Joel Rosenau taught English for most of his life.
Now hesa国际传媒檚 learning how to read it again - with a lot of help from the game show, Jeopardy!
The retired teacher suffered a series of strokes in September of 2019, and as a result, lost the ability to read.
But he has turned his favourite game show into a learning tool.
He uses the game clues that are shown on the television screen as reading material. He pauses his recording, works through the clue, then plays it to hear the showsa国际传媒檚 host, Alex Trebek, reading it.
It can take Rosenau quite a long time to work through a single clue. But he is determined.
sa国际传媒淚 put myself through levels. When I started this [six weeks ago], I was at a kindergarten level,sa国际传媒� said the 76-year-old. sa国际传媒淣ow I am up somewhere in Grade 1. I am just getting started in the English language again.sa国际传媒�
Rosenausa国际传媒檚 teaching career spanned nearly 40 years, the most of it in a couple of school districts on Vancouver Island.
The irony of the situation is not lost on Joel. For years, he was teaching children how to read. Now he has to use those same tools to teach himself the same skill.
sa国际传媒淚 know how hard it is for children to learn to read,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淣ow, when I apply the rules I used to teach them, when I apply those rules to myself, it makes everything that much more meaningful.sa国际传媒�
Joel said he still has the ability to spell sa国际传媒� he can write down notes, but cansa国际传媒檛 often read what he writes.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 frustrating at times, but I consider it an occupation sa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 a way to pass the time.sa国际传媒�
Joel said this training method is something that works for him, but is not suggesting it is a cure for the condition.
sa国际传媒淗opefully, this story will inspire people, but not mislead them into thinking this is a magical cure, because it is not a magical cure,sa国际传媒� said Joel. sa国际传媒�Jeopardy is a fun thing to do, but you donsa国际传媒檛 learn how to read sa国际传媒� or how to do anything sa国际传媒� without an awful lot of work.sa国际传媒�
Joelsa国际传媒檚 wife, Yvonne said shesa国际传媒檚 grateful for the support from the community immediately following his stroke.
And now, shesa国际传媒檚 grateful to a well-known Canadian for helping with the teaching.
sa国际传媒淭hank you, Alex Trebek,sa国际传媒� she said.
terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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