Should schools and colleges normalize teaching sign language and Braille?
We have been learning languages ever since we were born. Be it our mother tongue, a second language, a regional language from our hometown, or a foreign language around the world. We have always been learning new languages growing up.
Learning a new language doesn’t only limit to learning the language only. It also teaches us the culture and origin of where that language came from. For instance, when I learned my first language Hindi, my parents also taught me where the language came from, why is it spoken widely in our country in comparison to others, and other stories about it. It soon became my sole way of communication with people around me in my starting years.
Then a few years later I started school and was introduced to a new language named English. There, teachers taught us where this language came from and the other stories it brought with it. Soon with time English also became one of my way of communication with people around me.
Later on, Sanskrit also became a compulsory language in my academics. It taught me that not all languages live in spoken format. With Sanskrit, I learned the origin of the religious texts and prayers read by my grandmother. Which I too, learned with time.
I also learned a bit of French during college. Can’t speak or understand it, just learned for the sake of exams. Same with Marathi. Even though I was born and brought up in Mumbai, it was never really a language that I practiced speaking but I can sing and understand a few Marathi songs. The same is the story with Marwadi, it’s the language from my hometown that I can’t speak (due to lack of practice) but can understand quite well.
During the final year of my college, I developed an interest in the Korean language and started learning it on my own through YouTube tutors and carefully listening to their (Korean) shows. Not really fluent in speaking and understanding but I can pretty much understand the content of the show without the help of subtitles now. Around 65% I’d say? (But the show has to be free of technical jargon i.e. medical, law, etc)
And now, I have started learning sign language. Indian Sign Language to be exact. Why? Many wondered. Well, I have been wanting to learn sign language for a while now, just for my own knowledge. Also, it doesn’t hurt to learn something new, does it? This is why learning sign language and braille script has always been on my must-do list (I know it’s called a ‘to-do’ but these two are my ‘must-do's of life.) Call it a bucket list or the must-do list, it’s on you but yeah, it exists and I feel everyone should. Like, such as making a special language list. Where you can list down the name of all languages you wish to learn with time and start with the first one that catches your eye. Isn’t it exciting in itself?
Now, coming back to my question of whether schools and colleges should normalize teaching sign language and braille or not, what do you think about it? I came across this question pretty recently while reading a story in “Totto-Chan: The little girl at the window” by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. The book is set in the time the 1980s and talks about the life and learning instances of a 6-year-old Totto-Chan who got expelled from her first school for being curious, energetic, and not being the perfect school material. The book talks about her experience of real education which the world lacks now. Many of you might have seen 3 idiots and appreciated what Phunsuk Wangdu did but not many know that Totto-Chan’s headmaster did it way before in a small town in Japan with discarded train boxes and real education.
The story was about Totto-Chan’s first encounter with a bunch of deaf and dumb (speech and hearing impaired) kids on her way to school. What was unique here was her interpretation of the whole situation. She observed the kids from a distance who were using the ‘Language of Hands’ totally unaware of the fact that they were deaf and dumb. She was so fascinated by the secret language those kids are aware of and she is not, she decides to further learn about it and also teach her friends so she too can have a secret conversation with them from time to time with the help of the ‘language of hands’.
This one story was enough to make me think about it. I mean just a little bit of curiosity and a non-stereotypical mindset can open a gate to a whole new world for us. Don’t you agree? And who do you think can cultivate these two things in us or the upcoming generations better? Yes, it’s the educational institutes. Instead of sush-ing down kids and treating such topics as taboo, schools and colleges can educate them on it much better. By talking, discussing, and learning the languages, I feel such a stereotype can vanish from our society. Making sign language and braille a part of the course curriculum in schools and colleges could be a great start. Don’t you think so too? We already have a long list full of taboo topics, wouldn’t it be great to cross off at least one of them?
Do let me know your views on this in the comment section below or you can drop a message on Instagram sharing your thoughts on this topic. The section is open to all types of thoughts and perspectives!
