LETTERS: Some people are wondering if sign language should be taught in schools.
I'm referring to a discussion among Netizens due to a heartwarming video from @nabilanazrol on TikTok regarding him using sign language to communicate with his parents.
Netizens commented on how we should use sign language to accommodate the deaf and mute in schools.
In Malaysia, we use Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM).
Although there are some schools for specialised kids, they are in the minority.
So Netizens discussed how sign language should be applied and taught in schools.
Learning BIM could nurture friendships and bridge communication gaps, especially for kids with additional needs, making socialisation smoother and more enjoyable.
It helps them feel included.
When BIM is integrated into the curriculum, it encourages diversity and prepares students for a society that embraces information in various forms.
For people who can hear and talk, we should be grateful and make their lives easier and make them feel seen.
"To be loved is to be seen," they say.
Learning sign language promotes inclusion and accessibility.
Then, taking the time to learn sign language encourages people to embrace deafness and its culture.
Moreover, Soda (siblings of deaf adults) and Coda (children of the deaf community) have a unique place in the deaf community as they act as bridge between the deaf and hearing worlds.
It can open doors to jobs since we have companies that need someone who knows sign language to deal with clients.
Adopting another language can expand our careers, such as in education, interpreting, social work and counselling.
Learning sign language provides an insight into the deaf culture and community.
It enables us to value variety, challenge preconceptions and foster connections between diverse languages and cultural groups.
Let's unite to make the world more accessible and comfortable for those in need as it is an ugly feeling to be cast aside like a different species just because they don't function like normal human beings.
NAOMI ALEA
City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times