Projects
Ishara Foundation's goal is to provide access to higher level of education and literacy to deaf in India. Just after establishing itself in Mumbai, ISHARA took IMMEDIATE steps to start literacy training and several other projects, some of which are listed below:
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English Literacy Classes for Deaf Adults
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Currently, teaching English literacy to young Deaf people is one of the main activities at the Ishara Foundation. All teachers are themselves Deaf and use sign language in the classroom to teach English. They teach using materials developed specifically for the bilingual teaching approach. Materials development is supported by cooperation with the International Centre for Sign Languages and Deaf Studies at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. The literacy project is sponsored by DEEDS, a Mumbai-based charitable trust.
Current English literacy classes at the beginner’s level (Level A) are taught in study centres around Mumbai, in Baroda (Gujarat), and in several schools for the Deaf. Classes are free of cost to at least 25% of all students. In addition, the first intermediate level classes (Level B) are currently underway. For current teaching schedules, and to apply for a seat in one of the courses, please contact our head office or study centre at the Central Railway Institute, Thane.
Currently we have several batches of literacy classes running at Thane. There is also a centre at Charni road, and a NEW venue as also been opened to classes in Mulund. Similar classes are being offered at our study centre in Baroda, Gujarat. Courses normally run for one year, so please contact our office if you would like to enroll to see when and where the next classes will be starting.
Deaf students who have successfully completed the beginner’s level of the English course also now have the opportunity of working as interns at Ishara Foundation. Interns work as tutors for other groups of Deaf people who are starting to learn English from scratch, and they also act as teaching assistants. They are supervised by our experienced teachers and continue to study English at higher levels at the same time. Interns receive a small monthly stipend to cover expenses.
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Materials Development
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The Ishara Foundation is committed to making Indian Sign Language materials of all kinds available to individuals and groups of stakeholders in India. This includes school lessons in sign language, stories, sign language “literature”, and bilingual literacy materials. Materials are available in a variety of mediums including print, video, and interactive applications. Ishara Foundation cooperates with the Netherlands-based Ishara Press for some of its publications.
The first publication intended for school children (My ABC Book) is ready for the printers and is ready for publication, but awaits funding.
Also the first CD of stories in sign language is in the final stages of editing. This CD will be packaged with accompanying sign language and English literacy exercises, instructions on how the CD might be used by teachers in class, and some of the stories will be available in both subtitled and non-subtitled format, so they can be used in schools or by individuals wishing to improve either ISL or English. This video editing for the CD is ready, and now we are working to get the subtitling and teacher aides ready for the finished product.
Should you be interested in obtaining -- OR funding! -- any of these materials, please use the "Contact Us" option at the top of the page.