Training in Rwanda on Sign Language Assessment Tool for Deaf Children
Thursday 05 June
In 2024, Kentalis International Foundation launched a multi-year research initiative in Kenya, Rwanda, and Malawi. Its goal is to explore whether a sign language-rich environment in early childhood can improve school readiness for deaf children. As part of this effort, a training week was recently held in Kigali, Rwanda.
The project, Scaling Inclusive Early Learning for Deaf Children, is carried out in close collaboration with our local partner organization eKitabu, which operates in Kenya, Rwanda and Malawi. Together, the teams are training educators, deploying research tools, and actively involving parents. The first training sessions took place in Kenya in November 2024, where Kentalis experts trained eKitabu staff in delivering parent awareness sessions – sessions that also included parents of deaf children themselves.
Last month, a second training mission took place in Rwanda. Project manager Eva Geneste, along with experts Daan Hermans and Wieneke Derks-Eggermont, led the training in its capital Kigali. Their focus: implementing the Sign Language Assessment (SLA) tool, a key component of the project. This innovative tool measures the sign language proficiency of young deaf children and provides a foundation for evaluating the impact of early interventions.
Originally developed in Kenya in 2023, the SLA tool has now been adapted for use in Rwanda and Malawi. It has been digitized with engaging video content and translated into the local sign languages of all three countries. In Rwanda, eKitabu is using the tool not only for data collection within this research project; they also train teachers to use the tool to assess the sign language level of their deaf students (the original purpose of the tool) and to evaluate the effectiveness of their own instruction.
"The involvement of our Rwandan colleagues – eight out of ten of whom are deaf – was deeply inspiring," says Wieneke. "Their dedication to the children they work with is remarkable."
In addition, a powerful train-the-trainer effect was noted. "The local eKitabu team quickly took ownership of the tool. Within days, they were independently training teaching assistants and conducting assessments."
Looking ahead, the Kentalis International Foundation team will travel to Malawi later this month to continue the rollout. The goal is to ensure that all three countries have both a culturally adapted assessment tool and a network of trained local professionals.