Page 5 - Inspire Magazine
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I called the WA Deaf Society the very next day With more than 100 students, most of them
and started going to classes,” Karen says. hearing, studying Auslan at Shenton College – and
“It was really just a snowball effect from a waiting list a mile long – it’s clear her work is
there. I made every single university assignment having an impact.
about deaf people – even if it was about statistics,” “For the most part, a deaf student comes to
she laughs. Shenton after being the only deaf kid in a sea of
“I have to give credit to the deaf community 600 hearing children in primary school. They have
for sharing their language with me, for trusting always been the different child. They’ve usually
me and for working with me to help them share only had one person to communicate with at
their language. It’s a very vibrant community – school and that’s their interpreter,” she says.
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just another minority in Australian society that is “Then they come to Shenton and deafness is
potentially disadvantaged by barriers, and one of just not an issue.
the biggest barriers is obviously a communication “To come somewhere where they don’t feel
one.” different because many hearing students can sign –
For the past six years, Karen has focused on and there are seven other kids in class who are the
breaking down those barriers, not just for the 30 or same as them – must be very empowering. It must
1 so deaf students at the co-located Shenton College really change how they feel about themselves.”
and Shenton College Deaf Education Centre, but Karen works tirelessly at State, national and
for the wider school community too. international levels to develop courses that bring
Through her own work, and the deaf and deaf and hearing students together through the
hearing colleagues who work alongside her, she power of a public school education.
has redefined the meaning of the word inclusive, She is chief writer of the soon to be released
not just for deaf students but for those with Australian Curriculum: Auslan, and developer of
learning difficulties. the Year 11 and 12 ATAR Auslan course which
“Some students who are struggling in other will see students studying the language for the first
subjects do well in Auslan because it’s a different time at the highest level in secondary school.
way of learning,” Karen says. Karen loves her job so much she readily
“I send emails to parents of students with confesses it’s not like going to work at all.
problems with working memory or dyslexia to let With an attitude like that, it’s no surprise her
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them know their child achieved higher than 90 per surname, Bontempo, loosely translates to mean a
cent, and they say ‘My child has never, ever scored ‘good time’.
WA Premier’s Secondary 90 per cent in a test. I have tears streaming down
Teacher of the Year finalists my face right now’.
(1) Austin Ward, Cecil Andrews
Senior High School “It’s interesting to see that taking a different
(2) Ken Goatley, Broome Senior approach to teaching than the one that kids are
High School used to can really equalise them in many ways.”
(3) Janet Silburn Barker,
Shenton College Her classes have provided students from
across the two schools with the skills to
communicate with one another, build relationships
and develop lifelong friendships. Platinum partner
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