Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Apr 24/00) - Bobby Suwarak has had a hearing impairment for most of his 30 years of life and a mere five days of formal education.

But a quest for knowledge and the opportunity to learn the basics at Iqaluit's Learning Centre, has started Suwarak on the road to reading.

One of this year's recipients of the Literacy Learner Awards, he beat the odds when he learned to read and write in the Afternoon Drop-in Literacy Program.

Speaking through his interpreter and friend for 15 years, David Kautaq, he says he always wanted to go to school, but found it frustrating.

"He says he's been waiting to go to school for quite awhile, but he had never had the opportunity until now," said Kautaq, who communicates with Suwarak by using a combination of signs and lip movements that Suwarak's family developed after he lost his hearing at age five.

"He only went to school for five days in Baker Lake because he couldn't understand the teacher and would leave."

Starting the drop-in literacy program in late November 1999, Suwarak progressed fast in learning both math and reading skills.

Adult educator Dan Page says he began teaching Suwarak to read by having him memorize shapes and lines of words.

"Bobby is incredible with memory, he memorizes very quickly and since he can't hear sounds, he has to start by memorizing the shapes of words," said Page, who also says teaching someone with a hearing impairment is new territory for him.

"I'm really amazed with him, he has an incredible thirst for knowledge and is excited about learning."

After five months in the program, Suwarak has learned the basics of reading and writing and improved his math skills to include subtraction, multiplication tables and long division.

The Literacy Learner Award is a $100 cash award and certificate presented by the Iqaluit Literacy Committee. Suwarak received his award at last week's Arctic College graduation.