The Life of Helen Keller

An interactive presentation by:

Autumn Oosterhouse
 Helen Keller

Helen Kellers
Childhood
Helen Kellers
Illness
Helen Keller with
Annie Sullivan
Helen Kellers Death
Resources
Concept Map
 Helen Kellers 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 Helens 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. Helens 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 Kellers 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
Helens illness subsided and her family rejoiced.

Helens 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 Kellers 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.

Helens mother never gave up hope though.

In 1886, Helens 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 Helens instructor and it stayed
that way for 49 years.

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Helen Keller with Anne Sullivan

In 1886, Helens 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 Helens instructor and it
stayed that way for 49 years.

Anne Sullivans 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.
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 Helens
hand. Later, Helen learned
Braille and used it to read. Not
only English but also French,
German, Greek and Latin.

After Helens 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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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 Kellers 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

The Miracle Worker 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIQBpkaasrY

The Miracle Worker 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHwoRFe70jk

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 Concept Map
The Life of
Helen Keller

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Resources

Main Slide

Helen Kellers Helen Kellers Helen Keller and Helen Kellers

Childhood Illness Death
Anne Sullivan

Helen Kellers Helen Keller and Anne

Illness Continued Sullivan Continued

Audio of The
Miracle Worker

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