Deafax Workshop for Hearing Impaired Students

On Wednesday 20th November, the students in the HIP participated in a workshop presented by Deafax on deaf identity. The students listened to the presenter, Rubbena, talk about her life as a deaf artist and psychotherapist and how this frames her identity. The students then reflected on their own identity and created Modroc figures of themselves to depict this. The students will continue the project with a visit to the Tate Gallery, London in March where they will attend another art workshop as part of a Bronze Art Award.

As well as presenting the workshop, Rubbena was able to inspire the students that a hearing impairment is not a barrier to learning and was a huge inspirational role model to them all. Despite being profoundly deaf, she has obtained no less than four degree qualifications!

The following day the students had a visit to Knightsfield School in Hertfordshire, a school for the deaf. The students were able to participate in lessons with their year group and join the other students at break time. The objective of the visit was to compare a hearing impaired provision within a mainstream school to a school specifically for the deaf. Back at HEHS, the students discussed and made comparisons with the two schools.

Although they were impressed with the small classes, teachers using overhead projectors to write on the board so they could continue facing the class and the horseshoe shaped set-up of seating in the class, they unanimously agreed that far more learning takes place at HEHS.