Did you know that we can understand things around us without using our eyes? We use our other senses — smell, touch, taste, and hearing — to learn about the world. People who cannot see use these senses in amazing ways!
Our Five Senses
- 1.We have five senses to explore the world:
- 2.Sight — We see with our eyes
- 3.Hearing — We hear with our ears
- 4.Smell — We smell with our nose
- 5.Taste — We taste with our tongue
- 6.Touch — We feel with our hands (skin)
How We "See without Seeing"
- When we cannot use our eyes, our other senses become stronger and help us understand things:
- We hear the sound of rain without seeing it.
- We smell fresh bread from far away.
- We touch and feel the shape of a ball in our hands.
- We taste and know if food is sweet or sour.
Close your eyes and listen. You can hear the chirping of birds outside. You know it is morning even without looking.
Close your eyes and smell. If you smell flowers, you know you are near a garden.
Touch a rough stone and a smooth glass. Even with closed eyes, you can tell which is which by touch.
You can hear a dog barking and know a dog is nearby, even if you cannot see it.
A person who is blind reads books using the Braille system — a special way of reading with fingertips by feeling raised dots.
Being Helpful and Kind
- Some people cannot see. We should:
- Be kind and helpful to them.
- Guide them if they need help crossing the road.
- Understand that they can do many things on their own.
Common mistakes
- Do not say "deaf people cannot do anything." People who are blind or deaf can do many wonderful things!
- Do not confuse: blind = cannot see; deaf = cannot hear.
Summary
We have five senses — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Even without seeing, we can understand the world through our other senses. People who are blind use touch, hearing, and smell very skillfully. The Braille system helps blind people read using touch.