As the world celebrates the International Day of Sign Language, parents are advised to accept that their deaf children needs special attention to encourage them to excel in life.
An interpreter of sign language in the department of Special Education Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt, Gideon Francis said this in an interview with our reporters against the background of International Day of Sign Language.
Mr Gideon Francis urged stakeholders to promote the use of the language. He said if the government can enforce the sign language to be a course subject in schools, thereby inculcating it as part of their curriculum, that it will enable children or students to learn at least the basic means of communication with deaf persons.
“Government can also give proper orientation to the society, and helping people to understand that learning the language is not a threat to hearing”
Mr Gideon Francis further advised parents and caregivers to show love to their children living with special needs. He also urged parents who have this type of children to send them to school and not to hide them in the house because they have challenges. Adding that it will help them express their feelings with others, thereby making them not to feel left out in the society.
A special need teacher Mr Timothy Gwazah also told our reporters that sign language could go a long way to enhance the social economic development of the nation. He also said that when sign language is been used regularly in Nigeria, it become easier for deaf persons to understand what they are going to do and to obey the laws of the land.
Mr David Iyowuna also stressed that sigh language is a means of communicating with the deaf persons, and appealed to the relevant authority to provide the needed facilities to air the teaching and language.
