Overcoming Barriers

Today we celebrate Helen Keller's birthday and how she overcame the obstacles in her life. Helen Keller was born both deaf and blind. She traveled to many countries working for world peace and for the rights of deaf and blind people. Helen Keller never learned American Sign Language. Instead, she used fingerspelling by touch taught to her by her teacher, Anne Sullivan. To speak with her, a person fingerspelled into her hand. She could "read" fingerspelling with amazing speed.

Young readers can learn how people today are overcoming barriers with this new series from Enslow!

Did You Know That Louis Braille Could See When He Was Born?

Braille is named after the person who invented it. Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809 in a town near Paris, France. He could see when he was born but when he was three years old, he had a terrible accident. One day, he went to his father's workshop and poked himself in the eye while playing with one of the very sharp tools. His eye became infected and the infection spread causing Louis to become blind.

When Louis was ten, he was sent to a special school for blind children. They had some books written in large capital letters that were raised so that the students could feel them and put them together to figure out the words. Louis read these books, but he thought he could figure out a better way to make books for blind people.

One day when Louis was twelve, a soldier named Charles Barbier visited the school. He told Louis and the other children about his invention called night writing that used raised dots and dashes to represent words. The soldiers used this system to talk to each other in the dark and without speaking so enemy soldiers could not hear them.

Louis thought he could change night writing to make a code for blind people. At fifteen years old, after many tries, Louis created a dot code. He called his system Braille. In 1829, when Louis was twenty years old, he published the first Braille book.

Today, blind people all over the world use Braille to read. Thanks to Braille, words, numbers, and musical notes are no longer just something people see. They are also things people can feel.

View a sample chapter here of What is Braille? from our Overcoming Barriers series which is available from Enslow, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or your preferred vendor.

It's Deaf Awareness Week

978-0-7660-3771-7 Library Binding
978-1-4644-0156-5 Paperback Binding

Many years ago, I took a sign language class at an adult school after work. Have I used it? Unfortunately not. My main reason for taking it was because I was a volunteer EMT (at that time,) and thought that having a basic knowledge of sign language might help on calls.

When I look at Enslow's new title, What Is Sign Language?, I appreciate the fact that the alphabet is in the book, reminding me of how to create the letters. This 48 page title is geared toward upper elementary readers, giving them some personal stories into the lives of children who are dealing with deafness every day.

978-0-7660-3769-4 Library Binding
978-1-4644-0154-1 Paperback Binding

Another new title, What Is It Like to Be Deaf?, also gives an overview about sign language, but also discusses hearing aids, videophones, and the latest technology that help those who are deaf interact with people. This book includes personal life stories of young children who are deaf.

Both of these titles are available directly from Enslow or your preferred vendor.

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has declared May to be Better Hearing and Speech Month. This site explains the specifics of how we hear, as well as screening and testing, implants and hearing aids, and more. Speech and language development, as well as disorders affecting them are also discussed. This website also has a section dedicated to students considering a career in these fields.

978-0-7660-3771-7 library binding
978-1-4644-0156-5 paperback

Overcoming Barriers is Enslow's series geared toward different methods of communication for the elementary student. Two of the titles in this series are helpful for the hard of hearing student. Written for grades 3-4, these 48 page books discuss being deaf and sign language. In What Is Sign Language?, learn how a fourth-grade student uses sign language to communicate.

Titles in the Overcoming Barriers series are available in library editions. The paperback editions will be available this fall.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be blind?



ISBN: 978-0-7660-3768-7
School & Library Price: $17.95
Grades 3–4



People with normal sight have 20/20 vision. That means they can see at twenty feet what the average person sees at that distance. People with vision of 20/200 or less are legally blind. When people have 20/200 vision, they see at twenty feet what most people can see from two hundred feet away.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be totally blind or have vision of 20/200 or less? How do people who are blind participate in sports? How do they get around? Our new title, What is it Like to Be Blind? from our Overcoming Barriers series answers many of these questions and more. Young readers can learn about the tools that people who are blind use, including canes and seeing eye dogs. This book also includes first-hand stories of children who are blind in order to help readers get a personal look at some kids who "see" the world in a different way.

What Is Braille?

Library Bound ISBN: 978-0-7660-3770-0
$23.93

     One of Enslow's new titles for spring, What Is Braille? gives readers in grades three through four a greater understanding into the lives of people dealing with challenges.  This title is part of the Overcoming Barriers series which includes:  What Is It Like to Be Blind?, What Is It Like to Be Deaf?, What Is Sign Language? as well as What Is Braille?  All four titles in the series are authored by Deborah Kent and feature color and black-and-white photographs and illustrations as well as words to know regarding the title's topic.

     What Is Braille? contains great chapters such as "Creating the Code", "Braille at Work", and "What Is the Future of Braille?".  This title allows young readers to learn more about this valuable means of communication for the blind as it demonstrates how people use Braille to live active and meaningful lives.