To strengthen Deaf-centered education in public schools, the Benilde Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf (Benilde-CEAD), in partnership with the DepEd Schools Division Office of Muntinlupa (SDO-Muntinlupa), facilitated the FSL Literacy for Teachers of the Deaf training for faculty members of Pedro E. Diaz High School. The program aimed to build teachers’ foundational skills in Filipino Sign Language (FSL) literacy and bilingual instructional practices responsive to the needs of Deaf learners.
The training, conducted from May 19 to 29, 2025, forms part of the MLITEDCE–Literacy Education and Advancement of the Deaf (LEAD) project, a collaborative initiative involving teacher training, education research, and learning materials development. Through MLITEDCE-LEAD, Benilde-CEAD supports Pedro E. Diaz High School’s goal of becoming a model Deaf-centered bilingual school for Deaf Muntinlupeños entering junior high.
Nine teachers participated in the sessions led by CEAD Deaf education specialists Mr. Nathaniel Macariola and Ms. Jasmin Rivera, both graduates of Gallaudet University and recipients of the Dr. Nathie Marbury Award. They introduced interactive, visually driven activities and tools that helped participants understand FSL structure and grammar. CEAD FSL researchers also conducted daily one-on-one conversations to build confidence in signing and reinforce learning.
