“I’ve been a sign bilingual teacher for over 10 years, working with SLCO to create a more diversified and inclusive community. I use sign language to co-teach at a secondary school alongside speaking teachers. The classes are made up of a mix of hearing students and deaf students, but all the kids learn to communicate with sign language. Through my work, I learned that deafness is not just a physical obstacle; many deaf children are prone to emotional issues and experience severe isolation, especially if not given the appropriate support and tools to communicate. That’s why I’m so passionate about using sign language education to help deaf children flourish; and to give them the best opportunities possible. Some people wonder why I chose to pursue this path even though I am not deaf myself, but I am a linguist at heart and see sign language as any other language. My hope is to use language to break down barriers and to bridge people. Compassion can be expressed through language; it’s really all about patient communication, understanding and connection.“ 

「我做咗手語雙語導師超過十年喇，希望可以繼續同語橋社資建構一個更加多元同埋共融嘅社會。我會用手語喺中學教書，亦會同口語導師協作教學。我哋班入面有健聽同埋聾嘅同學，佢哋全部都會學手語。喺我嘅工作入面，我認識到聾唔單止係一個生理上嘅障礙，好多聾嘅小朋友會比較容易有情緒問題，會覺得好孤獨，尤其係當佢哋得唔到適當嘅支援，冇方法同外界溝通嘅時候。所以我好想透過手語教育去幫佢哋發展自己，盡可能令佢哋有充分嘅發展機會。有啲人可能會覺得奇怪，點解我明明唔係聾，又會選擇呢個職業。其實我對語言學好有興趣，而手語對我嚟講都係其中一種語言。我最希望用語言去解除人同人之間嘅隔膜，令大家可以有溝通嘅橋樑。同理心可以用語言去表達出嚟，講到尾都係要有耐性咁同人溝通、理解同埋建立連繫。」

“Prior to joining SLCO, I taught secondary school biology for many years. I then went on to study linguistics, which was when I first stumbled upon sign language. I remember attending an orientation dinner packed with people; it was almost impossible to hear what anyone was saying as it was so loud with all the chatter. From the corner of my eye, I saw two people making hand signs at each other from opposite ends of a big dining table; they were having a full, animated conversation with sign language. I was completely mesmerised by this and found it so magical. That was the moment when everything fell into place - I knew I had to learn the language myself. Sign language is so beautiful and vibrant in that it marries body movement and facial expression; it is also fun in that it develops organically in different countries and is influenced by local slang and culture. Fun fact: did you notice that sign interpreters always tend to wear black? It’s so that their hands can be more visible against a dark background!”

“I have always wanted to become a teacher since I was a kid. Perhaps I was influenced and inspired by the many teachers that I had in my family; and also because I’ve always enjoyed interacting with young people. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the kids grow from little toddlers to thriving teenagers and being able to accompany them on their journeys. It has been so fulfilling to be able to support them in their search of their own unique identities, by helping them navigate challenges to uncover talents and build confidence. One of my fully deaf students even went on to become a professional dance performer! You might wonder how she is able to dance without hearing music, but she uses other tools and senses to help her find rhythm and beat - it’s just so beautiful and amazing to witness. In my down time, I love to travel and experience other cultures, and of course attempt to communicate with different languages. I can speak English, Cantonese and Japanese, and am now learning Korean. I just love using language to connect things, places and people!”

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「喺未加入語橋社資之前，我喺中學教咗生物科好多年。之後我去咗進修語言學，就喺嗰時我第一次接觸到手語。我記得嗰陣時我參加咗學系嘅迎新活動，個會場迫滿晒人，幾乎聽唔到身邊嘅人講嘢，因為全場嘅人都喺度傾緊偈。我留意到有兩個人各自喺大圓檯嘅一邊指手劃腳，同對方溝通緊，佢哋用手語嚟咗一場好完整、好生動嘅對答。我當時完全被佢哋吸引住，覺得呢種溝通好奇妙。嗰陣時我嘅方向就變得清晰，我知道我要去學呢個語言。手語係好靚同埋好活潑㗎，因為佢會配合埋肢體動作同埋面部表情。仲有好得意嘅就係，唔同國家嘅手語都有自己嘅特色，會被當地嘅俗語同埋文化所影響。話你聽一個小知識吖，你有冇留意到手語傳譯員通常都係著黑色衫呢？其實咁係為咗令到佢哋隻手喺深色嘅背景前面更加顯眼！」

「由細細個開始我就想成為一個老師。可能係因為我受到好多做老師嘅屋企人啟發同埋影響啦，亦都因為我好鍾意同年青人互動。工作入面最有滿足感就係見到班小朋友由細蚊仔長大變成有活力嘅年青人，而我有機會喺過程中陪伴佢哋。能夠支持佢哋去認識自己嘅獨特個性，引導佢哋去跨越挑戰，去發掘自己嘅才能同埋建立自信，呢個過程係非常之有滿足感㗎。我有一個完全聾嘅學生甚至成為咗一個專業嘅舞蹈表演者添！你可能會好奇佢聽唔到音樂，咁點樣跳舞，但佢就係能夠用其他工具同埋觸覺去感受個節奏同埋拍子，我覺得成件事好美麗同埋好奇妙。喺放假嘅時候，我鍾意去旅行同埋去體驗唔同文化，當然都會嘗試用唔同嘅語言同人溝通啦。我識得講英文、廣東話同埋日文，而家仲學緊韓文。我好鍾意用語言去連繫唔同嘅事物、地方同埋人！」