Browsing by Author "Swift, Odette"

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    Educating Deaf Children
    (2020) Swift, Odette; Kuhn, Tara
    Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases there is no allowance made for education of Deaf children at all. This 4 week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically, emotionally, and socially. We also cover various accommodations and modifications that you can apply in your classroom and learning environment to create an accessible learning experience for Deaf children. You will also find that a shift in attitude will enable you to connect with Deaf children with more understanding. This course does not teach sign language since each country has its own sign language. We hope that through this course you become an empowered teacher - for yourself, for your fellow teachers, and most importantly, for the Deaf children in your classroom.
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    TEDI 1 Week 4 - Education for Learners Who are D-deaf or Hard of Hearing
    (2019) Swift, Odette
    This week discusses how to make the curriculum accessible for all - particularly focusing on those with severe to profound disabilities. This includes understanding some of the causes of specific impairments (hearing, visual and intellectual) and their impacts on learning. We also have the pleasure of learning from experts who outline which principles and approaches can be adopted to best support learners with these specific impairments. This is video 6/8 in week 4 of the Disability Inclusion in Education: Building Systems of Support course.
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    TEDI 1 Week 5 - Curriculum Adaptation for D-deaf and Hard of Hearing Learners
    (2019) Swift, Odette
    In this week, the concept of universal design for learning is introduced as a way of approaching teaching and learning to tackle any problems of exclusion from education. Building on the lectures from last week, this week, experienced teachers describe in some detail what teaching strategies they use in their classrooms to include and support learners with specific impairments. This is video 3/4 in week 5 of the Disability Inclusion in Education: Building Systems of Support course.
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    TEDI 2 Week 1 - A Holistic Approach to Teaching Deaf Children
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette
    In this video, Odette swift discusses what is meant by holistic education in the context of a social and human rights approach to the education of deaf children. She highlights the rights of deaf people to full participation in society including education. Using the social model of disability, Odette argues that disability is an issue of social justice and not of how people’s bodies function. Referring to Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, she intimates that through reasonable accommodations, differentiation and Individual Education Plans, deaf children can meaningfully participate in education holistically. This is video lecture 2/7 in week 1 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 2 - Interview: Facilitating Development in the Deaf Learner
    (2019-06-01) Hille, Jeanette; Swift, Odette
    In this video, Odette Swift interviews Jeanette Hille on the role of teachers of deaf children in facilitating the social and emotional development of deaf children in the classroom. She discusses the teacher’s pivotal role in building the deaf child’s self-esteem and provides tips on how to do so. She underscores first hand experiences and for constant communication between school and home as valuable for deaf learners. This video lecture 7/11 of week 2 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 2 - Interview: Facilitating Development in the Deaf Pre-schooler
    (2019-06-01) Hille, Jeanette; Swift, Odette
    In this very educative and interesting video, Odette Swift interviews Jeannette Hile, on the development of the deaf pre-schooler. Jeannette describes how children generally develop and stresses the importance of communication for children who are deaf and the consequences of not acquiring language and communication skills early. She lists some tips for teachers of pre-schoolers. Sharing her experiences of working with families of deaf children, she calls on parents to exercise a lot of patience with their deaf children. This video lecture 5/11 of week 2 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 2 - Interview: Facilitating Effective Language and Communication
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette; Hlayisi, Vera-Genevey
    In this video, Odette Swift once more, interviews the very eloquent Vera-Genevey Hlayisi who discusses how language and communication development can be facilitated in classrooms. She begins by cautioning teachers to beware of the subtle but important regional differences in Sign Language as in any other language and advises that teachers should consider these as they interact with deaf learners. She then discusses ways of facilitating communication between parents and their deaf children. This video lecture 11/11 of week 2 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 2 - Interview: Personal Experiences of Barriers to Learning
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette; Kotze, Elnette
    In this video, Odette Swift invites Elnette Kotze, to share her insights and experiences as a Deaf child in the classroom. Elnette discusses her mainly positive childhood experiences at home and school but also mentions the cruelty of some learners towards her. She talks about how her experiences have informed her work as an occupational therapist. She also talks about the invisibility of hearing impairment and the consequent false assumptions people make. This video lecture 9/11 of week 2 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 3 - Interview: Adapting Teaching Methods and Assessments
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette; McKinney, Emma
    In this video, Odette Swift interviews the very experienced Emma McKinney who excitedly shares first hand experiences of teaching and assessment adaptations. She highlights her propensity for research and interaction with fellow educators and her use of the bilingual-bicultural approach as her modus operandi for developing practical strategies for teaching and assessing deaf learners. From drama to games, Emma discusses how these strategies ensure that her deaf learners have access to the curriculum and meaningfully participate in her lessons. This video lecture 8/9 of week 3 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 3 - Interview: Practical Classroom Modifications
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette; Kotze, Elnette
    In this video, Odette Swift interviews the well informed Elnette Kotze, an Occupational Therapist, who shares her expertise on teaching deaf learners. Elnette effortlessly, discusses a plethora of modifications that teachers can make in their classes and in their lessons to ensure that teaching and learning practices are accessible to deaf learners. This video lecture 3/9 of week 3 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 3 - Modifying the Learning Environment
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette
    In this video, the very cheerful Odette Swift, herself a teacher of deaf children, discusses basic modifications and adaptations that teachers can make in their own classrooms to ensure that deaf learners have access to all subject content. This video lecture 2/9 of week 3 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 4 - Cultivating Positive Change
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette; Kuhn, Tara
    In this video, Odette Swift and Tara Kuhn, happily share three levels of positive change that educators should focus on – personal, professional and systemic. They call on teachers to reflect on their own areas of strengths and weaknesses. They counsel teachers to constantly reflect on their attitudes towards deaf learners and their abilities and provide them with the best learning opportunities because it is their right to receive quality education. Reflecting on these and keeping abreast with what is happening in the area of deaf education internationally, they say, will help teachers think of how they can change or maximise these for the better. This is video lecture 8/8 of week 4 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.
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    TEDI 2 Week 4 - Interview: Becoming an Empowered Teacher
    (2019-06-01) Swift, Odette; Rutter, Cindy
    Odette Swift speaks to the very experienced Cindy Rutter who doubles as teacher and principal of Dominican School for Deaf Children in Cape Town. With many years of deaf education experience and lots of insights in teaching deaf children, Cindy shares a plethora of strategies that teachers can use to empower themselves. From carrying out intense diary teaching focusing on language acquisition, conducting research, observing more experienced colleagues, to team and group teaching, Cindy impressively offers teachers an array of strategies to add to their repertoires and carries on with the themes of collaboration highlighted earlier on by Judy and Jabaar. She encourages teachers to interact with the Deaf Community, and advises that teachers continue to learn all the time and never give up! This is video lecture 7/8 of week 4 of the course: Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher.