The Life of Helen Keller

An interactive presentation by:

Autumn Oosterhouse

                                 

Helen Keller

• Helen Keller’s Childhood

• Helen Keller’s Illness

• Helen Keller with Annie Sullivan

• Helen Keller’s Death

• Resources• Concept Map

Helen Keller’s Childhood

Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama to Captain Arthur H. Keller and Kate Keller with full sight and hearing.

At the time of Helen’s birth the family was far from being wealthy. Captain Arthur H. Keller was earning a living as both a cotton plantation owner and as the editor of a weekly local newspaper, the “North Alabamian”. Helen’s mother Kate also worked on the plantation, yet she would also save money by making butter, lard, bacon and ham.

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Helen Keller’s Illness

Helen was not born blind or deaf. It was not until 1882 when she was nineteen months old that she became very ill. Her doctors referred to her illness as, “an acute congestion of the stomach and the brain,” which today doctors believe could have possibly been scarlet fever or meningitis. Eventually Helen’s illness subsided and her family rejoiced.

Helen’s mother soon noticed how Helen was not responding to the dinner bell and when she waved her hand in front of Helens eyes, there was no response. Because of her illness she was left deaf and blind for the rest of her life.

By the time Helen reached the age of seven, her and her family had created over 60 different types of sign language in order for her to communicate with her family.

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Helen Keller’s Illness Cont.

Helen was considered to be a difficult child, due to her tantrums and vicious acting out. Many believed she should have been put into an institution.

Helen’s mother never gave up hope though.

In 1886, Helen’s mother was inspired by an account in Charles Dickens’ American Notes, of another successful deaf and blind child. Alexander Graham Bell, who was working with deaf children at the time advised Mrs. Keller to a former student, Anne Sullivan. On March 3, 1887, at the age of 20, Anne Sullivan became Helen’s instructor and it stayed that way for 49 years.

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Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan

In 1886, Helen’s mother was inspired by an account in Charles Dickens’ American Notes, of another successful deaf and blind child. Alexander Graham Bell, who was working with deaf children at the time advised Mrs. Keller to a former student, Anne Sullivan. At the age of 20, Anne Sullivan became Helen’s instructor and it stayed that way for 49 years.

Anne Sullivan’s first task was to instill discipline in the spoiled girl. Helen's big breakthrough in communication came one day when she realized that the motions Anne Sullivan was making on her palm, while running cool water over her hand, symbolized "water"; Helen then nearly exhausted Sullivan demanding the names of all the other familiar objects in her world.

                          

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Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan Cont.

After Helen’s magnificent defeat, she was known as a phenomenon. She became famous, which then allowed her to meet Alexander Graham Bell, President Cleveland at the White House and attended Radcliff College as the first deaf/blind student at a higher educational institution.

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Anna Sullivan taught Helen to speak using the Tadoma method of touching the lips and throat of others as they spoke, combined with finger spelling letters on the palm of Helen’s hand. Later, Helen learned Braille and used it to read. Not only English but also French, German, Greek and Latin.

Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan Cont.

After Helen graduated from Radcliff in June 1904, Anne Sullivan married her dear friend John Macy and the three of them moved and lived in Massachusetts.

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Helen Keller’s Death

Helen Keller died peacefully in her sleep on June 1, 1968, at the age of 87 by natural causes at Arcan Ridge, Connecticut, more than 30 years after the death of Anne Sullivan.

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Braille

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Sign Language

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Tadoma

Tadoma is a method of communication used by deaf blind people, in which the deaf blind person places his thumb on the speaker's lips and his fingers ...

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Resources

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The Miracle Worker 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIQBpkaasrY

The Miracle Worker 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHwoRFe70jk

Concept MapThe Life of Helen Keller

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Main Slide

Resources

Helen Keller’s Childhood

Helen Keller’s Illness

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan

Helen Keller’s Death

Helen Keller’s Illness Continued

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Continued

Audio of The Miracle Worker

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