Simultaneous method.

"The simultaneous method" is called so because the class­room teacher speaks while he uses the language of signs and the manual alphabet, so the pupils who have lipreading ability and wish to follow the lesson in that way can do so. Thus he always has language of signs and the manual alphabet to fall back if he misses a word on the lips. A hearing person can follow the work in the classroom as well as a deaf person because the teacher is speaking orally while he is using the language of signs.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

patterns of methods; manual method; hand gesture and signs; manual alphabet; bodily movement; mimic actions; principal means; chief means; by means of; non-written communication; pad and pencil; finger spelling method; inability; unfamiliar; disadvantage; fashion; single-handed; double-handed; gesture; posture; accomplish; oral method; control of breath; consciously; simultaneous method; a language of signs; fall back; miss.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What methods are used in teaching deaf children?

2. What does the manual method comprise?

3. What does the system of signs consist of?

4. What is a serious disadvantage of education by the manual method?

5. What alphabet do the most nations employ?

6. What is the sign language?

7. What does the oral method serve to and what can one acquire by it?

8. What advantages does «the simultaneous method have»?

III. SPEAK ON:

Different patterns of methods used in teaching deaf children.

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TEXT

LIP-READING

The deaf child as well as the hard hearing represents an educational problem involving the teaching of speech, language, and lip-reading (it is sometimes called speech-reading).

The most important element involved in the education of the deaf persons is lip-reading, since they cannot hear the spoken words with their ears as an oral, then as written.

Lip-reading is preparation to all language work and it is quite independent of the speech development.

The words learned in speech-reading must be associated with printed and written words; and thus reading and writing is developed.

Lip-reading is the ability to understand spoken words and sentences by watching the movements of the lips and other facial muscles without hearing the speaker's voice.

It is important to speak natural and with careful enunciation.

Lip-reading is made evident not only by the articulation of sounds, but also by the movements of the lips, tongue, muscles of the face, by positions of the teeth and jaw.

The speech-reading is dependent upon vision. Lipstick helps to emphasize mouth contour and makes lip-reading easier. Reception of speech can take place only when speaker and listener are quite close to each other, that the eyes may focus upon the speaker's face. Pure lip-reading consists in look and listening and the lip-reader is required to derive meaning from the partial clues he observes. The stream of speech is made up of series of consonants and vowels placed in well, coordinated syllables.

Some of the consonant sounds such as k, g and ng are not visible on the lips because they are produced within the mouth cavity.

There is a kinesthetic method of teaching lip-reading which consists of following: the child must not only imitate the lip movement of the teacher but to use the sense of touch as well as the sight.

The pupil placed his hand on the teacher's throat as a word is pronounced, then places it upon his own as he attempts to say a word. The child must get the "feel" of the vibration and pressure felt by the hand when it is placed upon the jaw, the throat and the lips of the teacher. He is made to realize that the movement he feels must be reproduced as well as the lip movements that he sees. It demands constant and continuous repetition.

Lip-reading is recommended to all school children whose hearing loss averages (20db) or more in the better ear.

Lip-reading is possibly a sixth sense and it can be looked upon as a substitute for hearing, only in the case of the totally deaf. For all other deaf it can and should act as a support to hearing and is universally helpful to the hearing handicapped; and its systematic teaching is a legitimate part of the special educational curriculum of all ages. A few can learn to lip-read in a year or two but for the majority a longer period of practice is needed and practice day in and day out, on every type of mouth. Success in learning varies. Children learn more readily than grown-ups. Women acquire more skill and learn more quickly than men.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

lip-reading (speech-reading); movements of the lips; facial muscles; enunciation; articulation of sounds; tongue; teeth; jaw; vision; depend (on, upon); lipstick; emphasize; mouth contour; reception of speech; focus; derive; dues; stream of speech; consonants and vowels; coordinated; syllables; mouth cavity; kinesthetic method of teaching; sense of touch; throat pronounce; feel; vibration and pressure; reproduce; demand; constant and continuous repetition; hearing loss; average; substitute; universally helpful; special educational curricu­lum; grown-ups.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. Why do we consider lip-reading to be the most important element involved in the education of the deaf persons?

2. What must the words learned in speech-reading be associated with?

3. What is lip-reading in general?

4. What is the speech-reading dependent upon?

5. When can reception of speech take place?

6. What is a kinesthetic method of teaching lip-reading?

7. Whom is lip-reading recommended to?

8. How long does it take the deaf persons to lipread and who learns more readily?

III. SPEAK ON:

1. Lip-reading as the most important element involved in the education of the deaf persons.

2. Ways of learning to lipread.

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TEXT

HEARING AIDS

The function of the hearing aid is to help people hear speech better than they can hear it without the assistance of an aid. The hearing aid accomplishes this by amplifying sound. Hearing aids are recommended to persons with residual hearing with incurable losses of 30db or more in the better ear. It means that a hearing aid can be of benefit only when the individual has some hearing capacity left.

