Awe-inspiring Silence - International Sign Language 國際手語教學—無聲的精彩

There is an inner strength that makes people dare to overcome obstacles and remain caring and kind-hearted. Being caring means we try our best to understand each other. Being caring means endeavor to make everything better. Being caring means we foster kindness in our classes, so students can be inspired to grow emotionally. At Wagor, it is all about caring.

The first graders learned some basic concepts of international sign language after reading two true stories: “Koko and Penny” and “Meet Rosina”. Penny Patterson, a psychologist, taught a chimpanzee named Koko to communicate with humans through sign language. Rosina, a hearing-impaired first grader, used sign language to learn from every teacher, especially the librarian who made Rosina feel like she was part of the story when she used sign language to tell Rosina stories. These stories clearly showed that what was being communicated with hand signs was not only words and letters, but the caring between Penny and Koko and Rosina and her teachers.

Unforgettable memories are created when they come from personal experiences. To be able to sympathize, you must put yourself in another person’s place. We invited Hsieh Han Huo, the director of the Taiwanese Association of Sign Language Translation Interpreters  (TASLI), to demonstrate and teach international sign language to our students and give our students a better understanding of how hearing impaired people communicate. During the demonstration, Mr. Hsieh used only sign language to interact with the students. When the students began to practice, they realized how difficult it was using only sign language to communicate.

Mr. Hsieh said, “Hearing impaired people can only convey their feelings through facial expressions. This is why facial expressions are crucial when using sign language.” He expected the students to maintain eye contact and use lots of facial expressions while signing. The students were amused by Hsieh’s exaggerated countenance while they practiced. “Silence is golden.” It seemed that the distance between people narrows in this silent world! It takes us back to the simplest and sincerest means of communication − using eye contact. It was at this point that there was a hush over the students, with no “Be quiet, please!” from the teachers. Everyone was happy and eager to know if their classmates understood what their signs meant.

Caring and compassion are strengths that can break down the walls between people. The International Sign Language Activity for our first graders engendered an awe-inspiring silence by turning Sign Language into the most pure and genuine caring.

有一種能量，讓人勇於跨越阻礙與藩籬，有一種關懷，足以鬆動框架和限制，那是一股生命間對彼此的「在乎」。因為在乎，就會想方設法的去關心了解，因為在乎，會竭盡所能地努力讓一切更好。葳格老師們在教學規劃當中，特別在乎孩子從學習中感受到什麼，心中又留下了些什麼；在乎孩子的成長，是這片校園一切的出發點。

一年級的孩子經由Reading課程兩個真實故事Koko and Penny以及Meet Rosina，對國際手語有了初步認識。心理學教授派特森（Penny Patterson）在黑猩猩Koko一歲時開始教牠手語，Koko成為能用手語和人溝通的黑猩猩；Rosina是一名和我們孩子年紀相仿的聽障學生，她在學校跟每一位老師用手語學習，圖書館老師用手語講繪本時，Rosina覺得彷彿身歷其境。Penny對Koko以及學校老師對Rosina的關懷，藉由手語化為有形的力量，在手指間傳遞的不僅僅是字母符號，更是對彼此的在乎。

從經驗中堆疊的記憶總是特別鮮明，有過「身受」的經驗才更加能從心底「感同」，因此，2019年六月我們特地邀請了臺灣手語翻譯協會理事謝漢和老師到校，教孩子們簡單的國際手語，也讓孩子更進一步了解聽障或聽損者的溝通方式。謝老師全程使用手語和孩子們互動，說說跳跳，生動活潑，一年級的孩子感受到謝老師充滿活力的帶動，也開始練習用手語跟同學對話，這時孩子才領悟到，平日嘴裡輕易說出的一句話，換作以手語來表達，一開始還真不是件簡單的事！

謝老師特別說明，聽人能從說話者的「語氣」感受喜怒哀樂，然而聽障者則須從「表情」來傳達情緒，因此表情可說是國際手語中的重要靈魂，希望孩子們在進行手語時要配合上豐富的表情，眼睛也要看著對方。孩子們被老師幽默誇張的表情給逗樂了，努力練習著手指、聚精會神的模樣，此時真是無聲勝有聲！看著孩子們專注的眼神，驚覺無聲的世界似乎反而拉近了人與人的距離，為了看懂對方的手語，孩子們全神貫注在彼此的手勢與神韻，這原本被視為「侷限」的無聲狀態，輕巧地把我們帶回到最真摯的眼神交流，此時的視聽中心沒有吵雜的說話聲，沒有管秩序的麥克風聲，只有孩子開懷的笑聲，和一雙雙極度在乎對方有沒有看懂自己手語的眼睛。

在乎是一股跨越限制與藩籬的能量，葳格一年級孩子們在國際手語學習中，用無聲的精彩，傳遞了人與人之間，最真實而單純的在乎。

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