficient signing skills too! Very important!

(x) Have fun! Its great fun having both deaf & hearing students in the class! The hearing students love it too!

(Part 3) Hand Art Classes - Theme "Fijian Identity"

Here are some more hand art & aboriginal-inspired art images from my 3rd art class - based on the theme of 'Fijian Identity'. Enjoy!

Deaf Drama (grade 6 & 7) at Gospel Primary School for the Deaf

Here are some photos of my deaf drama group at the Gospel Primary School for the Deaf. Today we finalised our performance & did a mini showing for a few teachers for practice in front of the audience. Hee! The students went blank & forgot some of the performance so we had to start again!

The teachers were thrilled with the 'Deaf Awareness & signed poetry' performance & look forward to our final showing this Thursday when we get some people together for an audience. This Thursday there will be a presentation from group 1 (grade 6 & 7 - today's group) & group 2 (grade 4 & 5). Should be fun to see it all come together & hopefully inspire them to practice after I leave so they may present the performance at the school's 10-year anniversary event.