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Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to the Inclusion of Deaf Learners: Towards Sign Bilingual Education in Zimbabwe

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Inclusion in Southern African Education

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development Goals Series ((SDGS))

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Abstract

Grounded on a combination of previous research, literature review, and current findings; and framed within Vygotsky’s sociocultural model and Cummins’s Linguistic Interdependence theory, the chapter explores cultural and linguistic barriers to the inclusion of deaf learners in Zimbabwe. The findings of the current study are based on phenomenological narratives of deaf learners and their parents and of deaf adults as well as cross-sectional survey data collected from specialist teachers of the deaf across the country. From the findings, the chapter concludes that the multiplicity of the cultural and linguistic barriers to the inclusion of deaf learners in Zimbabwe derive from lack of full awareness of Deaf culture, the minority status of the Deaf culture, general negative medical model-oriented attitudes towards deafness, poor Sign Language proficiency or total lack of it among stakeholders, and home-school language dilemma. In response, the chapter advocates for sign bilingualism, a philosophy that respects cultural pluralism and linguistic diversity, and celebrates deafness as a desirable difference.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

    Patrick Sibanda

Authors
  1. Patrick Sibanda
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Sibanda .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

    Dipane Hlalele

  2. Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

    Tsediso Michael Makoelle

Appendices

Appendices

1.1 Appendix I: Questionnaire on Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to the Inclusion of Deaf Learners in Zimbabwe

NB: This information will not be shared with anyone but will only be used for research purposes. All the information will be kept strictly confidential. Please do not write your name anywhere on this questionnaire!

1.1.1 Section A: Knowledge of Deaf Culture and Sign Language

 

Yes

No

Not sure

1. Do families of deaf children in your school know about Deaf culture?

   

2. Are the communities nearest to your school aware of Deaf culture?

   

3. Do other teachers in your school know about Deaf culture?

   

4. Do the administrators of your school know about Deaf culture?

   

5. Are you aware of Deaf culture yourself?

   

6. Does your school admit deaf learners from the communities nearest to the school?

   

7. Can families of deaf learners in the nearest communities use Sign Language?

   

8. Can teachers in your school use Sign Language?

   

9. Can administrators of your school use Sign Language?

   

10. Is Sign Language taught as a subject in the school?

   

11. Do hearing children in your school know Sign Language?

   

12. Do the deaf children in your school know Sign Language?

   

13. Are parents happy to have their hearing children learn with deaf children?

   

14. Does your school have a specialist teacher of the deaf?

   

1.1.2 Section B: Attitudes

 

Positive

Negative

Not Sure

1. How are the attitudes of the community toward inclusion of deaf learners?

   

2. How are the attitudes of the other teachers in the school toward inclusion of deaf learners?

   

3. How are the attitudes of the administrators of the school toward inclusion of deaf learners?

   

4. How are the attitudes of hearing children in the school toward inclusion of deaf learners?

   

5. How are the attitudes of parents of hearing children toward inclusion of deaf learners in the school?

   

6. How are the attitudes of parents of deaf children toward inclusion of deaf learners in the school?

   

1.1.3 Section C: Comments (If You Have Any)

  1. 1.

    Use any language to expand on some of the responses you gave in the table.

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

    …………………………………………………

1.2 Appendix II: Interview Guide For Parents Of Deaf Learners

  1. 1.

    Does your deaf child go to a mainstream school?

    • Is the school nearest to the home and is it convenient?

  2. 2.

    How is the child accepted in the school?

  3. 3.

    To what extent is the Deaf culture known?

    • In the home

    • In the school

    • In the community

  4. 4.

    Let us talk about beliefs around deafness.

  5. 5.

    To what extent do the following know sign language:

    • Your deaf child

    • Yourself

    • Other members of the family

    • Teachers

    • Administrators

    • The local community

  6. 6.

    How is sign language viewed among these?

  7. 7.

    How are the attitudes of the following toward the inclusion of deaf learners in mainstream schools?

    • School administrators

    • Teachers

    • Parents of hearing children

    • Hearing children

  8. 8.

    Can you share any other problems experienced in the inclusion of deaf children in mainstream schools.

1.3 Appendix III: Interview Guide for Deaf Learners

  1. 1.

    Are you able to use sign language?

  2. 2.

    Where did you learn sign language?

  3. 3.

    Do family members understand sign language?

  4. 4.

    Are teachers able to use sign language? What about the Head of the school, the Deputy, TIC and Senior Teacher?

  5. 5.

    Do you have hearing friends?

  6. 6.

    Do the teachers like you? Why?

  7. 7.

    Do you like learning and playing with hearing friends? Why?

  8. 8.

    What problems do you have at the school?

  9. 9.

    Tell me about any problems you face in learning and playing with hearing peers.

1.4 Appendix IV: Interview Guide for Deaf Adults

  1. 1.

    Is the community aware of Deaf Culture? What about the school administrators and teachers?

  2. 2.

    How do these view Deaf culture?

  3. 3.

    What could be the causes of these views?

  4. 4.

    To what extent do the following know sign language:

    • Deaf children

    • Hearing children

    • Families

    • Teachers

    • School administrators

    • Community

  5. 5.

    What problems are posed by this for the inclusion of Deaf children?

  6. 6.

    How are the attitudes towards inclusion of deaf learners?

  7. 7.

    Let us talk about any other barriers experienced in the inclusion of deaf learners.

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Sibanda, P. (2023). Cultural and Linguistic Barriers to the Inclusion of Deaf Learners: Towards Sign Bilingual Education in Zimbabwe. In: Hlalele, D., Makoelle, T.M. (eds) Inclusion in Southern African Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43752-6_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43752-6_9

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-43752-6

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