DepEd acts to improve teachers' competence in teaching hearing impaired students

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) will embark on a drive to train public school teachers across the country on sign language to improve mentors’ competence in teaching learners who have hearing impairment.

“This is in line with our thrust to make education truly inclusive of all learners especially those who have difficulty understanding lessons due to hearing impairment,” said Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC.

Luistro explained that DepEd intends to strengthen teachers’ skills in the teaching of sign language in preparation for the inclusion of pupils with hearing impairment in regular school.

“It is our duty as educators to provide equal opportunities to children and youth with special needs so that they can lead productive lives,” Luistro added.

The training program was slated by DepEd’s Special Education Division and the Bureau of Elementary Education with the valuable help of the LINK Center for the Deaf and partnership with the Boeing Global Corporate Citizenship. 

The training seminar for Luzon will be on May 15 to 24, 2012 at Teachers’ Camp in Baguio City to be attended by selected public school teachers from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A (CALABARZON), 4-B (MIMAROPA), 5, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

For the Visayas, it will be on April 15 to 24 at DepEd Ecotech Center in Lahug, Cebu City to be participated in by public school teachers from Regions 6, 7 and 8. The Mindanao leg to be held at DepEd RELC in Cagayan de Oro City is on April 25 to May 4 where public school teachers from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and CARAGA are set to take part.

The program is composed of sign language training and seminars in Special Education (SPED) as well as formal sign language evaluation in the basic and intermediate levels by the Philippine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (PRID).