Thabo and Thabang - a story for small children about deafness
This was short story written by Yonela Tyeba to tell her 3-4 year old class. They listened with great interest as they do if teachers are brave enough to make up their own stories - they always sdeem to meet the children exactly where they are.
Also it is a story I wish all people would read - it is simple - desighned for little ones - but gives the problems and solutions to a child born without hearing. Most of us are so unaware of deafness and the complex influence it has on a deaf person. Before I am being accused of being rude - 'Deaf' is what deaf people want to be called - or if the are 'hard of hearing' that is what they want to be called - a spade is a spade! Also there is a Deaf Culture and most deaf people to do not consider themselves to be disabled at all. Sign Language is a real language capable of expressing just as much as any other language and deaf people and live very ordinary, extraordinary and satisfting lives - or just as fulfilling or not as fulfilling as any hearing person...
Thabo and Thabang by Yonela Tyeba
Thabo and Thabang both lived with their Granny. They were twins but Thabo had a hearing problem. He couldn’t hear any sound and he was very young so their Granny didn’t know that Thabo couldn’t hear.
Granny would talk to Thabang and as he was a good boy he would listen to Granny and do as she said. But when Granny talked to Thabo he couldn’t hear her and would never do anything she told him to do. So Granny would get angry because Thabo did not listen. Granny just thought that Thabo was just a naughty boy who would not listen.
But then their neighbour noticed that Thabo did not seem to hear and told Granny to take Thabo to the clinic. Thabo was helped by the nurses, the doctors and the audiologists who help people who can’t hear.
He was sent to a school for deaf children where he learnt Sign Language. Granny and Thabang also learnt Sign Language and then everyone could understand each other and Granny did not get cross with Thabo all the time anymore.
So they all lived happily ever after.