Helen Keller

Virginia SOL 2.11.  Click here for a copy of the worksheet.

This webpage will help you learn more about Helen Keller.  Be sure to read everything carefully. 

• Helen Keller was born in a small town called Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27, 1880.

•  When she was little, Helen became very ill.  Because of her illness, Helen became blind (unable to see) and deaf (unable to hear).

• Helen was a bad child because nothing made sense to her.  Her family knew that they needed to help her.  They found a teacher named Anne Sullivan.

•  Miss Sullivan taught Helen the letters of the alphabet by tapping the letters on her hand.  After Miss Sullivan began to teach Helen, she began to calm down and learn new things.

• One day Anne led Helen to a water pump and pumped water on her hand. She spelled the letters W-A-T-E-R as the water ran over Helen's hand. She did this over and over again. At last Helen discovered that the word "water" meant the water that was pouring over her hand.

• Helen learned many new things this way.  Miss Sullivan continued to teach Helen sign language so that she could "talk" and Braille so that she could "read."  Braille is raised dots that represent letters. A blind person can read by feeling of the dots. 

• By working with Miss Sullivan, Helen became very smart.  She was able to graduate from college and even wrote books! 

• Helen also went around the world and talked to people about her disabilities.  A disability is when someone cannot do something.  Helen met many famous people and presidents as she traveled. 

• Helen was able to help other people who were blind and deaf because of her hard work.  She truly was a great person!
   

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