For our lesson this week, we focused on individuals with speech or hearing impairments. To help the children develop empathy and understanding, we began with an activity where they had to express their needs using only gestures—no words allowed.
They were tasked with showing the need to use the toilet through actions alone. Many found it challenging to communicate effectively without speaking. This sparked a meaningful discussion on how people who are mute or deaf often face similar difficulties in their daily lives, and how learning sign language can help bridge that gap.
We then introduced the children to basic sign language through the story “Nita’s First Signs.” From the story, they learned simple signs such as “more,” “please,” “hungry,” and “eat.” We also taught them how to sign “go toilet” and other useful phrases.
To reinforce their learning, the children were invited to try the same task again—expressing the need to use the toilet without words. This time, they confidently used the signs they had learned, showing great enthusiasm and understanding.
It was a valuable and eye-opening experience for the children, helping them appreciate different ways of communicating and fostering kindness and inclusivity toward others with disabilities.
