THOMAS BRAIDWOOD

THOMAS BRAIDWOOD
Born:

1715

Birthplace:
Death:

London

Scotland

October 24, 1806 in

CHARACTERISTICS
Mathematics
Natural

teacher

teacher

Oralist
Secretive
Advertised

his work by letters and

in magazines

Charged

deaf

expensive fees to teach

ACHIEVEMENTS

Thomas Braidwood was a Scotsman who

began a school for wealthy children in
Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 1767 he changed his schools purpose

from teaching literacy to hearing children to
teaching literacy to deaf children.

His school, named Braidwood's Academy

for the Deaf and Dumb was Britains first
school for the deaf.

Braidwood incorporated the two-handed

alphabet, gestures and natural signs, and
reading and writing.

He taught speech by beginning with sounds

and then building to syllables and words.
(oral method)

1760 taught first deaf student to speak,

read, write, understand language, and do
arithmetic.

FAMILY MONOPLY

Thomas Braidwood was secretive

about the methods he used to teach
the deaf.
He taught only the members of his
immediate family.
It appears that he taught only the
male members of his family.
Thomas was secretive because at this
time it was common practice for ideas
to be taken and no credit given to the
person who invent and establish the
ideas.