As a person born deaf, teacher Pham Anh Duy, the current Director of the Center for Language Development and Education for Deaf Children C5 (Dai Mo Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, Ha Noi), has never found it easy on the road to knowledge. Having gone through many challenging years of study, he understands well the obstacles one must face. However, the desire to learn, integrate, and confidently stand in the community without feeling different became his greatest motivation, pushing him to pursue a path as a teacher for hearing-impaired students.
In 2019, Duy began teaching at the center, with 49 students across six classes, where all teachers were deaf and used sign language exclusively in their teaching. "The most special thing in this learning environment is the unimpeded connection between teachers and students. We communicate through our eyes and hands. Being deaf, we understand each other, and it is easy to share thoughts and feelings naturally, without hesitation or inferiority. I want the students to learn more, to live up to their abilities and dreams," shared teacher Duy.
Phan Thanh Son began attending the Center for Language Development and Education for Deaf Children C5 in 2021. On the first day, he did not know how to read or write, and everything was very new. However, after just six to eight months, Son could read, write, and absorb lessons quickly. This remarkable progress surprised and moved his family. From a quiet and shy boy, Son gradually gained confidence in expressing himself. "Our teachers are like our second parents. I want to continue studying, go further, and become a teacher to tell the story of willpower, aspirations, and about things that seemed impossible but have become a reality," Son shared.
On the journey of sowing the seeds of knowledge, each step forward of the students is a priceless gift for the teachers. Currently, the biggest difficulty for the center is its limited facilities and tight financial resources, which are hard to meet as the number of students increases. Tong Thi Nga, the center's manager, shared: "Our greatest hope is to have a larger space so we can open more classes, organize extracurricular activities, and create a healthy living space for students to have the opportunity to develop comprehensively."
During a recent visit to two specialized schools in Ha Noi, namely Nguyen Dinh Chieu Secondary School and Xa Dan Secondary School, Party General Secretary To Lam affirmed that caring for disabled children is a political responsibility, a humanitarian commitment, and also a measure of the country's civilization and progress. It reflects social fairness, ensuring that no one is left behind, focusing on investing in profound human values and comprehensive development.
With 70% of students classified as disabled, most of whom are hearing-impaired, Xa Dan Secondary School always places love as the foundation of all its educational activities. The school builds a humanistic learning environment where every student has the opportunity to develop, learn, and grow.
"Hearing-impaired students with severe cases are taught separately in specialized classes. There, communication between teachers and students is mainly through sign language. Mildly hearing-impaired students, who can hear, learn with normal students in integrated classes. The school also pays special attention to the policies for disabled students. They benefit from state support and receive encouragement from the school to strive for good learning and positive living," said Pham Van Hoan, Principal of Xa Dan Secondary School.
Having spent 37 years with Xa Dan Secondary School, teaching many generations of hearing-impaired students, teacher Do Minh Tien views it as a journey of love, perseverance, and hope. Sign language is the language students use to express their emotions, thoughts, and connect with the world around them. The love and desire to get closer to and understand the students motivated him to start a self-learning journey, discovering sign language from the students and the deaf community. For teacher Tien, this is a silent language but one full of warmth.
He shared, "Vietnamese is very rich, with many words having multiple meanings and abstract concepts. To help the students fully understand the meaning of a word, I often give many examples and explain them in various ways. The students have made tremendous efforts in both learning and life, and it is this hard work and perseverance that makes their achievements so valuable. Every step forward is one of great pride, motivation for them to continue striving, for their families to have more trust. That is their future preparation, helping each of them confidently integrate into the community, live equally, and fully."
For teacher Tien and his colleagues who quietly dedicate themselves, they not only teach knowledge but also serve as the "eyes," "ears," and solid support for disabled students to overcome any barriers they face. Behind these efforts is the support of the Party, State, and the whole society, helping disabled students with love and responsibility so they can live in an atmosphere of sharing, respect, and equal development.
