Mike Freer, Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green, met deaf pupils at Summerside Primary Academy in Finchley on Friday 7 May, in a special virtual visit organised by the National Deaf Children’s Society.
To help the school celebrate Deaf Awareness Week (3-9 May), Mike dropped into the school for an accessible chat with 10 deaf children about their lives, the challenges they face and their hopes for the future. They also discussed how the public can help deaf children by being more deaf-aware.
The pupils were really interested to find out about Mike’s work as an MP, especially about him meeting the Queen. In return, they shared some deaf awareness tips and taught him a few useful signs in British Sign Language.
Mike extended an invitation to the young people to visit him in Parliament and told them he would like to visit the school again in person, when the guidelines permit.
The visit was part of the National Deaf Children’s Society Roadshow team’s forthcoming programme of work with pupils at Summerside Primary Academy. The team will run several workshops at the school, with topics including online safety, emotional health and deaf awareness.
The charity will also give advice to the hearing friends, teachers and parents of deaf children and young people, helping them understand more about deafness and how to communicate in different ways.
Commenting on his visit to Summerside Academy, Mike said:
“It was a pleasure to chat online with the pupils at Summerside Primary Academy School today, as part of Deaf Awareness Week.
“It is incredibly important to raise awareness, help children learn about deafness and teach them how to best communicate with their deaf friends. The Roadshow is a great opportunity for children to learn more about this issue, and I would encourage as many schools to get involved as possible.”
Steven Gardiner, who will help deliver the workshops for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:
“We’re providing workshops in schools across the UK to help empower deaf children and young people and to raise awareness of deafness among their friends, family and teachers.
“Visits like this, even when they’re virtual, have such an impact on the lives of the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and young people and it’s so important when people like Mike Freer take the time to drop in and lend their support.
“We want to reach every deaf child and inspire them to aim high, because with the right support they can do anything.”
Top tips for communicating with deaf children:
1. Speak clearly and naturally, it makes lip reading much easier.
2. Don’t cover your mouth. Covering your mouth with your hands, eating or chewing can make lip-reading very difficult
3. Be visual. Can you point, use gesture, write things down or type sentences on your phone?
4. Never give up and never say “I’ll tell you later”!