Most individuals who have difficulty in hearing speech in a group conversation will find the wearing of a hearing aid most helpful to them. If there is absolutely no hearing capa­city left, using a hearing aid will be of no help.

The early use of hearing aids with the hearing handicapped children in the public school system will accelerate and render more natural growth of social adequacy. The child may hear through the amplifying sounds which are otherwise lost to him. Thus he learns to imitate in his own speech the sound of the teacher's voice.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

hearing aids; assistance; accomplish; amplify; incurable losses; hearing capacity; group conversation; wear; accelerate; render; growth of social adequacy.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What is the function of the hearing aids?

2. Whom are the hearing aids recommended to?

3. When can these aids be of benefit?

III. SPEAK ON:

Hearing aids and their use with the hearing handicapped child­ren.

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TEXT

THE HUMAN EYE

The human eye is one of the most delicate and complicated parts of the body. Round and resting in the bony eye socket, it operates in a similar way to a camera. Like film the retina at the back of the eye has a surface which reacts to light, the iris of the eye opening and closing like the diaphragm of the camera to let in more or less light.

But, unlike the camera, the lens situated behind the iris does not more forwards and backwards. It stretches to become thinner for seeing distant objects, and relaxes to become thicker for seeing near objects, by the action of the ciliary muscles attached to it.

Six muscles attached to the sides of the eyeballs enable the eye to be turned in different directions.

The tear glands, situated at the upper and outer edge of each eye, contain a watery fluid, which is spread continually over the eyeballs when the eye blinks, to prevent it from becoming dry. After the fluid crosses the eyeball, it is channeled into the nose. When you cry the channel cannot cope with the extra fluid, and the tears pour out of your eyes and run down your cheeks.

The retina contains thousands of vision cells, called, according to their shape, rods and cones. These receive the light rays. Rods are for seeing in dim light, and cones for seeing detail and color. Where the optic nerve leading from the brain enters the back of the eyeball, and links up with the retina, there are no rods or cones. This is known as the "blind spot".

Long sight occurs when the shape of the eyeball is too short.

Short sight occurs when the shape of the eyeball is too long.

I. TERMSAND WORD COMBINATIONS:

eye; eye-socket; eye-ball; sight; vision; long sight; short sight; retina; iris; diaphragm; siliary muscle; tear gland; rod; cone; lens; cell; shape; to react to light; to operate in a similar way to a camera; to move forwards and backwards to stretch to become thinner; to relax to become thicker; to contain a watery fluid; to receive the light rays.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What is the human eye?

2. What does it consist of ?

3. What has the retina at the back of the eye?

4. What is the iris of the eye for?

5. Where is the lens situated?

6. When does the lens stretch and when does it relax?

7. What is attached to the sides of the eye balls?

8. What do the tear glands contain?

9. What is a watery fluid for?

10. What does the retina contain?

11. What do rods and cones receive?

12. What are rods and cones for?

13. What is the "blind spot"?

14. When does long sight occur?

15. When does short sight occur?

III. SPEAK ON the topic "The Human Bye".

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TEXT

HOW BRAILLE INVENTED HIS ALPHABET

In the year 1812 a little French boy Louis Braille was blind. He learned his alphabet at a school for the blind by feeling twigs that were fashioned in the shape of letters, but the lad was hungry for knowledge and impatient with this awkward technique. One day when he was older he heard of a French Army captain who had devised a system of raised dots and dashes by which his orders could be read by the fingers in the black dark-simple symbols such as one dot for advance two for retreat. It was from this beginning that Louie Braille developed what is now known as the Braille system of printing for the blind.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

blind; twig; feel; fashion; shape; lad; hungry; awkward technique; device; dot; dash; advance; retreat; print; to read by fingers; to fashion (into, in).

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. Whom is this article about?

2. Was Louis Braille blind?

3. He lived in France, didn't he?

4. Where did Louis Braille learn his alphabet?

5. In what way did Louis Braille learn it?

6. The boy was hungry for knowledge, wasn't he?

7. What was Louis Braille impatient with?

8. Whom did he hear of one day?

9. What did a French Army captain devise?

10. What was that system for?

11. What is the Braille system of printing for the blind?

III. SPEAK ON:

Louis Braille and his system of printing for the blind.

***

TEXT

PARTIALLY SEEING CHILDREN

There are many children who have some vision yet insuffi­cient to enable them to participate in regular school.

