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Description
The project aims to create conditions to improve the quality of inclusive education for students requiring communication and teaching using Polish Sign Language. As a result of the project, CEFR analyzes, a description of competences for the Polish Sign Language and a description of the rules for assessing the Polish Sign Language will be created and published. The above documents are educational standards for the Polish Sign Language. The implementation of standards involves conducting seminars for at least 30 teachers of Polish Sign Language and signing the declaration of implementation of the standards by at least 20 edu. institutions. The standards will be presented to the Polish Sign Language Council for recommendations. The creation of standards and their implementation constitutes the implementation of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Standards for Polish Sign Language are necessary to improve the quality of education for students with hearing loss.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the lack of educational standards for Polish Sign Language (PJM). The development of standards is a prerequisite for improving the quality of education for students who need an education in PJM. Currently, teaching with the use of PJM is not regulated in terms of the substantive standards of knowledge of PJM (no curricula in PJM and no detailed requirements for teachers'' competencies in the field of PJM).
The project developed two results: a description of competencies for Polish Sign Language and a description of the rules for checking competencies for Polish Sign Language. As part of the first result, we prepared a document entitled "CEFR analysis for sign languages in the context of Polish sign language" and two exemplary PJM curricula (A1 and A2). As part of the second result, we prepared the document "Introduction to assessment in Polish Sign Language as a foreign language" and an e-learning course on assessment. There were also seminars for teachers of Polish Sign Language and an international scientific conference devoted to the results of the project and the issues of teaching Polish Sign Language.
Over 150 people from over 30 institutions (related to teaching, education, translation, and deaf support) attended the events. Ten leading institutions in PJM teaching have stated that they will incorporate these standards into their PJM teaching practice. At the same time, the project had unexpected results in the form of two initiatives. The first initiative concerns the development of the core curriculum for bilingual teaching of deaf children in special schools. The second, resulting from the needs reported by PJM teachers, participants of dissemination seminars, concerns the preparation of a school for PJM teachers.
The significance of the project has three dimensions. First of all, PJM teachers gained access to materials supporting their work in PJM and, at the same time, realized that the effective use of these materials requires more training meetings. Training institutions have gained access to standards, based on which they can begin to verify their curricula and adjust them to CEFR. Third, other people interested in PJM (teachers, parents, translators) gained knowledge of the importance of introducing standards in PJM teaching.
Summary of bilateral results
The benefits of working with the Communication Center for the deaf and hard of hearing (SHH) are:- getting to know the Icelandic model of teaching Polish sign language- getting acquainted with the rules of keeping an archive of texts in Polish sign language- use of the Centre''s experience in developing the CEFR for Icelandic Sign Language- taking advantage of the Centre''s experience in translating CEFR indicators into Icelandic sign language- getting acquainted with the rules of organizing translation into Icelandic sign language (ordering translators two months in advance, costs, translator qualifications)- getting acquainted with the history of the struggle for recognition of the linguistic rights of deaf people in Iceland- getting acquainted with the legislative solutions related to running the governmental Communication Center for the deaf and hard of hearing (SHH)- development of the concept of further joint projects (the project of an online deaf archive and a project related to the training of sign language teachers)- getting acquainted with the method of teaching Icelandic Sign Language- getting acquainted with the Center''s didactic materials (existing curricula).Cooperation with SHH allowed us to observe how an institution in which the official language of communication is both Icelandic and Icelandic sign language works in practice. At each stage of the work, the participatory process of reaching a consensus was visible. Icelandic partner tended to ensure the participation of deaf sign language teachers in the process of project results development. SHH introduced us to the model of disseminating knowledge in the deaf community. In the first stage, the deaf-hearing team works on the issue in sign language. Then, it is the deaf person who disseminates the knowledge to a group of other deaf people.