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Mr. Symbol Man

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1974 49 min
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"Blissymbols" are giving children without speech a joyous new means of communication. This film tells the story of a remarkable man, Australian Charles K. Bliss, who invented a symbol language (pictographs) originally as a means of overcoming the barrier of differing languages, and then found that it has an even greater, more rewarding application when used with speech-handicapped children. This is witnessed in Toronto and Montréal, where the Blissymbols are being used.

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Mr. Symbol Man

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"Blissymbols" are giving children without speech a joyous new means of communication. This film tells the story of a remarkable man, Australian Charles K. Bliss, who invented a symbol language (pictographs) originally as a means of overcoming the barrier of differing languages, and then found that it has an even greater, more rewarding application when used with speech-handicapped children. This is witnessed in Toronto and Montréal, where the Blissymbols are being used.
People with disabilities Education Literature and Language All subjects
  • director
    Bruce Moir
    Bob Kingsbury
  • producer
    Tom Daly
    Frank Bagnall
    Richard Mason
  • commentary
    Stanley Jackson
  • camera
    Michael Edols
    Barry Perles
  • sound
    Berry Von Browkhurst
    Bev Davidson
    Joseph Champagne
  • editing
    Bruce Moir
  • sound editing
    Gwen Barnhill
  • animation
    Les Drew
  • re-recording
    Jean-Pierre Joutel

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Education

Ages 15 to 18
School subjects
Family Studies/Home Economics - Child Development Health/Personal Development - Careers & Education Technology Education - Communications and Technology

Describe the qualities that are typically found in inventors and innovators. What other potential applications could there be for the Bliss board? Discuss some of the limitations of the Bliss board that the inventor addresses; are these issues similar to others that typically arise when languages are translated? The term “social entrepreneur” is a fairly new one. Discuss why this would be considered a category of entrepreneurship that would be distinct from traditional entrepreneurial endeavours. 

Mr. Symbol Man
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