Jabaar (far left) and the Horizon House staff after the workshop.
On 17 April this year the Language Centre joined forces with superstar South African Sign Language (SASL) teacher Jabaar Mohamed to present a SASL workshop to the staff of Horizon House in Stellenbosch.
Horizon House is a non-profit residential care facility supporting adults with intellectual disabilities in Stellenbosch. They are committed to providing quality holistic care to their residents and to supporting their personal development. There is a focus on helping residents find purpose, self-worth, recognition, pride, companionship and hope through work, like sewing, recycling, cooking, gardening, repair work or something else that interests them. As Horizon House endeavours to provide their residents with a supportive environment, the facility reached out the Language Centre for SASL support: their staff wanted to learn some basic SASL to connect better with their deaf residents. And so we got to work to do just that.
Our collaborator, Jabaar Mohamed, is an award-winning presenter of the TV talk show Accessibility with Jabaar and an advocate for SASL and the Deaf community. He has, for example, collaborated with South African comedian Mark Lottering to make his comedy shows accessible to the Deaf community. Moreover, he has completed our SASL Trainer course, making him the perfect person to welcome Horizon House staff to the world of SASL.
So, on a rainy morning in April, Jabaar, accompanied by Comms Lab coordinator Michelle Pieters and SASL interpreting coordinator and facilitator Nanette Nortje from the SU Language Centre, met with 13 Horizon House staff members at their premises in Stellenbosch.
Jabaar kicked off the workshop with an introduction to deafness, explaining what deafness and the Deaf community is, and what it is not. “We are not just a medical condition. We are a linguistic and cultural community,” he said as he emphasised that SASL is a language and an identity that deserves respect. He reiterated the importance of finding a middle ground when communicating with those who don’t speak your language: “Deaf people will always find a way.” Jabaar praised Horizon House staff for taking the first step to accommodate their deaf residents. It’s a simple math equation, according to Jabaar: Being open to learning a new language + using that language to meet another’s needs = respect, dignity and connection.
Deaf people will always find a way.”
Jabaar’s own lived experience and his research on what he calls language deprivation in South Africa help inform his opinions. “Language deprivation happens when a deaf child does not learn SASL early because their caregivers do not know SASL. The developmental setbacks faced by deaf children are hence not caused by deafness itself, but by a lack of language access and associated exposure. Early access to SASL supports thinking, learning, and, most important, confidence. For those in the Deaf community, SASL is key to living a better life.”
A memorable moment arose when Jabaar demonstrated why people who are not deaf should not assume that deaf people can lip read: only 8 of the 26 letters in the alphabet can be distinguished by watching someone’s lips while they speak. Although lip reading is therefore an insufficient strategy for clear and inclusive communication, it is still important to make provision for the possibility of lip reading. It should definitely not be the only provision made, however.
Jabaar in action, putting what he learned in our SASL Trainer course to good use: teaching Horizon House staff the fundamentals of SASL and Deaf culture.
Jabaar’s passion for SASL was contagious – the room was filled with laughter and smiles as he took Horizon House staff through the fundamentals of SASL. From the very basics like correct hand form, location and movement, the use of facial expressions and eye contact, to amusing sign names and spelling the alphabet, the workshop covered everything a complete beginner needed to know about SASL. It also equipped staff to practise what they’ve learned with each other as well as with the deaf residents at Horizon House, ensuring that their SASL learning journey continues far beyond their morning with Jabaar.
The Horizon House staff during the session.
One of the staff members present, a food service administrator in Horizon House’s kitchen, said: “Ek het baie geleer vandag oor hoe om met dowe mense te kommunikeer. Dit was vir my baie interessant en ek hoop ek kan van hier af vorentoe die signs onthou en die effort wat nodig is.” Another staff member, an instructor in general recycling, also said that she found the session meaningful: “Ek het die kursus baie interessant gevind. Dit was baie goed aangebied en ek het baie geleer. Ek is baie betrokke met ’n dowe dame wat hier is, so nou gaan ek meer insig hê as ek met haar praat.”
The session once again showed that inclusivity, participation and understanding are driven by communication. Whether this is communicating the needs of a community, appreciating their sense of humour, being curious about their culture or trying your best to meet each other in the middle, language – spoken, written or signed – is a bridge that, when built from both sides, offers access to new worlds.
SU Language Centre Comms Lab coordinator Michelle Pieters (middle, right) and Jabaar with Horizon House Head of Therapy Edith Jooste (far left) and HR & Training Coordinator Cobus Steyn (far right).
Get in touch if you or your team would like to learn some basic SASL – email Michelle Pieters at michellep@sun.ac.za to find out what courses we have to offer, or how we can tailor-make a workshop for your staff. We look forward to supporting you on your journey to learn SASL!
– by Andréa Müller
