Sharpening our approach to quality inclusive education
Monday 19 December
Capacity-building training of professionals in the field of deaf education has been the core of the work of Kentalis International Foundation for many years now. All of our projects are geared towards achieving quality inclusive education for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners in the Global South. To increase the impact of what we do, we have sharpened our approach. Below are the three major changes.
Holistic view
Kentalis International Foundation wants to work towards a world where educators have the right knowledge and skills to create an effective learning, social and physical environment for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Teachers are the key changemakers on the road to quality inclusive education. However, looking from a holistic viewpoint, more multipliers and beneficiaries need to be involved. Starting with the parents and the local community, along with engaging local Deaf associations, teacher training colleges, NGOs, and civil society organizations. National actors are equally as important, such as Ministries of Education, Health and Social Affairs as well as universities. Our training programs primarily focus on institutions that provide training for professionals. By working with this broad pallet of partnerships, we increase the impact of our interventions.
Blended offer
We have the ambition to set up blended training programs, which combine online training and on-location sessions. By choosing this approach, we want to reach a larger audience and provide learning in a more efficient and environmentally-friendly manner. The pandemic, and the subsequent restrictions on international travel, have proven the many possibilities of online and blended learning.
Pillars of learning
Our focus on inclusive education will be guided by three pillars: early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education. This is linked to the different needs of a deaf child in each phase, and therefore the skillset an educator is required to have. For example, during early childhood, identification and early language acquisition come first while in primary education all attention is on literacy development.
By channeling our attention into these three pillars, offering blended programs, and working from a holistic standpoint, Kentalis International Foundation aims to set up training packages that impact the complete learning experience of a deaf child. Read more about our pillars here.