They are sometimes classified as "educationally blind" and include children who have vision of less than 20/200. That means they are unable to see at a distance of 20 feet what a person with normal vision can see at a distance of 200 feet.

Yet between 20/200 vision and total blindness there are degrees of sight which are valuable assets to the children possessing them.

The child with a visual acuity of below 20/70 in the better eye is called partially sighted.

Even those who have only light perception (up to 20/200 vision) may be considered as possessing an advantage over those who have no vision at all.

The partially sighted include both children whose visual acuity is so poor that they cannot read the ordinary books without the aid of a magnifying lens, and those who on medical grounds should not read them because this involves strain which may be injurious to their eyes.

Every school for the blind enrolls a large number of pupils in this low vision group. Those who have very little sight remaining and those in serious danger of progressive dete­rioration of vision, require education in special schools.

There are two plans upon which sight saving classes may be conducted. These are:

1. The Segregative plan. Under this plan classes are maintained as separate units, independent of other classes, the pupils all studying in the special sight saving classroom.

2. The Coordinative plan which consists in the arrangement of sight-saving classes in ordinary classes for those subjects which do not require the use of vision. The pupils return to their special rooms for reading, writing, arithmetic where special equipment is available. A thorough training in arith­metic is valuable in the development of reasoning powers.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

partially seeing children; vision; insufficient; participate; total blindness; degrees of sight; assets; visual acuity; partially sighted; light perception; magnifying lens; strain; injurious; enroll; low vision group; progressive deterioration; conduct; maintain; special sight-saving classroom; special equipment; development of reasoning powers.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What children are classified as educationally blind?

2. What child is called partially sighted?

3. Who requires education in special schools for the blind?

4. What are the plans upon which sight-saving classes may be conducted?

III. SPEAK ON: Partially seeing children.

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TEXT

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The special methods employed in a sight-saving class apply to school subjects which require close use of the eyes, e.g. arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling and geography. The prima­ry aim of all such methods is, of course, to conserve the sight of pupils and as far as possible, to maintain a level of achieve­ments equal to that of the children in the regular grades. The child must of course always avoid eye-strain by using oral methods in the study of all school subjects.

The oral method should be adhered to as far as practible, since it only relieves eye strain and also encourages habits of mental computation which will conserve vision in later life. Oral arithmetic is of great value to such children. They should be trained to do many more scores mentally than is required of the average child.

Children may work on the problems either on the blackboard or upon the special sight-saving classpaper using heavy soft pencils. A fairly large percentage of these children are re­turned every year to the regular classroom. Reading in a sight-saving class should be reduced to a minimum. Books must be printed in clear type.

Writing should be given to the children in large, legible figures and letters either on the blackboard or upon unglazed cards or sheets of paper.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

employ; apply; require; conserve; level of achievements; avoid; eye-strain; adhere (to); encourage; habits of mental computation; average child; special sight-saving classpaper; heavy soft pencils; reduce; legible figures; unglazed cards.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What is the primary aim of all methods of instruction of visually handicapped children?

2. What method is preferable?

3. What are the requirements to school subjects?

III. SPEAK ON: Methods of instruction.

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TEXT

CLASSROOM EQUIPMENT

A sight-saving class of 10 pupils is assigned to a room with especially good lighting conditions.

The classrooms e.re on the north side of the buildings where there is no direct sunlight: artificial lighting is of equal importance with natural lighting and must be installed with a view to give adequate, well distributed illumination without glaze.

The classroom should be equipped with movable seats and desks which can be adjusted to any desired angle.

The desk top should be adjustable so that a child can place his work in the position and at the angle which will permit him to see best of all.

The blackboards are large, the chalk is soft, large and yellow. All this facilitates reading and writing.

The classrooms are equipped with large maps.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

sight-saving class; assign (to); lighting conditions; direct sunlight; artificial lighting; natural lighting; install; illumination without glaze; equip; movable seats; adjust; facilitate.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What should the classroom be equipped with?

2. Why is it necessary to have all the classrooms on the north side of the building?

III. SPEAK ON:

Requirements to classroom equipment.

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TEXT

CURRICULUM

The best system of training is one in which a child follows the normal training course designed for ordinary schools and in addition devotes some time to specialized studies.

Any method of teaching involving the ear rather than the eye should be welcome. The children must be trained to listen, memorize and reproduce what they have heard in order to avoid eye-strain.

Many visually handicapped children are able to see and quite clearly with the aid of glasses. Such children are often transferred from schools for partially sighted to ordinary schools. A very restricted physical training syllabus need only be followed by myopic with more than 10 dioptres.

Other myopic children can use a much less restricted syllabus.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

training course; devote; specialized studies; involve; welcome; memorize; reproduce; in order to; avoid; glasses; transfer; restricted physical training; syllabus; myopic; dioptres.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What is the best system of training visually handicapped children?

