Podcast Summary:
What if learning English could open the door to independence, education, and meaningful work? In this episode of Blind Abilities, Jeff Thompson sits down with English Language Learning specialist Abbi Mayland from State Services for the Blind of Minnesota. Abbi shares how she helps students who are blind, DeafBlind, or low vision — and who may not speak English—build the skills they need to succeed.
Using creative, hands-on teaching methods like real objects, conversation, audio learning, and Braille, Abbi supports students from all over the world as they grow in confidence and communication. Many begin with little or no English, but soon find themselves holding real conversations and navigating daily life with greater independence.
If you or your family member is learning English and facing vision challenges, this episode offers hope, encouragement, and a clear message: language does not have to be a barrier—success is possible.
Links of interests:
To find out more about the services provided at State Services for the Blind, and what they can do for you, contact Shane DeSantis at shane.desantis@state.mn.us or call Shane at 651-385-5205.
Thanks for listening!
Abbi: And it usually seems to happen overnight, where one day they aren’t talking very much outside of our structured English activities, to one day where suddenly we’re able to have an authentic conversation about something that they’re excited to talk about.
I want them to know that learning English is hard, and it takes a lot of work inside and outside of the classroom, but anyone can do it. And language doesn’t have to be a barrier to success.
Jeff: Welcome to Blind Abilities. I’m Geoff Thompson. Today in the studio we have from State Services for the Blind in Minnesota, English Language Learning specialist Abbi Mayland. Abbi, welcome to Blind Abilities.
Abbi: Hi, Jeff. Thank you so much for having me on the show today.
Jeff: Abbi, thanks so much for joining us on Blind Abilities. To start us off, can you tell us a little bit about your role at State Services for the Blind of Minnesota and what an ELL instructor does?
Abbi: Yeah. So my role at SSB is as an English Language Learning Specialist. So some of my job is teaching English language classes, and some of my job is coordinating with community partners and schools to help support our SSB customers achieve their goals for employment and independence. And, English language classes. Aren’t your traditional English language arts class that you have here in the United States. These classes are meant for students whose first language is not English. We’re teaching them reading, writing, grammar, speaking, and listening skills to eventually transition them into the mainstream classroom, higher education, or to the workplace.
Jeff: Oh, that’s a lot.
Abbi: Yeah, it is.
Jeff: Abbi, when people hear ELL, they might just think of learning English in a classroom, but your work is a bit different. Who are the students you work with and what kind of situations do they come from?
Abbi: All the students I am working with are SSB customers. I’ve mostly been working with adults, but I can work with youth too. The students are coming from countries from all over the world and for various reasons, but they are usually coming to the United States and Minnesota specifically for the opportunity for better jobs, education, and stability. Some of my students are coming from countries that are politically unstable or have been in a state of civil unrest for many years. So sometimes vision loss can be a direct result of this violence, or even the inability to access appropriate medical care before coming to the United States. And that’s kind of a unique feature of this group.
Jeff: Abbi, you’re working with individuals who are learning English and are also blind, DeafBlind, or low vision. What are some of the unique challenges that come with that combination?
Abbi: Yeah, this is a great question. So there are a couple of unique challenges, but they can definitely be overcome. One is that beginning language instruction is usually done through pictures. And since this isn’t a reliable way to teach English with my students, I have to be creative with audio clips or real items. Another challenge is for individuals with hearing loss. This is difficult because it can be hard to differentiate words that have similar sounds. Braille can help with this, but that also brings on another unique challenge to this group, which is literacy. Many of my students don’t know how to read in their own languages or in English, because they may have little to no formal education or their education was interrupted. In these situations, I’m teaching students basic uncontracted Braille and working with them to build some literacy skills along with learning English. And the last challenge is digital literacy. My students don’t always have experience with computers or assistive technology, and some languages, like Somali, are not supported on screen readers or on voice over. And these students have to know some English in order to be able to use technology.
Jeff: Wow, there’s a lot there. Let’s break this down a little bit because I’m really interested in how you teach. You said that you don’t rely on visual materials, but can you give us more details on some of the methods and techniques that you use to help individuals learn English?
Abbi: Yeah. Like I mentioned before, I use a lot of audio. Also read things and have my students answer questions and discuss them with me. I’ll use Braille if a student is able to read Braille. Right now I’m teaching a speaking and listening class and this group is high intermediate to advanced English learners. We do a lot of discussions and role plays and presentations, which can all be done verbally. For more of the beginning level student, I’ll use a lot of objects. So for example, if I’m teaching school vocabulary, I’ll have things like pens, pencils, notebooks, books, folders, etc. and I’ll usually pair that lesson with a grammar point like prepositions of place. For example, I’ll put the book on the table and I’ll model the book is on the table. Then I might put the book on a box and say, where is the book? The book is on the box. And this way the students can kind of feel they can explore their environment and understand these concepts instead of looking at a picture with the same kind of information on it. If they can read Braille, I would then maybe write some example sentences for them and then have them try to write one as well. So those are some of my, my techniques.
