Newsletter No. 442

2 442 • 4.9.2014 在 中大主修細胞及分子生物學的 譚樂皿 （Tom）天生 深度失聰，自出生起便活在無聲的寂靜世界，但他 堅信後天努力定可跨越先天缺陷，因着本身的付出，加上遇 上耐心指導的良師，以及得到大學的支援，Tom衝破重重障 礙，今年以一級榮譽成績畢業，更獲得尤德爵士獎學金資助 三年學費，9月前赴加州大學河濱分校攻讀環境毒理學 博士課程，實現成為科學家的志願。 Tom兩歲時，其母留意到無論是打雷或飛機 經過，他都毫無反應，遂帶他往檢查，始發現 他有深度失聰。他三歲起在語言訓練中心學習 發音和咬字，及後就讀主流小學和中學。雖然 好些發音仍不能掌握，得靠助聽器和讀唇，但 Tom現時基本上可慢慢與他人口頭溝通。 「小學上課時不知老師在說甚麼，放學後需由家 人解釋一遍，做功課要比其他同學多花逾倍時 間。」其後，Tom的一耳接受了人工耳蝸植入手 術，另一耳用上助聽器，並學習了唇讀，上課前備 課，下課後積極向教師請教，成績漸見理想，2010 年以優秀高考成績考入中大細胞及分子生物學 課程。 Tom說，大學對他的支援並不少，例如上課時如要看影片， 學系會特別配上字幕，幫助他了解內容；學生事務處借給他 無線調頻發射器（即FM咪），讓他給予老師授課時配戴，透 過接收器更清楚講課內容。 Tom主動爭取各種學習機會，在三年級時於美國加州大學戴 維斯分校當交換生。他發現外國大學對聽障生提供的支援 模式更多，例如有專人陪他們上課，並將教授講述內容即時 輸入電腦，在屏幕上顯示，或安排同學為他寫筆記，「如我 要兼顧抄筆記，便很難看到教授的嘴型，有了這服務，我就 可專注看教師授課。」Tom的成績因此不但顯著進步，更放 膽選修一些如天文學等過往未接觸過的學科。 一年的交流，他體會到適切的支援可助聽障人士開拓更遼 闊的人生，返港後遂建議校方增設該類服務，校方也迅即回 應。學生事務處與教學單位聯絡，招募與Tom修讀同一課程 的同學，替他抄寫課堂筆記，給他增加不少學習上的便利。 Tom感謝校內遇上不少樂於指導的老師，在學習路上扶他一 把。他報考了IELTS英文試以申請海外交流，並修讀了應試 工作坊，任教的英語教學單位副講師 李幗怡 （Miranda）表 示，Tom比一般同學更主動勤力，課後常發電郵問問題，或 相約時間當面求問，又會頻做寫作練習，給她批改，尋求改 進方法，因此Miranda對他印象很深。兩人現時亦師亦友， 不時聯絡交流近況。 生命科學學院 方永平 教授曾教授Tom「蛋白質與酶」一科， 方教授同樣形容Tom「勤力、永遠準時上課」，並很欣賞他 的學習態度：「他求知慾很強，不明的會求問，不肯定的會 釐清，每週總有電郵來問問題；派給同學參考的模擬試題， 他是少數會先做一次並問意見的學生。」 雖然學習過程頗艱苦，但Tom視各種困難為挑戰，他亦勉勵 他人：「不要自怨自艾，自己並非最慘的一個，遇上障礙要自 己努力多作嘗試，始終會有改善。」 無聲世界的動人生命樂章 Life’s Marvellous Music in a World of Silence C ell and Molecular Biology student, Tom Tam , has suffered from severe hearing loss in both ears since birth. However, with perseverance, support from the University and the help of loving teachers, he managed to overcome this inborn defect. Tom graduated with first- class honours and won the Sir Edward Youde Overseas Scholarship. This September, he will pursue doctoral studies in environmental toxicology at the University of California, Riverside, to fulfil his dream of being a scientist. When Tom was two, his mother noticed that he did not respond to thunder or planes flying overhead. She took him to the doctor who diagnosed Tom with profound hearing loss in both ears. From then on, Tom started learning pronunciation at a centre for the deaf, and enrolled in a mainstream primary and secondary school. With the help of a hearing aid and lip-reading, Tom can now talk slowly and communicate with others well although he still can’t pronounce certain words correctly. ‘When I was in primary school, I didn’t know what teacher was saying during lessons and my parents had to teach me again at home. I spent nearly twice as much time doing homework as my classmates.’ Tom then received cochlear implantation surgery in one ear and wore a hearing aid in another. He also learnt to lip-read. His academic performance improved gradually as he prepared diligently for lessons and asked questions zealously after class. In 2010, outstanding A-levels results got Tom into CUHK where he majored in Cell and Molecular Biology. Tom said the University was extremely supportive of his studies. If there was video broadcast during lessons, it would be subtitled to ensure that he could understand the content. The Office of Student Affairs also lent him a FM transmitter aka FM mic, that he could give to teachers to wear during lessons so their voices would be amplified through the FM system in the classrooms. Besides studying, Tom sought out opportunities to broaden his horizons. In Year 3, he went on exchange for a year at the University of California Davis where he found a diverse range of support for the deaf. He was assigned an assistant to input what the professor taught word by word into the computer so that he could read what was being said immediately on a monitor. There were also students taking notes for him. ‘If I take notes, I won’t be able to read the teachers’ lips. But if somebody’s doing it for me, I can focus on lip reading.’ With these services, Tom made tremendous improvements in his academic performance, which encouraged him to take courses in new disciplines such as astronomy. During the year of exchange, Tom realized that with the right support, the hearing impaired could make progress. After returning to Hong Kong, he proposed to the University to put in place the new services he had encountered at UC Davis. The Office of Student Affairs quickly coordinated with the relevant teaching departments to recruit volunteer students to work as note-takers for Tom. This made learning much easier for him. Tom is grateful for having met many devoted teachers who gave him guidance. To prepare for the IELTS, the English test that students applying for overseas exchange have to take, Tom enrolled in a preparation workshop offered by the English Language Teaching Unit. Miranda Lee , an assistant lecturer of the unit who taught him, was impressed by his eagerness to learn. She said Tom always sent e-mails to ask her questions, did exercises and sought her comments on them. Now the two are friends. Prof. Fong Wing-ping was Tom’s teacher on the course ‘Proteins and Enzymes’. In his eyes, Tom is ‘diligent and always punctual’. He highly commended Tom on his attitude to learning. ‘Tom is thirsty for knowledge. He would ask if he didn’t understand and would clarify if he was in doubt. He kept on sending me questions via e-mail every week. I distributed a mock exam paper to the whole class, and he was among a few who actually finished it and asked for advice on performance. ‘ Although Tom’s path has been strewn with obstacles, he saw them as challenges and has succeeded in overcoming them. He has a few words of encouragement for those in a disadvantaged position: ‘Wallowing in self-pity won’t do you any good. Don’t keep thinking that you are the most unfortunate. Never give up. Practice really does make perfect.’