Two deaf school students from Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra, Dublin, are advocating for Irish Sign Language (ISL) to be recognized as a Leaving Certificate exam subject. Ellie Woods and Shane Hamilton feel it is unjust that students can sit exams in a variety of EU languages but not in ISL, despite its official recognition in Ireland as a language.
Shane, a native ISL speaker, emphasizes the importance of being able to take a Leaving Certificate exam in his first language. Both students believe that inclusion of ISL in the exam would not only provide fair opportunities for deaf students but also promote the rich deaf culture intertwined with the language.
The Department of Education has acknowledged the students’ concerns and has committed to developing a curriculum for ISL at primary and post-primary levels. While the process may take time, Ellie and Shane remain hopeful that their advocacy will lead to a positive change that benefits future deaf students.
With approximately 40,000 daily users of ISL, the call for recognizing ISL in the Leaving Certificate is gaining momentum as a step towards inclusivity and equality in education.
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