White boards revolutionise school’s teaching

A PROGRESSIVE primary school which teaches all of its 600 pupils sign language as part of the daily curriculum says the new technology it initially began using with its 20 deaf pupils two years ago has totally revolutionised the way the entire school learns.

The investment in classroom technology has also boosted reading standards and helped deaf children integrate better into mainstream classrooms, assisting them in learning alongside hearing pupils.

St Columba’s Girls National School in Douglas, Cork, has a facility for deaf children and bought its first interactive white-board in 2006. Today, it has 10 boards in use across its three classes for deaf and seven mainstream classes. The impact has been such that the all girls’ school is fundraising to buy 13 more boards and kit out all of its classrooms with the 21st century technology.