We love to find out more about the lives of all our pupils who attend Doncaster School for the Deaf. Here, Keira Burnett who is in Y9, gives us an insight into her experiences so far.
My name is Keira and I am 14 years old. I live in Barnsley with my mum, sister and brother.
I have been a pupil at Doncaster School for the Deaf since I started at the nursery so it’s been a long time! This has been lovely for me as it’s meant I haven’t needed to attend any other school, so I really feel part of the family here.
I was born Deaf but I’m from a hearing family so I’m the only person in my family who is Deaf. This means I have to get on with living in the hearing world by speaking and chatting with others as much as I can. I try to lip read some words, although I don’t fully lip read just catch different words wherever I can, but I feel I belong in the hearing world as much as the Deaf community because out of school I’m always with hearing people so I do have to adapt and find ways to communicate as best I can.
The best thing about being at Doncaster School for the Deaf is being with my friends. I have great communication with everybody, and I can get along with the staff and the teachers easily. Everyone uses British Sign Language (BSL) to teach me and there’s support with one-to-one work when needed. It’s all very visual, such as using whiteboards, and that helps me with my learning.
I also enjoy being at school because I am around people who are deaf as everyone can understand me. They all use BSL which is my first language and I can sign with everybody which is great in helping me make new friends.
Outside of school, I like football, the arts and playing sports. As I am Deaf, I can show other Deaf people what is like as you get older and that you can do anything like anyone else.
I am also an influencer on social media, so it means that I post things and say things of interest to me and others, I try to impact people positively and share insights about the Deaf world.
It’s really important to me to show that Deaf people can do anything they want to, the same as hearing people.
I hope in the future that there will be more awareness and teaching of BSL for hearing people which, in turn, will help raise the profile of deaf awareness more widely.
I’d like to become a teacher in the future and teach Deaf children in the UK or in different countries as well, so I have lots of exciting plans ahead of me.