Fulton pupils explore their imagination
A Cape Town-based company empowered pupils at Fulton School for the Deaf with their exciting programmes.
A GROUND-breaking theatre company that works in the field of visual theatre conducted a stimulating project at Fulton School for the Deaf.
Jayne Batzofin from FTH:K (From the Hip: Khulumakahle) said, “Without a dependency on any one language, our programmes cross over cultural and linguistic divides and call on audiences to ‘listen with your eyes’. Our non-verbal, visual theatre also integrates deaf and hearing artists, audiences and teachers. Their aim of bringing together the deaf and hearing is best illustrated through their unique Tell-Tale Signs programme, which has trained, inspired and fascinated deaf and hearing communities around the world since the company’s inception.”
The Cape Town-based company visited the school as part of its month-long national school tours programme. The school was selected for a three-day residency programme.
“The first day we held a play session to unpack the pupils’ imaginations around particular objects they would see in the show the following day. The second day we performed the show for the pupils, and allowed it to sit with them overnight. On the third day, we held a second play session and asked pupils about what they saw and experienced the day before.
“The show is unique because it is done in South African Sign Language (SASL), so the children are presented with a show in their mother tongue language. The show is also created solely for foundation phase pupils as it is a very important period in their signing literacy and development. The play sessions then allowed the pupils to express themselves in SASL, which is a very pivotal platform in developing a child’s confidence and ability to understand their own likes and dislikes.”
