February 2014 Monthly Achievement Report

February saw the beginning of a new chapter for GVI Luang Prabang, as we began working with students who have hearing impairment and / or intellectual impairment at the School for the Deaf (SFD). This new environment provided a unique set of challenges, forcing us to rethink our teaching practices so as to best meet the specific needs of the students.

Our time at SFD has reiterated the importance of the unique skill set that each volunteer brings to the program. We were lucky enough to have two wonderful interns working at SFD, one with a background in signing, who have both been able to help establish best practice as we developed methods for working with students with disabilities. The passion, enthusiasm and patience that each volunteer has brought to the program have ensured the delivery of high quality lessons, the creation of invaluable resources and made for a very promising start to GVI’s involvement with SFD.

As well as confronting the difficulties inherit in working with students who have a hearing impairment, GVI has begun implementing inclusive practices aimed at meeting the educational requirements of the school’s high need students . This development culminated in the creation of Individual Education Plans for two students with intellectual impairment. The innovation was an immediate success, allowing GVI volunteers to structure their teaching in a manner that tailored the curriculum to the specific needs of the students; an important step in bringing modern and inclusive teaching techniques to a community where education for people with disabilities is still in its infancy.

The success of GVI’s first month at SFD is something to be proud of. The positivity and desire to learn shown by the students has been matched at every step by the dedication of our volunteers, and we look forward to its continued growth.

To find out more please visit our Twitter Page @GVILuangPrabang or find us on Facebook at GVI Luang Prabang.

Written by Patrick Rose, GVI Field Staff

February 2014 Monthly Achievement Report