NEW DELHI: A new English learning initiative tailored for Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners seeks to address longstanding barriers to literacy, education and employment by introducing accessible, visual-first teaching methods supported by Indian Sign Language (ISL). The programme has been developed to strengthen written English skills and workplace communication for learners who often face limited access to inclusive language education.The initiative comes against the backdrop of significant educational challenges for the Deaf community in India. More than five million Deaf people live in the country, yet many students complete years of schooling without acquiring adequate reading and writing skills in English. Nearly 19% of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children also remain out of school, highlighting the need for accessible learning resources and specialised teaching approaches.Focus on visual learning and communication skillsThe programme combines visual learning techniques with ISL-supported instruction to make English learning more accessible. It includes practical grammar lessons, written communication exercises and workplace-oriented language training designed to help learners participate more effectively in education, employment and the digital economy.The curriculum also supports partnerships with educational institutions, teacher training and classroom content development to improve the delivery of English instruction for Deaf learners.Partnerships for school and workplace learningAs part of the initiative, English learning material has been developed for children from kindergarten to Grade 5 in collaboration with C.R. Rangnathan and the Sheila Kothavala Institute for the Deaf. The collaboration also includes training teachers to deliver the curriculum using accessible instructional methods.A separate partnership with KFC India focuses on written English and communication training for Deaf employees, with emphasis on workplace readiness and day-to-day communication skills.Learners highlight confidence gainedParticipants have reported improvements in their confidence while using written English. According to learner feedback shared by the programme, the structured lessons, visual teaching methods and continuous support from trainers have helped improve communication abilities.One learner, Preeti Raj, a 20-year-old hearing-impaired participant from Kerala, said the classes helped improve her confidence in communicating in English and enabled her to express herself more clearly.Expanding access to inclusive English educationThe programme has trained more than 500 Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners so far and aims to extend access to inclusive English education through collaborations with schools, educators and employers. Its long-term objective includes expanding the model internationally, including to the United States, while working towards improving English literacy among one million Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners over the next three years.The initiative has been launched through Atypical Advantage, a livelihood platform for persons with disabilities, under its learning and skilling platform, Atypical Academy, which focuses on accessibility-first education and employment support for persons with disabilities.
