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To raise funds for the ‘CUHK Deaf Education Fund’ and to let the public understand more about the development of Sign Bilingual Education in Hong Kong, the Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies (CSLDS) of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will hold a fundraising event entitled ‘Linking Hands and Hearts Fun Day’ from 4 to 6 April 2014 at Plaza Hollywood.  On 5 April, members of CSLDS, representatives and students of the participating schools of the ‘Sign Bilingualism and Co-enrolment in Deaf Education Programme’ will join a group photo to show their support on sign bilingual education. 

The event also features an exhibition, performances, sharing sessions of teachers and parents, as well as a ‘Sign Bilingualism Reading Class’ and a ‘Sign Bilingual Art & Craft Workshop’, in which the public can experience sign bilingual teaching conducted by deaf and hearing teachers.  Other than understanding the operation of the sign bilingual classroom, participants can also experience the benefits of this multisensory education model.  All activities are free-of-charge.  Members of the public are welcome. 

Details of ‘Linking Hands and Hearts Fun Day’ are as follows: 

Period：     4 April to 6 April 2014 (Friday to Sunday)
Time：       12:00 noon to 9:00 pm
*The group photo session of deaf / hearing teachers and students will take place at 2:00 pm on 5 April.
Venue：     Stars Atrium, Level 1, Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill
Website:     www.cslds.org/signbi/fundraising-event
                   (Chinese content)
Enquiries:   Ms Poon（Tel: 3943 5538; Email:
                   yvonna_cslds@cuhk.edu.hk） 

The ‘Sign Bilingualism and Co-enrolment in Deaf Education Programme’ of CSLDS, CUHK 

Hong Kong has been neglecting the importance of sign language in the early development of deaf children. Oralist education is the only option for them. The research from CSLDS showed that 49.2% of deaf children in mainstream schools suffer from severe language delay, which leads to limited classroom participation, low academic performances and social isolation.  Sign bilingual education is an innovative education model that benefits both deaf and hearing students, as research findings show.  This model aims to supplement the oralist-only deaf education in Hong Kong by introducing a bilingual education approach based on sign language and spoken language. Adopting this multisensory education approach in the classroom, not only will deaf students learn without barriers, hearing students can also learn how to appreciate individual differences. 

To promote sign bilingual education, the CSLDS, CUHK launched Asia’s first ‘Sign Bilingualism and Co-enrolment in Deaf Education Programme’ in 2006, aiming to build a bilingual and inclusive learning environment in a mainstream school setting which teachers and students, both deaf and hearing, co-enrol themselves in the education process. After years of development, the Programme has earned recognition from experts and deaf educators internationally.  A sign bilingual education system from infant to secondary school has been constructed and the demand for the programme from deaf and hearing students in Hong Kong is also increasing.  CSLDS is raising funds for the ‘CUHK Deaf Education Fund’ with the aim to build a ‘through-train’ sign bilingual education model in Hong Kong and to benefit more deaf and hearing children. The fund raised will be used for sustaining and further developing the ‘Sign Bilingual and Co-enrolment Programme’ in kindergarten and primary school, providing supporting services at different levels and providing trainings to teachers and professionals. 

CSLDS has also set up a ‘Supporting Sign Bilingual Education’ campaign website for the public to sign up and support the education model. Over 1,000 local and overseas supporters have signed up, including students, teachers, professionals.  For details, please visit: www.cslds.org/signbi/support/en/.