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Japanese visitors Iearn from Ernest C. Drurv school By Stephanie Hounseli CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Its a bit chaotic in the library at the Ernest C. Drur>' School for the Deaf, despite the silence. A language bardier is making communi- cation a bit of a challenge, albeit a fun one, hetween school staff and a group of 13 Deaf student and adult visitors from japan. Students arc attempting to communicate with japanese Sign Language (JSL), while E.C. Drur>' folks - who use Amenican Sign Language (ASL) - try to understand. Both groups look to the two somewhat flustered-looking interpreters to shed some light. Fortunately, there are some things every- one understands: smiles and laughter, and there are plenty of both. The seven students and six teachers were visiting E.C. Drury sehool for the Deaf last week from japan ta learn more about Canadian culture and Drurys bilingual - ASL and English - education system. They observed the school's Grade 8 class. Icacher Yoko Kaya, from thc Meisci Gakuen School for the Deaf in Japan, explained through an interpreter that ifs been great leamning from E.C. Drur>' while also sharing about the way things are done back home. "In our school, we have 50/50 Deaf and heaning staff, while Drury seems ta have more Deaf staff. So the children are lucky ta see lots of Deaf adults they can look ta as MICHELLE SIU / METROLAND WEST MEDIA GOUP INTERNATIONAL VISITORS: Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf principals Jeanne Leonard (first raw, Ieft> and Heather Gibson (f irst raw, right) join student and teacher visitors from Japan last week, signing the words 'Japan' and Sign language in Japanese Sign Language. They were observ- ing the bilingual curriculum at E.C. Drury, hoping ta implement a similar one at their own Deaf schoo. role models." Kaya suid, adding, [The quali- groundbrcakîng in ats îeaching mcîhods. ty of teachers and the way the>' teach (here) E.C. Drur>' is the first Deaf school world- is very good. It has impressed me.' wide ta implement an ASL curriculum, first Meisei Gakuen is the on>' JSL-focused at its elementar>' school and then, just this school in japan. year, at its high school, thanks ta the efforts "In japan, there's stili littie recognition of of ASL curriculum principal Heather JSL as a language," she said. Gibson. Tis isn't the first time the local Deaf This means that not on>' is ASL the stu- schooi has attracted international attention. dents' language of instruction, its also stud- In fact, it's quite common since the school is ied as a subject in itseif - the way main- 327 Gradee Stree Grad Whi Grae # Grade5030 P ice in IfetTedy coe 1 oM naOt r2 4, streamn schools teach in Enghish but also o0 study English as a subject, explained Jeanne '5 Leonard, principal of the elementary school. -We get a fair bit of questions on our ASL curriculum and how it came about,'" Leonard said. I'he goal is for Meisei Gakuen to eventu- ail>' implement a similar way of teaching. z Miwa Katagini, 12. said what amazed ber n, mnost during her visit - which included some Ontario sightseeing - was Niagara «2 Falls and its sheer size. Z Something that was different for ber was secing E.C. Drury students eat in a cafeteria. Back home, everyone commutes to the school and brings their own lunch, she said through an English-speakingJSL interpreter. She added it was fun trying to communi- cate with some of the ASL-signing students to practise her limnited knowledge of the Ian- guage j Keijun Sasaki, 13, said he observed numerous cultural differences. "In japan, we're neyer allowed to, sit on a table or eat standing. 1 saw students eating during class, whîch surprised me a lot." Making new fniends was the best part of the trip, he added. Kaya said the trip was just as meaningful for the students as it was the teachers. 'If's ver>' important for them to realize the differences in diflerent parts of the world and that they can be friends worldwide." Stephanie Hounseli can be reached at shounselCamiltoncanadianchampin.com.