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From the series of talking books for blind and visually impaired people “Austin’s Amazing Adventures”
In a little town not far from here, There’s a boy that you might know. His name is Austin Steele, And Zane his cane, ‘Come, say hello’.
Each day they take adventures as they travel around the world, And here within these pages is how their story first unfurled.
When Austin was just five, his sight began to disappear. But like his dad he wasn’t sad and felt no need to fear.
His tunnelled view was shrinking, independence getting tough. Some days the outside world was far too hard, he’d had enough.
But with each swipe from left to right they both began to train, Returning pride for by his side a friend in Zane the cane
Though
people stare, they couldn’t care
He just smiled and said hello
To Austin Steele and Zane the cane there’s no place they can’t go.
In a little town called Prestwich
The sun began to shine.
As Austin yawned, a new day dawned, Though viewed through tunnelled eyes.
Today, like many others, was a day he’d go to school. And with Zane his cane to guide him, Austin felt so cool.
But this morning also nervous, for today was the big test. The teacher gave out spellings and Austin would try to do his best.
Though he could see the whiteboard, some words were hard to read.
The other kids in Austin’s class wrote them down with ease and speed.
“No need to worry,” Miss Tierney said, “these tests you will not fail. Together we will learn a special language called Braille.”
“On paper dots al bumpy these words in print embossed a new found skill, succeed you will Your smile will not be lost.”
This is the page with the brailled stuck on.
So Miss Tierney and Austin
Each day would take the time to learn. And feeling with his fingers he learnt his spellings line by line.
Once more he felt amazing, And as he journeyed home to play, He spared a thought for the lesson taught With help, there’s always a way.
Talking points for parents, carers and teachers.
These are open ended questions to encourage children of all ages to engage in discussion surrounding site, impairment, and the promotion of empathy (the ability to see the world from another perspective) and emotional literacy (The child’s ability to speak about their feelings using appropriate words to describe how they feel and others feel).
• How do you think Austin felt when he first found out he was going blind?
• Have you ever wired about something that you could not control?
• What do you think Austin‘s dad said to him to make him feel better?
• Can you think of a time when you needed someone’s help and a time when someone needed your help?
• What things would Austin find difficult as his side became less and less?
• Can you imagine what it would be like to find it difficult to see?
• How could you have Austin in school and at home?
• Should Austin be treated just like everyone else?
• What questions could we ask Austin to better understand what life is like for him?
• What could we say to someone who cannot see very well to show them?
My name is Dave Steel, and I’m also known as The Blind Poet. When I began to lose my sight, I started to write poetry about all the things that I was going through to help me understand my feelings. I shared these poems around the world and found that other people, affected by blindness, use my poetry to feel less alone and explain how they felt about their own journeys with sight loss. I hope these books have children, all of the world, no matter their differences, feel more understood..
