The whole school learns sign language to communicate with their deaf student, a six-year-old girl

"It's a wonderful feeling to see that students can communicate with Morey, not only because she knows she feels like any other student at school, but also because the rest of the children are also learning from Morey, without realizing it."

They are the words of Kimberly Sampietro, director of the Dayton Consolidated School in Ohio (United States) when talking about the effort they have made the students of his school: they have learned sign language to be able to communicate with their partner, a deaf girl of six years. What a beautiful example of inclusion!

Unique lessons

As the center director adds, "They are receiving many lessons that they do not even know they are receiving, and I am even sure that Morey does not yet know that she is giving them."

This was the head of the school expressed to the television network Fox 5, after the school posted on its Facebook account a video where the little Morey Belanger, dressed in La Bella, accompany Cinderella singing with sign language.

As he explains in his Facebook account, "Cinderella is a second year high school student who dreams of working as a sign language teacher in a school."

The school appreciates the efforts of its students and workers, a gesture that shows that yes barriers can be broken down.

Our community has embraced American Sign Language- many staff and students learning additional sign on their own. As a thank you and as a way of reminding our students that ASL goes beyond our walls, Cinderella paid a visit and sang us a song while using ASL. Thank you to Rent a Princess for donating your services!

Published by Dayton Consolidated School on Wednesday, May 29, 2019

But as the school points out in a Facebook post, the initiative has not stopped there, and many employees and students are learning additional signals on their own.

The principal notes that students now know about 20 signs, and that the school has provided additional training to sign language staff, to "meet the needs of Morey".

"If a student were in a wheelchair, we would build a ramp. If a child were blind, we would give him material in Braille. Morey needs help communicating. We wanted to do everything we could to make him feel like the rest of the students ".

In Babies and more The beautiful story of the community of neighbors who learned sign language knowing that the new baby was deaf

Other measures taken by the center to help Morey feel integrated are the placement of sign language posters throughout the building. In addition, students and staff can speak through an FM system with portable microphones that transmits the sounds via Bluetooth to the Morey headphones.

And we are left with the message of satisfaction of the special education teacher.

"The children are amazing, like little sponges, wanting to learn more and more every day."

She says she feels proud of all of them and that Morey is a real part of the class. And we, too. We want more initiatives like that, because that is the true inclusive education.

Photos | Facebook Dayton Consolidated School

Video: Speaking for the first time: deaf children in Uganda. Unreported World (March 2024).