Listen&Learn: Helen Keller

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock
A famous author and disability rights activist.

Pre-listening vocabulary

  • activist: someone who fights for social change
  • deaf: unable to hear
  • blind: unable to see
  • advocate: to speak up in support of something
  • award: a prize or acknowledgement of someone’s accomplishments

Listening activity

Gapfill exercise

Helen Keller was an American author and activist. She was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. When she was very , Keller developed an that caused her to become deaf and blind. A teacher named Anne Sullivan taught her to communicate by signing on people’s hands. Keller later learned to read Braille at a school for blind children. As she got older, Keller started to write about her . She also gave lectures to advocate for the of people with disabilities. Keller even helped found the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization meant to human rights in the United States. Throughout her life, Keller received many awards for her work. She died in 1968, at the age of 87.

Comprehension questions

1. Helen Keller first learned to communicate by

Correct! Wrong!

Helen Keller first learned to communicate by signing on people's hands.

2. Helen Keller mainly advocated for the rights of

Correct! Wrong!

Helen Keller mainly advocated for the rights of people with disabilities.

3. The purpose of the American Civil Liberties Union is to

Correct! Wrong!

The purpose of the American Civil Liberties Union is to protect human rights in the United States.

Discussion/essay questions

  1. People with disabilities still face many disadvantages in society. What are some of these disadvantages? What can people and governments do about them?

Transcript

Helen Keller was an American author and activist. She was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. When she was very young, Keller developed an illness that caused her to become deaf and blind. A teacher named Anne Sullivan taught her to communicate by signing on people’s hands. Keller later learned to read Braille at a school for blind children. As she got older, Keller started to write about her experiences. She also gave lectures to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. Keller even helped found the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization meant to protect human rights in the United States. Throughout her life, Keller received many awards for her work. She died in 1968, at the age of 87.

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub
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