Pictured above: The original house that Mr and Mrs Fulton donated to a trust for the education of deaf children.
September is deaf awareness month, and the 23rd is International Day of Sign Languages. Did you know that there are over 300 different sign languages around the world? In South Africa, we use South African Sign Language (SASL) – a linguistic and cultural marker for the deaf community. SASL is not linked to any spoken language, it is a unique language with its own unique grammar and modality.
Fulton School, a public school located on a private property in Gillitts, is one of only eight schools catering for deaf children in the province – and has provided specialised education to deaf learners since 1959. “Our purpose is to equip our deaf learners with the knowledge, attitude and skills that will ensure that they become independent, contributing citizens of our nation,” says principal Odette Swift – adding that they offer classes from pre-school to matric.
Since the increased advocacy around the rights of persons with disabilities has gained momentum, more and more deaf children are being identified in rural areas. Families of deaf children all face the unfortunate dilemma of finding specialised schools for their child. These children cannot attend local schools in their community, as it is essential that they have specialised education in order to develop. “To ensure that learners from further away are able to take advantage of the education we offer, we offer hostel accommodation,” says Odette. “The advantage of boarding is that the children learn to communicate quickly in an environment where everyone is communicating in the same language. This results in a marked difference to their academic achievements in later years.” For orphaned and destitute children, the hostel provides stability as well as well-balanced meals. “A large number of our learners come from severely disadvantaged backgrounds. Some of our learners have lost one or both parents and they depend on us for education, boarding and medical care when necessary,” adds Odette.
FOR MORE INFO: www.fulton.org.za