Deaf Kids are Seeking Debbie Out to Learn Language

Early this morning there was a tap...tap at my host's door. We curiously looked at each other as to say, "Hmm-mm, I wonder who that could be this early in the morning?" She went to see who was there. I soon heard my host saying something in Bemba but I could not hear a response. Then she stepped back into the room smiling, and said, "You have visitors."  I looked up and two young boys stepped into the room smiling while signing, Mwashibukeni (Good morning.)  Mulishani? (How are you?) I am laughing as I am writing this because that was Sign Language lesson two  and here two days later, they had remembered what was taught to them! 

My two new student found out where I am staying and they sought me out to learn more language. I was pleasantly surprised.  I stopped what I was doing and immediately setup the camera to capture these precious dual moments of teaching and learning. I am still learning Bemba and they are learning Sign Language. Because I had not prepared a lesson plan for them, I had to quickly pull a lesson together on the spot.  I did!

​I pulled out the UNO game that I had been teaching my host to play.  I signed with lots of excitable facial expression as we do in ASL, "YOU, HE, SHE,  ME  TOGETHER PLAY-PLAY GAME! The one little guy eyes became so big and bright with excitement. 
​I first taught the colors in the game and then expanded it to all the colors until they were able to point at different items in the room and our clothing to identify the correct colors. Next we moved onto numbers 0-9 and then to the special cards in the game giving  how to draw two or four cards, reverse, skip, your turn,  my turn and I won! With each round they had to rehearse counting out their seven cards. 

​The game began. We had loads of fun as each person won a round in the game!
Hey! If you know a fun game that I can play with my new students, please leave a comment with game instructions. Thanks!