Publicity

Prof. Gladys Tang Receives the Hong Kong Humanity Award 2013

Date: 25/05/2013

Prof. Gladys Tang, Director of the Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies at CUHK, was presented the Hong Kong Humanity Award 2013 co-organized by the Hong Kong Red Cross and Radio Television Hong Kong on 25 May, 2013. The award’s aim is to recognize the role models who live up and put into practice the spirit of humanity. Prof. Gladys Tang has been conducting linguistic research on Hong Kong Sign Language and deaf children’s acquisition of signed language and spoken language since the 1990s. She notices that the general misconceptions about signed language in society has undermined the importance of using this language in educating deaf students; therefore, deaf people have been denied equal opportunities for education and employment. Prof. Tang determines to improve deaf students’ opportunities for higher education by introducing the sign bilingual approach in their education, i.e. being taught in signed language. Prof. Tang said, ‘The award does not belong to me only. It belongs to every member of the Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies at CUHK. Without them, I will not be able to appreciate the rich and unique linguistic properties of sign languages. It is my hope that the Hong Kong Humanity Award will raise the society’s awareness that language, whether signed or spoken, will have an effect on deaf people’s personal development and cultivation of self-value.” She also hopes that tertiary institutions in Hong Kong can work together in identifying affirmative measures to support deaf people to receive higher education.

Full Press Release (http://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/press_detail.php?1=1&1=1&id=1565)