1950s
Here is a list of Singapore newspaper articles from 1950 to 1959 that have been coded and analysed.
Newspaper Articles
First school for chinese mutes. (1951, December 7). The Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19511207-1.2.99
Themes
Codes:
deficit lens
ableism and audism
othering
Thematic Analysis
The word “mutes” is outdated as it means someone who does not speak. Historically, it was often used interchangeably with “deaf.”
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creates the false impression that deaf people are incapable of language or communication.
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many deaf people communicate fluently through sign language, writing, speech or a combination of methods.
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title defines the group by what they are assumed as lacking (speech) instead of the characteristics they possess.
Unlike many newspaper articles....
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the story centres deaf leadership.
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identifies Mr Peng Tsu Ying and Miss Ho Mei Soo as the founders of the initiative instead of as beneficiaries.
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portrayed as trained professionals who possess specialised expertise in deaf education.
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Verbs such as “planning”, “propose”, “hope” and “explained” position them as people who are directing the project.
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significant because disability reporting in this era typically depicts disabled people as passive recipients of care.
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focus on access to education rather than a charity view.
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discusses school registration, curriculum, enrolment, hostel facilities, expansion and teacher qualification.
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Shows institutional planning instead of charitable assistance.
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There is the absence of familiar charity tropes such as:
no "poor unfortunate children"
No emotional stories
No calls for public sympathy
No miracle stories
No “overcoming disability”
No cure narrative
No rehabilitation narrative
No medical experts
No pity
No fundraising appeal
No portrayal of deaf people as dependent.
Deficit language
The article uses “deaf and dumb”.
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Although “dumb” in this context means unable to speak.
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offensive because it equates deafness with an inability to think or communicate.
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reinforces a deficit identity, defining individuals primarily by impairment and lack instead of language, culture or profession.
Subtle ableism and audism
“...but deaf and dumb, but qualified to teach…” The conjunction “but” implies an element of surprise that they can teach.
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underlying assumption about deaf people’s abilities or their ability to possess qualifications.
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their competence is presented as exceptional rather than typical on par with hearing people.
Their school is silent. (1954, October 5). The Singapore Free Press, p. 5. Retrieved from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/freepress19541005-1.2.42
Themes
Codes:
ableism and audism
stereotypes
medical model
deficit language
social model
inspiration porn
benevolence porn/charity model/paternalism
hearing lens
exceptionalism
Thematic Analysis
Ableism and audism - deafness is framed as a deficiency or limitation against hearing ability as the norm.
Examples:
“For these 35 deaf pupils there is hope.”
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This implies that deaf children are initially hopeless until there is intervention. This suggests that their value comes from being closer to hearing society.
“Living in a world devoid of sound” - frames deaf people’s lives primarily through what they lack and centres the ability to hear as the standard.
“Some sort of education might enhance the chances of employment” - This assumes deaf children require special intervention before they can become productive citizens. The ability to gain employment hints that disability can be “overcome”.
“Well behaved” - although this is not directly about deafness, disabled children are often praised for obedience instead of intellect or their talents. This reflects a paternalistic trope.
Examples:
“Their school is silent” - the title and repeated emphasis on silence immediately defines the school by what it is lacking. Instead of saying “The school uses sign language”, the article says “Their school is silent”.
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promotes stereotypes of deaf people as silent when in reality they may not be.
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just that the hearing majority doesn’t know sign language.
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suggests that silence is unusual in hearing culture. Silence is something noteworthy and hearing is the norm.
From a deaf cultural perspective, the school is not “silent”.
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visually communicative through signing, facial expressions, movement, tapping, laughter and signed conversations.
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reflects a hearing person’s perspective on the deaf community.
“There is a similar school in Penang, but instruction is done orally.”
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presents oral education almost as a benchmark for effectiveness.
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shows the historical preference for oralism over sign language.
Medical model of disability
“Born deaf”, “afflicted later”, “overdose of drugs”, “some are dumb as well”.
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The article focuses on impairment, diagnosis, cause, and age of onset instead of social barriers.
Deficit language
Several words frame deafness negatively such as:
Devoid
Afflicted
Dumb
Hope
Only one of its kind
Enhance chances
Oral education only effective for deaf children under seven
These words emphasise lack, deficiency or limitation.
Dumb - this term is considered offensive now.
Historically “deaf and dumb” meant unable to speak. But the phrase also has other meanings such as unintelligent, incapable, helpless. Many deaf people can speak to different extents and speech ability is not related to intelligence.
Social model
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school is providing education, bilingual teaching, boarding, trained deaf teachers.
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resources that create accessible environments for deaf children to learn.
For example “a qualified instructor and his wife who are also both deaf".
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counters the stereotype or assumptions of deaf people’s abilities - the assumption that deaf adults cannot become professionals. However, the article never explicitly says that exclusion or discrimination, not deafness, is the primary barrier.
Inspiration porn - indirect
“Although living in a world devoid of sound, the children are a happy and cheerful lot”.
