Summary
Summary of Helen Keller's Life and Contributions
Helen Keller, born in 1880 in Alabama, was a dedicated humanitarian known for her work with disabled individuals. She became deaf, dumb, and blind at the age of two due to a fever. Her education began at the Perkins School for the Blind, where Anne Sullivan became her teacher and interpreter.
Helen attended schools for the deaf, including Horace Mann and the Wright Humason School, where she improved her communication skills. She later studied at Radcliffe College, learning Braille and typing, ultimately earning her BA degree in 1904. Throughout her life, Helen focused on helping disabled individuals and advocating for their rights, passing away on June 1, 1968.
Key Points:
- Born in 1880, deaf, dumb, and blind from age two.
- Educated with the help of Anne Sullivan.
- Earned a BA degree from Radcliffe College in 1904.
- Devoted her life to helping disabled individuals.
Key words: humanitarian, disabled, plantation, communication, interpret
A Talk about the picture.
1 Who is the woman in the picture?
2 What is she famous for?
B Read about Helen Keller.
Helen Keller was a great humanitarian. She cared deeply for the sick, injured and disabled people. The disabled people have physical or mental problems that limit their activities or senses. Helen devoted her life to help them.
Helen was born in 1880 in Alabama, USA. Her parents were Captain Arthur Keller and Katherine Adams Keller. Her family was not rich. Their main source of income was cotton plantation.
Helen was born healthy, but in 1882 she became deaf, dumb and blind after a high fever. Her father heard about Perkins School for the Blind in Boston and contacted the Director there. In 1887 the Director sent one of his best students, Anne Sullivan, to help Helen. Anne worked hard to enable her to communicate.
In 1890 Helen's formal education started at Horace Mann School for the deaf in Boston. In 1892 she went to Wright Humason School for the deaf in New York. Helen improved her communication skills and studied regular academic sub-jects. She then decided to go to college, and attended Cambridge School for Young Ladies in 1896. Later she studied at Radcliffe College. Here she learnt Braille, which was a new technique for reading. She also learnt how to type. Anne Sullivan was always with Helen. She sat with Helen in class and helped her by interpreting lectures and texts. In 1904 Helen received her BA degree with Honours from Radcliffe College.
Helen spent her life helping disabled people to learn. She died on June 1, 1968.
Match the words with the meanings
Words | Meanings |
| humanitarian | a large area of land where crops like sugarcane, banana, etc. are grown |
| disabled | the ability to do something well |
| plantation | unable to use a part of the body easily or completely because of illness, injury, etc. |
| interpret | making people's suffering less and improving their living conditions |
| skills | explain the meaning of a text or translate a language |
D True or False? If false, give the correct answer.
1 Helen always helped the suffering people.
2 She came from a rich family.
3 Anne Sullivan was a good teacher of Helen Keller.
4 She died young.
5 Sullivan was taught by Helen.
D True or False? If false, give the correct answer.
1 Helen always helped the suffering people.
2 She came from a rich family.
3 Anne Sullivan was a good teacher of Helen Keller.
4 She died young.
5 Sullivan was taught by Helen.
E Answer the questions.
1 What did the Director do for Helen?
2 How did Helen increase her reading skills at Radcliffe College?
3 What is Helen famous for?
F Find a humanitarian lady in your locality. Write a paragraph in 50 words about what she does for others.
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