Jeff: Yeah, that would be nice if they already knew Braille. I mean, what a great way to reinforce what you’re learning. Well, what’s that like for you when you have someone who is learning both English and Braille for the first time?
Abbi: I’ll usually take a few weeks with that student individually to go through the alphabet, the numbers and punctuation as a part of our lessons together. If the student knows how to read in their language or is familiar with how to read in English, we can usually start to use Braille in class after a certain point. They sometimes need to build a little practice with fluency and speed, but they usually do this pretty quickly. For the students who are learning to read, I have been going through the alphabet and also teaching them the letter sounds at the same time, and from there we can use braille to learn some basic phonics and sight words.
Jeff: Well, that’s a great lead in to the next question. Abbi, can you share a moment or story where you saw a student really get it? Maybe a breakthrough in language or independence that stuck with you?
Abbi: Yeah, I can think of a lot of great moments, but I think one that’s always striking to me is when my students start to have conversations with me in English, and it usually seems to happen overnight, where one day they aren’t talking very much outside of our structured English activities, to one day where suddenly we’re able to have an authentic conversation about something that they’re excited to talk about. And this also happens when students suddenly feel like they know as much as their translators, and they don’t feel like they need a translator for some conversations in their lives. I especially love it when counselors tell me that they didn’t need a translator to talk to my students. And this has happened so many times, and I think it’s, it’s really heartwarming to know that they feel comfortable enough to try and make mistakes and use the language they’ve learned.
Jeff: What better place to do it than in class.
Abbi: Yes, definitely a comfortable and safe place to try.
Jeff: Yeah. I like the part that you talked about objects because it’s kind of universal. An apple, an orange, like you said, some pens, pens, stuff around the office, just learning words, especially the alphabet in Braille. I remember when I first got a card, I got the alphabet and it was like it was a code. Then I figured it out. You know, it was just like, I’m going through it and trying to decipher every little thing.
Abbi: Yeah. It’s fun. I think it is like that. It’s a tool. It’s exciting to have something that you know and can use.
Jeff: Mhm. How do you collaborate with others like counselors, teachers of the visually impaired or even family members to support your students?
Abbi: There’s a lot of collaboration in my job. I’m constantly talking to counselors about students’ progress or needs. I talk to teachers or program coordinators about how to support the students success in and outside of the classroom. Sometimes this requires working closely with the Braille department at SSB, and they’ve always been very helpful at getting me materials in Braille. With family members, we’re usually collaborating around rides or sometimes they’ll help with translation around like some small things like schedule changes or things like that. So there’s a lot of collaboration that I’m doing on a daily basis to help my students have a positive experience learning English.
Jeff: That must be interesting. The students may be going home to a different language than English. And so it’s upon themselves to kind of do the homework.
Abbi: Yeah. And they definitely get homework. I try to give them some homework to practice outside of class. And it’s true. If your family doesn’t speak English as well, they do have to do it independently.
Jeff: I’m sure there’s some type of teamwork. Probably they go home and teach their family.
Abbi: Yeah, that’s true too. I sometimes wonder that too. Like, oh, are there, is there a family member taking some of this stuff and learning it too? I don’t know.
Jeff: Well, it must feel good to learn some words because you’re in an environment where you can’t communicate and ELL gives them the opportunity to bridge that gap.
Abbi: Definitely.
Jeff: Abbi, for someone listening who might know a student, a parent, or even an adult who could benefit from services like yours, what would you like them to know about the impact of this kind of support?
Abbi: For many of us who have grown up in the United States, we take for granted how critical a shared language can be to navigating all facets of everyday life, whether that’s having different career opportunities, navigating the healthcare system, or participating in student teacher conferences without an interpreter. The impact that this support has on an individual’s daily life and for future opportunities is huge, and I want them to know that learning English is hard, and it takes a lot of work inside and outside of the classroom, but anyone can do it. And language doesn’t have to be a barrier to success.
Jeff: If someone’s interested in learning more about ELL and the services, who would they contact?
Abbi: You can contact our intake specialists with state services for the blind. And during that initial conversations asking about interest in learning the English language. And then they’ll get connected to me.
Jeff: Awesome. Well, Abbi, thank you so much for coming on the Blind Abilities and sharing this important service provided by State Services for the Blind of Minnesota. And especially, Abbi, thank you for what you’re doing to help bridge that gap in removing the barriers between the languages.
Abbi: Thank you, Jeff. It’s been great to be on the show today. So thank you so much for having me.
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Jeff: To find out more about all the programs at State Services for the Blind, contact Shane.DeSantis@State.Mn.us
That’s Shane dot d-e-s-a-n-t-i-s at state.mn .us.
Be sure to contact your State Services for the Blind, your Voc Rehab and find out what they can do for you.
Live, work, read, succeed.
[Music] [Transition noise] –
When we share-
What we see
-Through each other’s eyes…
[Multiple voices overlapping, in unison, to form a single sentence]
…We can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations, and the realities of Blind Abilities.