????With Stellenbosch 肆客足球's (SU) focus on social impact awareness in July, this series of profiles celebrate remarkable individuals and teams who make a meaningful contribution beyond the 肆客足球's walls. The recent inaugural Social Impact Awards recognised academic and professional administrative support services (PASS) staff at SU who are driving positive change in diverse spheres of life. Vanessa Reyneke and the Handlab team won an award for the groundbreaking educational work they do for the Deaf community.
Imagine there was a place where Deaf learners and their teachers could go to find quality educational material in South African Sign Language (SASL) to improve the learning experience. Well, thanks to the dedicated team working at SU's Handlab, Deaf learners across South Africa can access vital learning and teaching support material (LTSM) tailored to their needs, a crucial resource given the scarcity of SASL educational materials prior to Handlab's establishment.
Project coordinator Vanessa Reyneke is super proud of the recognition Handlab has received for its work. The team, comprising both Deaf and hearing individuals, collaborates closely with schools for the Deaf. Initially piloted for the Western Cape Education Department between 2010 and 2012, the project aimed to develop a curriculum that catered specifically to Deaf learners.
“We've been working with so much passion and to receive the Social Impact Award is recognition that our fight for the Deaf community to have access to quality education material has been worth it. It's wonderful to be able to make a difference in the lives of so many Deaf children in South Africa," Reyneke says.
In 2017, the project found its home at the Department of General Linguistics at SU. The Language Centre is also involved with Handlab through its SASL interpreting portfolio. Handlab has flourished into one of only two units in the country creating innovative learning and teaching material for Deaf schools.
Over the years, the Handlab team has developed a range of educational materials, including videos, original texts and teaching resources and subject-specific terminology, all designed to align with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). Handlab's influence now extends beyond the Western Cape, reaching all 40 schools for the Deaf across South Africa.
Collaborating with schools is key to their success, Reyneke says. “We first test the material in a class setup, and we get valuable feedback from the teachers. We also share it with the Department of Basic Education to make sure it meets the national standards. Our materials have improved significantly thanks to this collaborative process."
Reyneke stresses the project's success also lies in its adaptability, considering the dialectal differences within sign language. “Just like spoken languages, sign language has regional variations. We aim to create materials that are inclusive of all these variants," she notes.
Becoming an advocate for the Deaf
Reyneke's passion for Deaf education is deeply personal. She is the fourth generation in her family who is Deaf and her two children are Deaf as well. She experienced firsthand the challenges faced by those who are often marginalised in educational settings. “I attended a school for the Deaf and it was during my time there that I realised the significant gap in language access and education for Deaf children," Reyneke shares. “I was very privileged because I was taught in my mother tongue by family members."
Her journey from a Deaf teaching assistant at her alma mater to the project coordinator of Handlab is marked by her resolve to ensure Deaf children receive the same quality of education as their hearing peers. “I feel it's important to advocate for my language," she emphasises.
Reyneke explains that many Deaf children come from hearing families that do not communicate in sign language, leaving them at a disadvantage, especially in the early childhood development phase. Most teachers in schools for the Deaf are hearing and they're not required to have any form of specialised training or qualification in Deaf education. By providing tailored resources, Handlab aims to bridge this gap and elevate the educational experience of Deaf learners.
The Handlab team often gets compliments from teachers who are grateful for the extra help. The practical SASL examples enhance learners' creativity, comprehension skills and literacy, akin to the encouragement hearing children receive through reading. The materials open a new world for Deaf learners and there is a notable improvement in their vocabulary, enabling them to express their feelings and share their experiences more effectively.
The recent recognition of SASL as the 12th official language of South Africa marks a significant milestone for the Deaf community. Reyneke and her team at Handlab celebrated this achievement, reflecting on the advocacy that led to this momentous occasion. “We were all jumping for joy," she recalls. “It's a big step forward."
She says it's an opportunity for the almost 4 million Deaf people in South Africa (of whom 600 000 are SASL users) to properly access their human rights in a language they understand. That journey must begin in the classroom, Reyneke insists.
Empowering the Deaf
Because of insufficient educational support, many Deaf people remain deprived throughout their lives. Research has shown that in South Africa as few as one in three Deaf adults who use SASL is functionally literate in a spoken or written language (their second language).
In the year since SASL's official status was granted, Handlab has made remarkable strides. More than 100 of their new texts have been screened and approved by the Department of Basic Education. The Handlab team has created beautiful new stories and poems and started producing dramas to add to the SASL curriculum.
Reyneke's vision extends beyond curriculum development – she and her team are committed to fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among Deaf learners. “The drama project is very exciting. We've had drama camps where we go to the schools and train the kids how to read a script and how to act out a play. We provide the children with skills to portray different characters and to perform dialogue. We then use the recordings as teaching material. We're making good progress towards reaching our aim to create more than 20 new SASL dramas this year.
“We also teach the kids technical skills. For example, if you want to record yourself at home signing a poem, we show them practical things like how to set up your recording space, making sure you've got the right background and lighting. We assist them in reading the text in English or Afrikaans and then conveying it in sign language."
Handlab has also addressed mental health awareness, partnering with notable role players like radio and TV personality Lise Swart. “Mental health information is often inaccessible to Deaf people. We are working to change that by providing crucial resources in SASL," Reyneke remarks.
She's grateful for the steps SU has taken to become more accommodating to Deaf students, such as the two interpreters the 肆客足球 provide to support them in class. But access to higher education is still challenging for many of them, Reyneke points out. “Deaf students who apply to South African universities must meet the same academic criteria as hearing students. This system makes no allowances for the many obstacles Deaf learners have to overcome and that they're often behind the rest of the students because of insufficient support and educational opportunities."
As Handlab continues to make an impact, Reyneke encourages others to join the movement for change. And she has a special message for Deaf children: “Don't give up and never lose hope. Work hard, and you'll be able to achieve your dreams."
PHOTO: The Handlab team from left to right: Alex Nwayo, Dr Simone Conradie, Vanessa Reyneke, Lenka Knoetze and Prof Frenette Southwood. (Photo: Anesh Magan)
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