Circle Time at Nzeve

Sometimes it’s hard to get everyone’s attention to look to the front at the same time.

Children who can’t hear are often easily distracted by what’s going on around them and they can’t “multitask”, listening and looking at the same time. This week many of the children were distracted and found it hard to concentrate – they were looking all over the place!  The teacher decided to reward the children who were watching well with a sweet, and those who were poking their neighbours and looking out the window rather that at the front of the class did not get the prized sweet!

Pretty came running out of the class and greeted me.  She pulled two sweets out of her pocket – “They are mine” she announced in sign language, “The teacher gave me!”  Nomsa followed rather more shyly.  Pretty pointed at her and signed, “Nothing!!!!!!”  She went on to tell me about Nomsa looking around and not watching the teacher, but she contrasted that with her own behaviour by putting her open hands each up at the side of her face, like a pair of blinkers, she was fully focused, looking forwards only!

We take disciplining our hearing children and teaching good behaviour for granted at times.  It is more difficult to teach young deaf children about good behaviour.  Teachers, deaf adults and parents need to work together to learn the best way to teach the children.  The use of praise and rewards are often very successful!  There’s a lot more incentive to watch the teacher when you might get a little piece of a biscuit, a sweet or a sticker!

Best wishes,

Libby