The name Helen Keller has always represented a person embodying boundless determination, intellect, and advocacy. Even after losing her sight and hearing as a toddler. Keller faced struggles and eventually rose to become one of the most empowering voices for people with disabilities. Braille was one of her most transformative tools for communication.
In this blog, we will discuss the relationship between Helen Keller and Braille and how it impacts her education, communication, and global influence.
Who Was Helen Keller?
- A Brief Biography
Helen Keller is from Tuscumbia, Alabama, and was born in 1880. The illness she contracted at the age of 19 months is most likely scarlet fever or meningitis, which made her deaf and blind. Keller’s early childhood was somewhat calmer than her later years because she had to deal with a world where she couldn’t see or hear.
An eye-opening event in the life of Helen Keller was the arrival of Anne Sullivan, a partially blind teacher from the Perkins School for the Blind. This met her mark, the most amazing partnership in history. Sullivan became Helen’s Instructor, mentor, and best friend for life. Together, they unlocked advanced levels of learning and communication.
- Early Life Challenges with Communication
As a young girl, Helen didn’t have any type of formal language. She formulated basic symbols to demonstrate basic wants, but her inability to communicate led to frequent emotional outbursts. Her family was devastated watching her trying to cope in a world mutilated by no words and no understanding. This frustration started to fade only when some form of organized teaching was introduced alongside touch.
How Did Helen Keller Learn to Communicate?
- Anne Sullivan’s Breakthrough
The most famous water pump scene from Helen Keller’s life was when Anne Sullivan was teaching Keller and spelled water into her palm while simultaneously using a technique known as the manual alphabet. The flowing water was something Helen could feel in her other hand. At the light bulb moment, together with the flow of water over her palm, Helen realized “water” was the word she had always lacked when identifying with the cool liquid she had been feeling. That moment was the moment that unlocked her world.
Post that incident, Helen started her learning at a jaw-dropping pace. With Sullivan’s voice guiding her along the way, she was constantly amazed at the things around her, naming them through Sullivan’s narration and spelling words in her palm. Above her vision in camouflage subrosa eyeglasses, the truth became that there is a whole world covered in infinitely revolving mirrors. It was a classic depiction of the support structure that revolutionized Keller into the person she became.
- Language and Literacy Education
As Helen’s vocabulary expanded, the world around her became increasingly more stimulating. She began ‘reading’ by tracing letters with her fingertips. It wasn’t long before she encountered braille, the system of writing using raised patterns of dots. This system enabled Helen to read books, take notes, and explore literature independently.
Helen was also issued a braille typewriter, which allowed her to compose written documents. She subsequently underwent speech therapy and learned to articulate words, although her speech, at the time, was largely incomprehensible. Still, she was unyielding in her desire to express herself using all means possible—sign language, braille, typewriters, and touch-based lip-reading.
Keller’s Advocacy for the Blind and Braille Literacy
- Fostering Braille Literacy
Helen Keller did not rest after learning to communicate; she was determined that people in her situation were equally supported. Like many people, she passionately advocated for the Blind while focusing on promoting literacy through braille.
Keller fought to establish braille libraries and tactile teaching materials, as well as promote proper education systems. With the American Foundation for the Blind, she actively campaigned for policies that improved educational opportunities for all students.
- Her Lasting Influence
Keller’s persistent work shifted the societal attitude toward people living with disabilities. She demonstrated that deafblind people are capable of learning, accomplishing goals, and leading productive lives. Moreover, she championed the use of braille not only as a means of reading but also as accessing dignity and liberty.
Because of her efforts, braille became popular in schools, libraries, and institutions throughout the globe. Nowadays, her name is often mentioned in the context of the development of braille literacy and assistive technologies.
The Enduring Legacy of Helen Keller and Braille Literacy
The life of Helen Keller is an enduring saga of how sheer will, education, and compassion can help one sail through the harshest challenges life throws at a person. The relationship she held with Braille was life-changing. This was her gateway to accessing literature, concepts, and the larger society. She obtained a college education, authored numerous books, delivered speeches in braille, and, with the help of braille, inspired countless others all through her eloquent words.
Helen Keller and Braille remain synonymous with hope as well as inclusivity. Today, as accessibility is more vital than ever, her legacy reminds us of the need to promote the teaching of braille, develop resources for tactile learning, and work towards creating an all-embracing society.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Helen Keller use braille to write or just to read?
Helen Keller used braille for both reading and writing. She used a braille typewriter to compose letters, essays, and even books.
- Was braille the first method she used to communicate?
No, Helen Keller’s first communication method was the manual alphabet, which was taught to her by Anne Sullivan. She then advanced to braille as she progressed in her studies.
- What languages did Helen Keller read in Braille?
Helen Keller was an accomplished linguist, and she read in different languages, including English, French, German, Greek, and Latin.
- What tools did she use for writing and reading braille?
She possessed a braille typewriter to write, while for reading, she had embossed braille books with raised dots that she read by touch.
Braille Music and More pays tribute to Helen Keller’s life and achievements by promoting braille literacy and advocating for education without barriers. Her life serves to remind us that without proper tools, communication can seem out of reach for so many.
If enjoying braille education or seeking teaching aids sounds like you, get in touch with us today.
