Carel du Toit, Gauteng Where deaf Children Learn to Speak
Mission Statement
Our mission is to teach hearing impaired children to listen and speak using a natural approach to language acquisition, through the optimal use of the auditory modality and the utilization of auditory-verbal principles: We believe that hearing-impaired children have the same potential as their normal hearing peers to acquire functional spoken language.
Executive Summary
The Carel du Toit Centre provides a service that makes it possible for deaf children to acquire normal language and speech abilities required for normal intellectual development, mainstream education in ordinary schools and integration in a hearing society where they can eventually compete in the open labour market.
The hearing-impaired child must be continually exposed to listening opportunities through the use of two appropriate hearing aids and/or a cochlear implant. A similar environment must be created for hearing impaired children, as for normal hearing children, where the child can acquire language through natural experiences and interaction. The language rich environment leads the child to linguistic competence and the process continues into the school years. It is a way of life.
Success is achieved by using a team approach, the parents of the child being the most important participants. Parents need to be involved and guided as how to reinforce the principles of the program in the home environment.
30th August 2006, was an awesome morning and one which I will not ever forget. To see the children’s faces and responses to the closed box with only a ribbon tied around it, gave them no clue as to what was inside.
Jana – Daughter of Thea our Projects Manager had her 2nd Cochlear implant operation in February 2006 and everyone anxiously awaited her ‘SWITCH ON DAY’ on the 2nd of March (About 4 weeks after the operation).
25 Gauteng volunteers from Nedbank, Signorama, Penguin Books and the public helped out on Do It Day at the Carel du Toit Trust centre, where hearing impaired children learn to speak, to give their kids’ play area a face lift.
On behalf of the children and teachers of the “Carel du Toit Centre” I would like to acknowledge receipt of and to thank you for the donation of suitable lockable book cupboards, through the GreaterGoodSA “Donate a Book” Project. To have a safe place to store the books will ensure that the books last for many years to come.
On behalf of the children of the “Carel du Toit Centre” we would like to acknowledge receipt and to thank you for your donation through the GreaterGoodSA “Donate a Book” campaign which started on World Book Day in April 2006 and culminating on Literacy day in September 2006. The books were supplied by Biblionef and they are suitable for the children who range in age from 18 months to 7 years old.
Jana was fortunate to go on a trip to Cape Town by plane 4 weeks ago. Her first trip since her second Cochlear implant, yes she is one of the fortunate children to have been a candidate for a second Cochlear Implant.
On behalf of all the deaf children, staff and parents of the “Carel du Toit Centre” we would like to acknowledge receipt and to thank GreaterGood South Africa Trust for donations collected on the website in support of the projects for the deaf children at the Carel du Toit Centre in Pretoria, Gauteng.