This suggests that “They have every reason to be miserable…yet they are cheerful.”
The emphasis is not on who they are but on how surprising their happiness is.
The words “hope” and “promising student”. The children become examples of overcoming disability instead of ordinary students.
Benevolence porn/charity model/paternalism
Strong charity discourse.
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Much of the space is allocated to benefactors. Examples are Chinese merchants, sympathetic local Chinese educationalists, education department officials and visiting dignitaries.
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They speak for deaf children.
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The narrative is along the lines of kind hearing adults rescued unfortunate deaf children. The deaf children are not given a voice at all and are passive recipients. Hearing people are defining and deciding what they need.
Stereotype
“Silent” a stereotype. The word silent is particularly interesting.
Many meanings:
The literal meaning - deaf schools may have less vocal noise according to the standards of hearing people. But they are not actually silent. They contain “visual” noise such as signing, laughter, movement, desks, games, footsteps, tapping, and the occasional sound of ping pong play.
Historically, “silent” has often symbolised isolation, loneliness, absence and tragedy.
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stereotype that deaf people live in a quiet, empty world. Deaf spaces are highly visual rather than silent.
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“silent” functions not only as a descriptive term but also as an example of audist framing that privileges hearing as the normative way of experiencing and communicating in the world.
Hearing lens- the description in the article comes from the hearing observers. The school is silent to hearing people because communication is visual. From inside deaf culture, it would be signing, visual communication and shared language. Not silence.
Exceptionalism
The article emphasises rarity such as:
-only one of its kind
-believed to be the only one
-qualified deaf teachers
-most promising student
This implies deaf education is exceptional instead of something society should routinely provide.
Deaf and dumb society formed. (1955, August 27). Singapore Standard, p. 8. Retrieved from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singstandard19550827-1.2.130
Themes
Codes:
care and welfare for people with disabilities
education as empowerment
community responsibility
changing public attitudes
collaboration between government and civil society
social progress
charity model
medical model
ableism and audism
social model of disability
discrimination
rights-based approach
paternalism
Thematic Analysis
The language used in the article, particularly the phrase “deaf and dumb” and descriptions such as “these unfortunate people” reflects the attitudes of the 1950s.
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Today, these terms are generally considered outdated or offensive.
Overall, the article’s key themes are disability welfare, education, community service, social inclusion, changing public attitudes, and cooperation between government and voluntary organisations.
This article has important social and historical themes which include:
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Care and welfare for people with disabilities - the focus is improving the lives of deaf people
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Education as empowerment - The announcement of a new school shows the belief that education is essential for helping disabled people develop skills and participate more fully in society. Establishing a school shows increasing recognition of their educational needs.
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Community responsibility - Mr Lim Yew Hock argues that caring for disabled people should not be the government’s responsibility alone. The formation of the society and the involvement of voluntary organisations highlight the importance of community participation.
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Changing Public Attitudes - A major theme is the need to overcome prejudice and ignorance. There is emphasis on educating the public so that people with disabilities receive their “proper status in the community,” suggesting a shift toward greater acceptance and inclusion.
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Collaboration between government and civil society - The article highlights cooperation between government, charities and community organisations. The involvement of the British Red Cross Society, the Chinese School for the Deaf, and the Rotary Club illustrates a partnership approach to social welfare.
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Social progress - The article suggests that Singapore was beginning to pay greater attention to disability issues, describing the deaf of all disability groups as having been “the last to be taken up” as a public concern”
Charity Model - The school is framed as a charitable project with the Rotary Club making it its main community service initiative. Responsibility is shared with voluntary organisations instead of being centred on disabled people’s own leadership.
Medical model - deaf people are being described as “afflicted”, "handicapped" and having a “disability” requiring rehabilitation and welfare services. The focus is on helping individuals overcome their impairment rather than removing societal barriers.
Ableism and audism- The article refers to deaf people as “unfortunate people,” “handicapped” and “afflicted”. These words position deafness as a deficiency and imply that hearing is the norm against which deaf people are judged. Audism is a subset of ableism - deaf people are discussed entirely from the perspective of hearing officials and organisations. There is no evidence that deaf people themselves are represented in decision-making or speaking for their own interests. The assumption is that hearing people know what is best for deaf people.
Social model of disability - although the article has a medical model framing, one part reflects social model perspective - Mr Lim argues that society must develop “enlightened public opinion” and give disabled people “their proper status in the community.” This recognises that social attitudes create barriers and discrimination.
Discrimination - Mr. Lim acknowledges that deaf people had been “the last to be taken up” of all disability groups, as a matter of public concern, recognising their historical neglect and exclusion from welfare planning.
Rights-based approach - The discussion of the “rights and potentialities of handicapped persons” hints at an early rights discourse, although it is not fully developed. It is emerging and a first step towards inclusion.
Paternalism - Hearing politicians, charities and civic organisations decide what deaf people need. Deaf people appear as recipients of care instead of as active participants or leaders.