Profoundly deaf and well known in the deaf community as a teacher and advocate, Mrs Lelijveld’s arrival in January is keenly anticipated by parents of deaf children.
Her decision followed regular weekend visits to Dunedin in the latter part of 2016. Through an interpreter, Brydee Strang, Mrs Lelijveld told the Otago Daily Times she wanted to foster "deaf culture" in the South, meaning activities like storytelling and artistic activities that strengthen identity.
"I heard that Otago and Dunedin were crying out for sign-language tutors."
Signing was vital for cognitive development, relationships and a sense of identity. Ideally, signing should be taught by a deaf person, Mrs Lelijveld said.
"They’re getting access to deaf culture as well as the language.
"We value sign language, probably more than hearing people understand.
"Because of sign language and culture, I have a community. I’m deaf and I have this language — this is the important part."
Lisa Daly, of Dunedin, said her daughter Harriet Walton’s signing skills had reached a certain level without a tutor in Dunedin, but it had been difficult to get past that point.
"There’s been this ceiling that’s been quite low where we haven’t been able to progress any further."
Ms Daly said her daughter’s primary school was supportive and tried to incorporate signing.
Her daughter was advancing because of Mrs Lelijveld’s recent weekend visits, and Ms Daly was excited to see Harriet’s growing confidence.
"She is awesome role model," Ms Daly said of Mrs Lelijveld.
"It’s the confidence she brings to Harriet.’’Cochlear implants had changed but not cured deafness.
"There is this perception that our children are cured and that’s not the case — there’s a lot that she misses.
Ms Daly said there was less emphasis on signing, which she believed was unfortunate. It provided a link to deaf culture and identity — things that her hearing parents and her school could not provide, however well intentioned, Ms Daly said.
"I can never understand what it’s like for her."
Mrs Lelijveld said being bilingual was an achievement for any child, and deaf children tended to perform slightly worse than their peers in class.
"Any child with two languages has more skills, more possibilities.
"They think differently, they are better at empathising because they can see things from different people’s perspectives.
"If they have got a cochlear implant, it doesn’t mean they become hearing like you; they hear differently."
Mrs Lelijveld wanted to foster something permanent in the South that would not peter out when she moved away or retired.
"I don’t want to come in and be the one person who does it. Because what happens if I am not there?
"I want to encourage other people to be sign-language tutors and be a role model. So when I leave, I can see that everything is still going."
Deaf children and young people were often reluctant to admit they were missing things in class, or having difficulty making friendships.
"They do not always connect with other people and don’t know where to find deaf people.
"From stories I have heard from mainstream students, I ask them, ‘how’s it going?’.
"They think they are OK, average, and alongside their peers, but they find out they are slightly below.
"How many times are you going to put your hand up and say you missed it in front of an entire class of teenagers? It’s embarrassing; you don’t do it.
"Often they’ll leave school early because they find it too hard."
Mrs Lelijveld grew up in Holland and emigrated to New Zealand in the 1980s. She is fluent in four languages — two sign languages, and two written languages. She recalled sign language being banned at her primary school in Holland.
Mrs Lelijveld worries that the advent of cochlear implants has made parents and educators complacent. It was a difficult issue to broach, she suggested.
"I have to be careful what I say. I have to be PC."
