Last month, I returned from another six week trip to Guatemala. On this trip, my Spanish was better and I was able to communicate much more proficiently than before. However, on my first trip, I noticed how, without verbal fluency, I had to rely on other modes of communication–namely body language and facial expression. I was quite limited with what I could communicate, orally, but it provided an opportunity for me to see how much you can communicate, effectively, with a minimum of speaking.
Yesterday, I came upon this video of a professor who lost her voice due to Lou Gehrig’s disease. She continues to teach, from home, using her computer and a voice synthesizer. She says that this experience has enhanced her ability to listen. She is no longer “center stage” in front of the classroom. Because of this, students have had to take more responsibility in class discussions and activities, which has helped her students to see themselves as “teachers” within the classroom.
I particularly connected with her enthusiasm about how beneficial this has been for her perspective and teaching.
