American English Podcast 204.2 - Irregular Verbs with Helen Keller
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Jan 28, 2026 A moving life story of Helen Keller and the teacher who transformed her world. A tense-focused language activity highlights ten irregular past-tense verbs woven into the narrative. Listeners are invited to spot those verbs as the biography moves from illness to breakthrough, education, speech, and advocacy. Historical milestones and recommended film tie the learning to culture.
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Irregular Vs Regular Verb Framing
- Shauna defines irregular verbs as those whose past tense does not end in -ed and contrasts them with regular verbs.
- This framing prepares listeners to spot ten irregular past-tense verbs in Helen Keller's story.
Breakthrough At The Water Pump
- Shauna recounts young Helen getting sick at 19 months and losing sight and hearing, which left her world dark and silent.
- Anne Sullivan later used tactile spelling while pumping water to teach Helen the word "water," unlocking language for her.
Language As A Tool For Understanding
- After the water-pump breakthrough, Helen rapidly learned words and became an avid learner of Braille, languages, and literature.
- Shauna highlights that language became a tool for Helen to explain and understand the world.
