THE successful implementation of Malaysian Sign Language (BIM) cannot rest solely on teachers and deaf students.
Efforts, says special education teacher Raja Azleen Raja Anuar, must involve the entire school community, including mainstream students, teachers and administrators.
Raja Azleen, who teaches Bahasa Melayu (BM) to students with hearing impairments in the integrated special education programme at SMK Dato’ Ibrahim Yaacob, Kuala Lumpur, cited a school programme as an example of what can make a difference.
“One of the most meaningful experiences for me was when my school implemented a five-minute ‘Jom Belajar Bahasa Isyarat’ slot periodically, where special education teachers and deaf students taught basic signs to the wider school community.
“Mainstream students began greeting deaf peers using sign language and teachers incorporated simple signs into daily interactions,” she said, adding that even basic signs such as “good morning”, “how are you” and “thank you” made deaf students feel valued and accepted as part of the school community.
She said the experience demonstrated that BIM is more than a communication tool, describing it as a bridge that connects relationships between students, teachers and the entire school community.
With wider opportunities expected for mainstream students to learn BIM as an additional language in the 2027 school curriculum, Raja Azleen said schools will require stronger support systems to maximise its impact.
Among the most pressing needs, she said, is teacher training.
“Teachers need more than the ability to sign. They must know how to use BIM effectively in teaching and learning,” she said, adding that adapting lessons to suit individual learning needs is just as important because one of the biggest challenges in BIM education is the varying levels of language proficiency among learners. — JAAYNE JEEVITA
