Organizer:
Sister Ngo Thi Mai Anh
Deputy Director
Tel: 0650-755587
Fax: 0650 753007
e-mail: mariemaianh@hcm.vnn.vn
Education and Training center for
teachers and hearing impaired children		   Address:
B34 Khu Pho Binh Duc
Lai Thieu town
Binh Duong Province
Vietnam
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The History of Thuan An Center

  1. History:

    Before the center was recently changed to the ‘Thuan An Center’, the people living around the center, knew this center as the Lai Thieu School. This center has been established for well over 100 years, caring and giving education to those whom are deaf and dumb.

    2. Thuan An center
    		The center was established in 1886 by Fr. Azemar (alias Fr. Luc), who came from Paris, France. In 1866, Fr. Azemar became the priest of the Lai Thieu parish. By then, he had gathered five children with disabilities (deafness and or dumbness). He taught them language and morality. In 1880, he sent Nguyen Van Truong (who also suffered deafness and dumbness) to France to learn about sign language. When Truong came back with the required knowledge in 1886, Fr. Azemar declared the establishment of the center/school.

    • In 1903, the school had changed over to the sisters of the St. Paul convent. They ran the school from until 1975.
    • From 1975, the school became a public school. The Social Security Department from then onwards ran the school.
    • In July 1995, the school was run by the Educational Department.
    • In July 1997, the school became apart of the National University of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
    • In October 1999, the school became a part of Pedagogy University.

    Number of Students:
    From when the school has been established to now the list of number of students who have attended are as followed:

    • 1866-1903:    5 - 20 students
    • 1903-1904:   30 students
    • 1934-1937:   70 students
    • 1937-1947: 140 students
    • 1947-1957: 250 students
    • 1957-1967: 360 students
    • 1967-1968: 380 students
    • 1968-1969: 441 students
    • 1969-1970: 470 students
    • 1970-1971: 510 students
    • 1971-1972: 550 students
    • 1972-1973: 600 students
    • 1975-1989: 200 students
    • 1990-1991: 220 students
    • 1991-1992: 260 students
    • 1992-1993: 280 students
    • 1994-1995: 290 students
    • 1995-1996: 291 students
    • 1996-1997: 300 students
    • 1997-1998: 310 students
    • 1998-1999: 298 students
    • 1999-2000: 298 students
    • 2000-2001: 300 students
    • 2001-2002: 300 students (including staff)

    Address:
    B 43 Binh Duc Area, Lai Thieu Town Thuan An district, Binh Duong Province - Vietnam
    Tel/Fax: 84 650 743007- 0650 755587
    email: mariemaianh@hcm.vnn.vn
    Area: 16,000m²
    Area Used: 5,000m²

  2. Purpose and Activity:


    3. This is a center, which teaches and graduates teachers. It is also a boarding school, which takes care and educates deaf and dumb children.
    The standard of knowledge:
    This center educates these children with a basic standard foundation of primary school. The center also gives the children the knowledge to communicate with society.
    Careers:
    Gives the children the basic knowledge to sew, embroidery, carpentry. This gives them the skills to become independent in life.
    Graduate:
    From 1994, this center with an Institute Binh Duong and Pedagogy University of HCM city united together to graduate teachers. For special schools (for those with disabilities) in provinces in Central Vietnam and South Vietnam.
    • 1994-1996: 27 teachers.
    • 1996-1999: 31 teachers.
    • 1998-2001: 34 teachers.
    • 2000-2003: 50 teachers.

  3. Organise:

    4. Thuan An center (for handicapped children) consists of three main departments: Administration Department, Education Department, Training Department.
    Administration Department includes:
    Head department, assistance head department, secretary, accounting, personal office and supply store.
    Governmental laws are operating this organization.
    Education Department includes:
    Head department, assistance head department and thirty-four teachers which graduated from University, College and High school.
    The education program has been compiled over several generations based on the same program of primary school.
    Educational Method:
    The organization has been using the following methods:

    • Sign Language Method (1886-1936):
      After being trained at Rodez (France) using simple sign language. Mr. Truong has taught for the school of using sign language as a communication between teachers and students. Up until 1936, two sisters (nuns) Monica and Simon went abroad to study at Nogent Le Poteou using the Belge method i.e. Using sign language combined with writing letters.
    • Mixture Method :
      Sister Marie, after three years abroading at France, came back home with direct method. Priority of this method was education precose, hearing aids, equipment, see and touch method, excursion to help children speak out. However, in that time the technique of the Hearing aid was in a research stage in Vietnam. This teaching method is similar to correct pronunciation due to the position of your lips or your lips movement.

    • Hearing, speaking method:
      (1990) from 1989, the conception of spoken words, to impact into Vietnam by representative of Holland commission II. In this time the center sent two sisters Ngo Thi Mai Anh and Lidwina Le Thi Hue to France to attend a training course for deaf of the Blind and Deaf National Association in Paris (FISAC), also the center sent Miss Thuy Nguyen and sister Theresa to attend the training course by Holland commission II organization. With the improvement of Science on hearing aids, the new method in the education way was created. The point of view about teaching completely changed. To copy the way of human speaking they realized the importance of hearing. Therefore the children would wear the hearing aids when they learned the loss of hearing early. There was training for guardians on how to communicate with deaf children during the time of the progress language (from 0 to two years old). This was a very important step.
      From the early year of 1990, this center tried to teach with the above method. However, after the period of practice and research, this center realized this method only got the best result when gathered to find out the deaf, early (0-2 years old), the sufficient support of equipments, technique, company of parents, environment etc.
      From there, this center has two ways:
      The mixture communication:
      used for the children at an older age, not used within the early program
      The using communication language:
      used within the early program for the children. As well as the children whom attend to school early.

  4. Formations:

    5. This education center has been established for a long time, managed by the Social Security Department. The social Security Department duties include: producing social workers and teachers. From 1994, with the support of Caritas and the teaching of the college in Binh Duong, the center opened these training courses. The teaching course following produced graduated teachers:
    • 1994-1996: 27 graduated teachers.
    • 1996-1999: 31 graduated teachers.
    • 1998-2001: 34 graduated teachers.
    • 2000-2003: 50 graduated teachers

  5. Training Section: :

    6. Including Head Department and ten teachers. The training includes learning to draw, embroidery, sewing and carpentry. At grade three, where students have a basic foundation (read, write and calculate) they have the ability to learn to draw, embroid, sew or carpentry. When they finish primary school they have the knowledge and skill to help and assist them with their future careers. They can develop this knowledge and ability with the support of their family members. Most of the students can make a living with the extra knowledge they have learnt.

* This organization hopes to have support from individuals, and groups nationally and internationally. With your help the center will have the means to fund education and social security to handicapped children.