Kōrero: New Zealand Sign Language

Class at Sumner School for the Deaf

Children in class using microphones and headphones.

Speech training was central to the curriculum at Schools for the Deaf in the 1950s. All hands are firmly clasped on the desk – no signing was allowed in a teaching philosophy known as ‘oralism’. Many deaf people recall this method of teaching as tedious and repressive, and overall limiting their access to meaningful education.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Rachel McKee, 'New Zealand Sign Language - Ghost page', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/photograph/47344/class-at-sumner-school-for-the-deaf (accessed 29 March 2024)

He kōrero nā Rachel McKee, i tāngia i te 27 Aug 2020, updated 1 Sep 2020