2. What method of teaching should be welcome?

3. What must be done to avoid eye-strain?

4. What can visually handicapped children see well with?

5. Where are such children transferred to?

6. What syllabus can myopic children use?

III. SPEAK ON: Curriculum.

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TEXT

MEDICAL PROVISION

Medical provision for the children with visual handicapes uncludes frequent examination and treatment of eye condition.

The medical room in the school should contain a supply of lotions, eye washes, ointments and must be applied as first aid by a school nurse who is to deal with small eye troubles without having to send the child to a nearby clinic.

Eye trouble is indicated if the eyelids are redrimmed, swollen or crusted, if the child has frequent sties, or if the eyes are blood-short, or if they discharge pus.

The school should have an ophthalmic surgeon on its staff. The examination should include the testing of vision (where vision exists) and full inspection of the eyes by an ophthal­moscope.

Full medical records of every child should be retained in the school. In this file significant items are recorded under the following headings:

1. general eye condition at entrance;

2. amount of vision, recommendation by oculist, glasses.

There is definite need to secure continuous ophthalmic supervision of partially sighted children after their leaving school.

I. TERMS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

medical provision; frequent; examination; treatment of eye condition; contain; supply; lotions; eye washes; ointments; deal (with); eye troubles; indicate; eyelids; sties; pus; discharge; redrim; crust; swell (swelled, swollen); ophthalmic surgeon; testing of vision; full inspection; ophthalmoscope; full medical records; retain; amount of vision; oculist; secure; ophthalmic supervision.

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What does medical provision for the children with visual handicapes include?

2. What should the medical room contain?

3. When is eye trouble indicated?

4. What should the examination by an ophthalmic surgeon include?

5. What can you say about full medical records of every child?

III. SPEAK ON:

Medical provision for the children with visual handicapes.

LEARN TO USE YOUR DICTIONARY.

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TEXT I.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE BLIND.

A new kind of paper made from polyethylene may afford a new means of communication with blind people without the need to learn braille. The characteristic of the paper is that letters become embossed on the same side as the writing.

In most forms of paper the impression is made into the paper, which means that even when a blind person has learnt to read from left to right he must learn to write backwards. Braille writing slates also require the individual to write from the reverse side of the sheets.

According to a Missouri research worker, Miss Ruth L. Barr, a new kind of polyethylene paper yields letters embossed upwards from the surface that can easily be read by touch, even though their height is slightly less than that of braille characters. In tests with printed letters about half an inch high, subjects were able to read with their fingertips a page of writing in about three minutes. The paper is written on with an oversize ball-point pen or a blunt pencil.

Miss Barr says that the new polyethylene paper (Nos.300 and 310 from the Nu-Vu Products Company) should resolve many problems in communicating with people who are blind and deaf and those who have recently become blind. Since no special code need be learnt the paper can be used after a minimum of practice and should be useful for the friends and family of a blind person.

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TEXT II.

ELECTRONIC EYE - FOR THE BLIND.

An electronic device to allow blind people to read goes on trial in Britain. Called by its American inventor Dr.J.C. Bliss, the "Optacon", it ia about the size of a textbook and weighs less than 41b.

It works by converting the image of a printed letter into a tactile image that a blind person can feel with one finger.

Dr.Bliss and his wife are in London to take part in a training programme designed to assess the practical value of the Optacon.

The programme is being organized by St. Dunstan’s, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and the Birmingham Research Center for the Education of the Visually Handicapped.

Vibrating Rods.

The Optacon (OPtical-to-TActile-CONverter) is constructed around a miniature opto-electronic camera, weighing 3oz, which is mounted on rollers for easy movement along a line of print.

A "Tactile stimulator array" in the equipment converts the image of a printed letter into a pattern of vibrating rods.

One blind person, demonstrating the Optacon last year, reached a reading speed of 80 words a minute. At present, each Optacon costs £2,000. Results of trials in several countries will decide whether large-scale production of the instrument is feasible.

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TEXT III.

READING ALOUD.

A synthetic-speech machine that can improve existing reading aids for the blind is being developed by Telesensory Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif.

The experimental device can convert words from an ordinary printed page into audible electronic signals that duplicate intelligible English as spoken by a slightly nasal male voise. The synthetic-speech machine is being tested by Telesensory Systems as an accessory for the company's Optacon system, a reading aid that converts the image of a printed letter into vibrations that blind persons can read with one finger.

With the speech accessory, the company says, reading rates of up to 200 words per minute may be possible for the blind parsons. The company is studying the possibility of programing synthetic-speech machines to "read" other languages with phonetic characteristics similar to English.