English, Auslan and School - my story

I was asked :

When you went to high school, how did the teachers manage to make the circulum available to you? Did you predominantly use Auslan or English? Did you go to school with a hearing support unit or wish you did?
I thought my answer may be of interest to you all :

I grew up oral/English only, ostracized from my deaf family, and told to NEVER tell anyone I couldn’t hear. Of course my parents were insane, and extreme, but I thought I would tell you a bit about my education, in a nut shell and why I wish I knew Auslan then.

In writing taught subjects, like maths, I was a star. I was even in the advanced maths group, sent out to the hall (5 of us), which ironically was even better for me and just helped me excel further.  But my English literacy was appalling. By grade 5 I could hardly read. Didn’t read my first novel till high school. Hated being told to ‘look it up in the dictionary’ – I did not even know the first letter!

I failed most subjects in high school…the irony of which being I would often explain and help other kids understand various stuff, orally, but I could not write it down legibly, and that would let me down every time.

There were however some fundamental, life changing moments

1. In grade 5 – My Ymer. Tough as old boots and can to our school from a juvenile detention centre, so his observation skills were well tuned.  He would keep me in at play times and give me one on one spelling and reading help.  I still remember him saying “I am Special” as a reminder that the I comes before the a in special….and hundreds of others LOL
2. Year 7, Mrs Bloomfield, who defied the school rules of alphabetical seeing orders and sat me in the front row – mostly because she could see I was having trouble seeing – but still life changing
3. Yr 7 – 11 –Posture Elocution and something else. Compulsory subject at my high school – as all good ladies should (ha) anyway it changed my speak for ever. It was 3 days a week, I think, and the difference was astounding. I learned about syllables in words I never new existed before, which not only changed my speech, but also my reading and spelling. Ironically, although clearly not the aim, I also learned to lip read in that class. . . oh and walk with a basket on my head
4. My year 9 English teacher, whose name I can not remember. I hated her. She always spoke with her lips together, in a whisper. She told me I could not do my VCE, because I did not have the English skills! I fought to the end, and thankfully my pompous parents were not going to have any daughter of theirs put at a lower social status etc…so VCE was on.
5. Year 10 – Brother Dunn Change my life in so very many ways. He knew straight away I could not hear, put me square in front of him and would lean forward on my desk when he spoke to the class, which was great for me and no one else new why. He also sat with me at lunch times and worked on all manner of things, so that I went from a failing student to an A student in that year.  Thanks Brother Dunn
6. Year 11 and 12 English (Mr Peters and Mr White). I will group these together, although it was 2 different teachers. Both exceptional to me. They would encourage me to do assignments as soon as they were handed in and let me hand in draft after draft…they encouraged and inspired (and tutored) me not only in English, but across all subjects.
7. Then there was my accounting teacher, I really do wish I could remember his name, because he was also the careers advisor.  My parents were encouraging me to become an o-pair (nanny – I do not know if that is spelt right). Anyway he sat me down and in a nut shell, said, aim higher. I excelled in computer programming and accounting even then, and he wanted me to aim for a double degree. Which I did, and got into at uni.

At this point I feel the need to finish saying, I got into uni…almost always sat confidently at the front, even if my friends did not join me, studied accounting, computer science, and corporate law, simultaneously. Did one year in an accelerated program at uni and went into my career(s) with confidence. I love to read (have read 10 novels of some size over the 2 week Christmas break alone). Am confident writing (more so with a spell checker and still discovering hidden letters and syllables in words); but changed by the acquaintance of 7 or so people.

Yes I wish I knew Auslan (a friend in late high school and uni taught me, but I only had her to sign too). I struggled so much to understand everthing my teachers were saying…too much, it was not fair. If not for those few teachers I very nearly would have failed high school and never read very well. That would have dramatically changed my life. I am not saying every minute of every day should have been signed…I am just saying if at least some of it was provided to me in a way that was easy for me to understand I would not have had the double struggle of a) understanding the words b)understanding and learning the content.

Sorry, did not mean this to be an novel….

Lee