Auslan

Some of our very talented Artists – work in progress!

The first picture of a girl with flowers in her hair is a completed piece by Nuvee – an excellent concept featuring pink hearing aids. Well done for developing such a fabulous idea! The butterfly, which is currently being completed by Genevieve, has historically been associated with the deaf community, as butterflies were once thought to be deaf. However, recent students show that butterflies can hear, though the symbol still holds significance within the deaf community. 

The bubble-wrapped arms and gloves posters are still a work in progress by the Year 3 / 4 students. They will have the opportunity to create their own sign language of their choice. There is a challenge in keeping the sticky tape secure on the cardboard, so stitching the arms to the cardboard may be necessary if other methods prove unsuccessful. Overall – fabulous works so far!

Rhythm without the blues!

In the symphony of brain activity, most pursuits, like art and languages stick to one hemisphere. Music however, focusses on both sides of the hemisphere. When a hearing person groove to vibrations, a specific brain region waltzes in. For the deaf, it’s a two-step – activating the music and the vibration processing zone simultaneously. We feel the beats through the floor rumbles and interpret it with sign language or visual lyrics on hand. 

My hearing aids join the chaos of the songs and instruments, leaving me to decipher the lyrics. A lyric on paper, with a designated guide pointing out each word is helpful. 

I highly recommend watching Mandy Harvey on YouTube – a roller-coaster journey from being hearing to becoming deaf will give you a better picture. She was and still is a music enthusiast, feeling the music’s every pulse to navigate the notes on America’s got talent.