Question

Describe Ms. Sullivan's teaching methods. Answer the question in 200-250 words.

Answer 1

Hint: Ms. Sullivan had to teach a student who could not see, hear or speak. She taught her student through her sense of touch and smell.

Complete answer:
Ms. Anne Sullivan knew that she had certain limitations in teaching a student like Helen Keller. She had to adopt a different method and not the regular classroom teaching. She introduced a very playful method of teaching by taking Helen outdoors and making her feel nature and its creations.

She gave Helen her first lesson at the banks of Tennessee River, and taught her about water, rivers, mountains, valleys etc. She made her touch the flowers, water, fields of crops and other natural things and then taught her how to say those words. She would also ask Helen to smell the different fragrances in nature and combine all these senses to give her knowledge about nature.

She also learned about how sunlight and rain provide plants and food, about all creatures and how they find their food and shelter. As Helen gained more and more knowledge about things, she was more delighted with the world around her and her appreciation also increased.

Note:
i) The methods used by Ms. Sullivan were not traditional and perfect.
ii) She too was new to teach someone like Helen and her methods kept evolving as she kept teaching.
iii) She is considered as one of the best teachers and instructors in the world.