Describe helen's entry into the world of learning
Answers
Helen Keller was no ordinary girl. She was blind and deaf and as a result she was not able to speak clearly in her whole life. It was Anne Sullivan who not only taught her to read and write but also shaped her character and life.
Learning to read and write
After learning to spell a few words, the next challenge before Anne Sullivan was teaching Helen how to read. For that she would give Helen slips of cardboard which had printed words with raised letters. Helen would touch the slip, learn the word and would understand that each word stood for a new object.
She began writing using grooved board . She wrote on the groove under which a sheet of paper would be placed. She also learned Braille script which helped her a lot to read and write.
When Keller attended the Cambridge School to prepare for college, it, like most schools during that time period, had little experience in making accommodations for special needs students like Keller.
Although she was in many ways well prepared academically, Keller's disabilities nevertheless left her at a disadvantage. She had to take the added step of preparing her Latin in Braille so that she could recite her lessons aloud in class. She was unable to take notes or do in-class assignments, so she had to take extra time to type up notes and in-class exercises after she got home, adding to her workload. It was difficult for her to get the raised print textbooks she needed, and therefore she had to rely on Miss Sullivan to read for her all the books she couldn't buy in a usable format. Miss Sullivan had to attend class with Keller and write into her hand what was said. Despite the extra challenges, Keller enjoyed attending the school and interacting with other students. Because she was highly motivated and because the school was supportive of her, her difficulties were not insurmountable.