Sign Language Syllabus Designing For Pakistani Learners With Auditory Impairment: A Needs Analysis

Abstract

This study implements the needs analysis model on the current syllabus of Pakistani auditory-impaired students. Two private schools in the Sialkot district have been selected to understand the problems of deaf learners and their needs. No separate syllabus has been designed for disabled students according to their requirements. So, there is a dire need to implement a needs analysis model to highlight the issues of deaf students in their existing syllabus. A mixed-method approach has been used to collect data and check the viability of the results. The quantitative data was gathered by a Point Five Likert scale questionnaire of the sample of 40 teachers. Whereas, qualitative data was collected by focus group interviews of 8 teachers and parents to validate the qualitative results. The findings of the current research have provided different views of teachers, and parents regarding difficulties faced by deaf students. They have also highlighted the weaknesses, lacks, needs, and wants in the given syllabus. The study has observed that teachers have also faced difficulties while teaching deaf students and highlighted the weaknesses of the current syllabus design for auditory-impaired students. Therefore, it is suggested that the need of an hour is to design a special syllabus for deaf learners.