Sign Language
The Western Cape Department of Education recently came forward with the wonderful initiative to pilot South African Sign Language as fully fledged subject in the General Education and Training Band.
2011 is the first year at DelaBat School that Sign Language can be taken as a subject up to Grade 12!

School Divisions

De la Bat School consists of the following divisions: :

  1. Nursery (from 3 years – Gr R)
  2. First phase (Gr 1 – 3)
  3. Intermediary phase (Gr 4 – 6)
  4. Middle-OLSO
  5. Senior phase (Gr 7 - 9)
  6. Further Education & Training (Gr 10 – 12)
  7. Occupational Training
  8. Multiple disabled students

Subjects

Student data

 

Academy

South African Sign Language

It is a well known fact that although South African Sign Language has been accepted as medium of instruction, it is still not approved as subject in the school curriculum. The Western Cape Department of Education recently came forward with the wonderful initiative to pilot South African Sign Language as fully fledged subject in the General Education and Training Band.

Why South African Sign Language? South African Sign Language is the mother-tongue of Deaf People in South Africa and is equal to any spoken language. It has scientifically been proven that before a first additional language can be mastered the mother-tongue should be firmly established and in place. Unfortunately the Deaf child born into a hearing family does not have the privilege of acquiring language in a natural way since birth. It is only after being admitted to a school where the child is exposed to Deaf adults and friends that he /she acquires Sign Language. In this regard the Deaf baby from Deaf parents has a huge advantage.

The project has as aims - the implementation of SA Sign Language as school subject from the pre school phase. It is envisaged that SASL will become a Grade 12 subject. It is important to create an appreciation of SASL as language equal to any spoken language. Attention will also be given to alternative assessment strategies in order for learners with little spoken or written language to achieve academically.
SASL training for teachers and class assistants will form an integral part of the project. This process can however never be complete without training parents or guardians to reach a competency level in SASL which will guarantee a meaningful relationship between parent and child.

Sign Language Training

Our personnel and non-KS teachers receive weekly training in sign languge.

The main purpose :
- Training for new personnel.
- Standardized sign language.
- To develop spontaneaty.
- To develop the ability to function as a translator.

The sign language personnel teach students new signs on a weekly basis after hall gathering.