Communication is one of the basic needs of any person in society. While freelance videographer and tutor Tan Keng Ying knows the frustration of being deaf and partially blind (in her left eye) in a world geared for the seeing and hearing, she has been able to forge her own path.
Her early life
Born deaf, she attended a church-based kindergarten for deaf children before entering Singapore School for the Deaf (SSDeaf). Organisational changes in SSDeaf reflects the changes in teaching philosophy for deaf children in Singapore. In 1963, SSDeaf was created by merging the Singapore Chinese Sign School and the Oral School for the Deaf. The move was not only due to the decline in students in each school but also to promote new educational philosophies of Total Communication and bi-lingual and bi-cultural education.
The school adopted in 1977 the Total Communication approach as a medium of communication and instruction in the school. This approach uses a variety of signed, oral, auditory, written and visual aids according to the needs and abilities of each child. Since 2014, the school teaches Singapore Sign Language as the first language and English as the second, with the support of the Ministry of Education.
“My deaf school was so good that I had total communication in both oral and sign language when I was 12 years old. Since I learned first with oral communication, this helped me understand the language.”
As with most special schools in Singapore, SSDeaf only teaches up to the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) level. Afterwards, students are assessed and mainstreamed into government secondary schools. Keng Ying attended Dunman Secondary School with little difficulty and with only the help of a teacher to help with some homework after class.
Studying in a mainstream school helped Keng Ying pursue her interests in computer science, eventually continuing her education in the US. In 1991, she started a degree in computer information systems and business administration at Gallaudet University, Washington DC.
Being born profoundly deaf, Keng Ying is unable to hear any sound at all. As the only deaf member of her family, this fact is sometimes overlooked by her family members.
“My childhood was happy and carefree, though I was frustrated with a little difficult to communicate with my family members. They treated me well, though I was left out when eating with them if they talked to each other.”
However, she credits her family with helping her navigate the world. “When I was young, I learned from my family members to overcome obstacles when going somewhere like the bank, when travelling, or shopping,” she said.
“For example, when I bought an ice-cream, I calculated the right amount of money in the presence of a family member. With my mother’s [guidance], I learned how to save money for my future, when my new bank account was opened.”
Currently a mathematics tutor to a deaf student, Keng Ying spent 12 years living in the US before moving back to Singapore in 2003. She took the opportunity while living there to explore her love of history, visiting places of historical interest on a roadtrip through the northeastern US.
Traveling on her own made her realise her passion for travel photography and film-making. She currently works as a freelance photographer and videographer, a change from her field of study. “My life goal is to change my career path and to live on through the change of times. One of my greatest accomplishments has been to take initiative with my work,” she said.
“My life goes go on with a positive attitude.”
This article is a part of our #AbleFamilies campaign in Singapore. Stay tuned for real life stories, advice and experiences from people who believe in and represent the potential of all kids. By now empowering the thousands of kids with disabilities in Singapore and supporting their parents and caregivers, we strengthen the next generation of citizens to promote a more inclusive Singapore.
