Fellowship in the UK improves deaf education in Nigeria
Under the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship programme, VSO supports individuals from partner organisations to work in the UK for three months in an organisation in their field. Fellows learn and gain new skills as well as share skills their own skills with placement organisations in the UK. In 2008, VSO supported fellow Victoria Adesina, a teacher from one of VSO Nigeria’s education partners.
Victoria spent three months at Mary Hare, a school for deaf children in Newbury, where she learned several teaching methods that she eagerly took back with her to Nigeria. For example, Victoria learned how to make classrooms interactive, the importance of having student-focused assemblies and how students learn from field trips and real-life situations. Victoria saw different approaches to deaf education, which she says has broadened her perspective on approaches to teaching deaf children.
Conquering deafness in the UK
When Victoria arrived at Mary Hare, the high level of technology available in the school overwhelmed her, as it was completely different from her school. However, she quickly settled in with the help of the friendly staff at Mary Hare. She shifted her focus from the technology to observing different teaching and learning techniques in the classrooms.
“Gradually, I began to be more involved in the lessons, and soon I was assisting the secondary students during their lessons,” she said.
Victoria, who is the Principal at Demonstration School for Deaf Children (DSDC) in Kaduna, Nigeria, has a new attitude and approach toward deaf education.
“To me, the school has conquered deafness, and I say this because I think it is the only deaf school I have seen where the staff are so enthusiastic, passionate, and focused on educating deaf children to compete favourably with their hearing counterparts. This is just because the school does not operate as a rehabilitation centre for deaf children, but rather as a place where deaf children receive functional education to turn them into world-class champions.”
Transforming deaf education in Nigeria
Back at DSDC in Nigeria, children are already benefiting from Victoria’s fellowship in the UK. Victoria has provided training to teachers on how to make lessons activity-based rather than lecture-based, and children are learning from hands-on activities and experience. Also, school assembly is now used as a forum for students to research and make presentations on current issues.
“The students are happier and enjoying their lessons, and school work is better now than before because they participate in activities during lessons rather than just being passive listeners,” said Victoria.
The teachers have noticed that the hands-on approach makes both teaching and learning more fun.
“They are also seeing that many of the students have untapped academic potential,” Victoria says. “Parents are also now more involved in their children’s academic work and school life.”
Victoria also learned some useful fundraising techniques at Mary Hare, which she is using at DSDC to raise funds to purchase lawn mowers for the school. Her future plans include establishing income-generating activities at the school.
Impact
All classroom lessons at Demonstration School for Deaf Children (DSDC) in Nigeria are now activity-based.
DSDC has successfully started a new fundraising programme, which is bringing in a constant stream of funds.
Teachers have received training on handling classrooms of mixed ability students.
