how did helen keller communicate if she couldnt hear nor speak?

Question

it confuses me. because anne sullivan taught her all that stuff using touch.

but how would helen have known what everything meant if she couldnt use any other forms of communication?

hmmmm....

the reason i ask is because i know someone who's grandaugher is deaf and blind because her mom was on drugs.

i think its sad. just wondering.

Answer 1

you should read the book "the miracle worker" which describes how Helen Keller learned to communicate

as you pointed out, it is hard to start that communication because their is no basis

Anne Sullivan reports that the first break-through came with the word "water"

She repeatedly made the symbol for "water" on Helen Keller's hand, and then put her hand in the water

She had been doing this with many things but it finally clicked that time with water. Helen Keller was an unusually brilliant person. Then of course Anne would make the sign for things and then Helen would touch them or be lead trough them. Sign for "run", make her run. Sign for "chair", touch the chair. Sign for "sit", then sit in chair.

I'm sure it was very hard for both of them but with that start Helen Keller eventually learned to read and write braille and was quite the spokesperson for the handicapped.

Also, the techniques Ms Sulllivan pioneered with Helen have been improved upon and now there are many clinics that have programs for teaching the blind and deaf.

good luck to your granddaughter
it will be a hard world for her, but not necessarly a heartless one

Answer 2

You put the person's hands on an object-say a doll-and then you spell the word -doll-using sign language while the person's hand is on yours. Basically you have the person feel your hand as it signs. That is the way Helen Keller communicated.

If the child is still young and it's possible for her particular type of deafness, she could get cochlear implants and with enough speech therapy, hear and speak almost as well as a person born with normal hearing. There are also new technologies coming out which may help the blind to see.

Tell your friend to be very aggressive in seeking therapy and help for her granddaughter right from the very beginning. It does make a big difference.

Answer 3

She was taught finger spelling into her hand and later could feel the mouth as well. If you have seen the movie, you will know that it was a long process for her to associate the signs with the actual objects at first. As you can imagine, abstract concepts are most difficult. If your friend has not yet contacted the local school, she should do so at once. Blind and deaf children are entitled to services from birth and the sooner the better. Testing may reveal some residual hearing or even some light sensitivity- even a teeny bit can change the course of progress when amplified. There is a lot of help out there, but you have to let them know you need it. I wish her well.

Answer 4

No offense to Ms. Keller, but she was taught like you would to an animal. Repetition until she understood that what was being repeated (in whatever form) was the same as she the thing she was being 'shown'. So she could connect the two concepts. Once she got the idea, she was hungry for more to be taught to her.
The movies did a good job of showing that concept.

Answer 5

This is a tremendous story! It all started with a primer - or starting point of understanding. It her case it was water. Running water over her hands and spelling the word in her hand with sign language. Once you've established a baseline of what's trying to be communicated - anything is possible.

Answer 6

This ones already answered. She started out using her sense of feel. Once the break through was made with water, she was then able to associate more things with this form of communication.

I feel bad for the kid with the junkie mom. What a tremendous feat lies ahead for her we could only wonder. I hope the best for that child.

Answer 7

Helen Keller used sign language, and or wrote everything she needed to say down.

Answer 8

helen keller learned by doing the same thing over and over again. i belive that it took her years to learn what water was. anne sullivan used sign alphbat in helen's hands and then lead her to what she just signed to her.

Answer 9

Her teacher taught her how to spell and stuff for example helen would RUN to the stream and put her hands in the water and run back to her teacher and then then her teacher would spell on her hand W-A-T-E-R.

Answer 10

ya i was confused to but... she would sign in helen's hand. how helen learned sign language without any communication i have no clue and still stumps me too.