YES alumna Narintorn “Naida” Kaweeket (YES 2011-2012, Thailand, hosted by AFS-USA in Palmyra, NY), along with her YES alumni teammates from their E-Deaf: Education for the Deaf project, was recently highlighted as “Alumni in Action” on the State Department’s International Exchange Alumni Thailand Facebook page! Many Thai people are practicing social distancing to avoid spreading the COVID-19 virus, including observing stay-at-home guidelines. To fight boredom and anxiety amidst this crisis, Narintorn, together with her teammates, have invited volunteer teachers and students who have participated in the program to share the activities during this challenging time. The team is also putting out information for the deaf community about COVID-19 and providing useful sign language for the public to communicate with people who are deaf.

Education for the Deaf is an ongoing project organized and implemented by YES alumni and supported by the US Embassy Bangkok. The program brings together volunteers, teachers and Ministry of Education staff to provide in-class and extracurricular activities supporting students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The program aims to promote self-confidence and self-awareness among students who are deaf; build good cooperation between students, parents, schoolteachers, and volunteers; and provide a learning space dedicated to deaf students.

Previously, the E-deaf project team had conducted a ten-week training workshop to provide best practices and a collaboration space for 31 volunteer teachers to prepare lesson plans and other project materials. Officers from the Thai Ministry of Education conducted sessions on deaf culture and sign language.  Participants had a chance to design lesson plans and take part in role-playing exercises to help them engage more effectively with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

For more information, visit E-Deaf: Education for the Deaf on Facebook

#AccessForAll #ADA30