Literature Review

Literature Review

Future Reflections Winter 1987, Vol. 6 No. 1
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LITERATURE REVIEW
TALK TO ME:
A LANGUAGE GUIDE FOR
PARENTS OF BLIND CHILDREN
and
TALK TO ME II COMMON CONCERNS
Review by Dorris Willoughby
These excellent booklets offer concise,
practical advice far helping blind
infants and children learn to talk and
communicate meaningfully.
The first booklet discusses the general
development of speech, beginning
with the first nonverbval communication
of the tiny infant. A child's first
limited words have widely varying meanings,
and the parents responses help the
child widen his vocabulary and learn to
socialize. Adults should draw the child
meaningfully into conversations. Unnecessary
distractions, such as constant
loud TV, should be avoided.
"Your child is like other children,
but he does have special, needs because
of his visual impairment." Comments
like this one help to bring perspective,
avoiding the idea that blind children's
needs are wholly different, and yet
bringing out ideas that help blind children
specifically.
The second booklet continues with the
same gentle and practical approach, and
focuses on three "common concerns:" (1)
repeating words and phrases over and
over; (2) inappropriate or repetitive
questions; and (3) trouble in using
pronouns. Unfortunately, however, (despite
some remarks to the contrary), Book
II says that most totally blind children
have problems such as this. I hope that
the next revision makes it clear that
these are problems which sometimes occur.
Special funding has made these booklets
(and others being developed) available
free in both English and Spanish.
Write to: Blind Childrens Center, 4120
Marathon Street, P.O. Box 29159, Los
Angeles, CA 90029-0159. The Blind Childrens
Center is a nonprofit organization
sponsored by the Delta Gamma Alumnae.
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