education 161
Oyuna’s story
When Oyuna was 7 years old she started going to her
neighborhood school, in a small town in Mongolia, with other
children her age. Her parents had to work hard to convince the
school to allow their deaf daughter to attend. The traditional
belief in Mongolia is that deaf children are ‘abnormal’ and
should not be with ‘normal’ children. Her parents felt very lucky
that the director of the school agreed to admit her.
But even though Oyuna was going to school, she still had no
means of communication except some gestures, pointing, and
a few sounds. Her teacher at the neighborhood school could not
communicate with her. It was soon obvious that Oyuna was not
learning. Oyuna’s parents began to lose hope because the only
school for deaf children was in the capital city, very far from
Oyuna’s home.
How can Oyuna be expected
to learn so far away from
the support and love of her
family? Especially when we
have no way to explain the
situation to her, or to be in
contact with her.
Then a neighbor told them about a new program at another
nearby school. A teacher at that school, whose own son was
deaf, was helping to train the other teachers in basic sign
language. The deaf children and the hearing children were
all being taught in sign and in spoken words, in the same
classroom.
Oyuna now goes to her new school happily every
morning. The children in her class won a prize in a
math competition among all schools in the
town. And Oyuna got a prize for her good
handwriting. Oyuna has changed from the
sad, unsmiling girl who started school into a
happy, playful child who often helps other
children in her class.
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (2004)