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Robert Panara: A Profile

28 minutes 12 seconds

Now Playing As: Captioned (English) (change)

Robert F. Panara is a legendary professor of English, literature, and theater. He is also known as a poet, historian, drama-club coach, and authority on deaf figures in literature. Shot at Johnson County Community College (Kansas) in 1984 during a workshop Dr. Panara was conducting, the production is divided into two parts. In the first, Panara provides an overview of the establishment of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), for which he was hired as the first deaf professor, and how he taught both deaf and hearing students in the same class. He also started the theater department at NTID and helped found the National Theatre of the Deaf. In the second part, he performs creative interpretation of literature in sign language, including his own "On His Deafness." Dr. Panara demonstrates how he has inspired countless others to tackle the supposedly "inaccessible" and "challenging" literary genre of poetry and make it fun and enriching. Video provided courtesy of Robert F. Panara.

Media Details

Runtime: 28 minutes 12 seconds

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Book cover titled, "Maisy's Bedtime." Illustration of Maisy the mouse sitting under the covers in bed and reading a book. Text reads, "Lucy Cousins."
5 minutes 13 seconds
Grade Level: Ps - 5
Woman is signing in front of a 2-page view of a storybook illustration of a big tree, a deer, a fawn, and a gray squirrel. Story text appears on screen.
5 minutes 56 seconds
Grade Level: Ps - 3
Woman stands in front of a color illustration of a green tree on a small red island. A dark gray cloud partially covers the sun. Story text on image reads, "Turns dark and gray."
5 minutes 8 seconds
Grade Level: Ps - 3

Viewer Comments

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    Tanya S. (Mason, MI)
    March 15th, 2023 at 12:04 PM

    I appreciate being able to browse through video content of ASL users- especially those with historical value. Thank you!