In 1938, Henk Betten was born in Langedijke, the Netherlands. Henk and one of his sisters were Deaf from birth. Educated at the Institute for the Deaf in Groningen, Henk eventually became a librarian at the Royal Kentalis, publishing several books, including a biography of the founder of the first Institute for Deaf education in the Netherlands, Rev. Henri Daniël Guyot (1753–1828). 

Deaf Education in Europe, the Early Years - Henk Betten

Deaf Education in Europe, the Early Years
2013 edition
by Henk Betten
Order: Amazon (USA), Amazon (UK), Amazon (DE)

Deaf Education in Europe – the Early Years gives a complete overview of the emergence of deaf education institutions in 38 European countries and regions.

The author, Henk Betten, initiated and conducted a survey across Europe, asking local experts about the early history of deaf education. He supplemented his survey with information from the library of Royal Dutch Kentalis. The result is a comprehensive publication listing the countries, names of the first educational institutions, and their founders. A total of 79 illustrations depict the buildings, educators, initiators, and the hand alphabet of each of the countries.

Corrie Tijsseling, Associate Professor at Utrecht University, provided the foreword to Deaf Education in Europe – the Early Years. Appendices with an article on the manual versus the oral method, a name listing with all the significant persons, and a table of the establishment dates of the deaf schools make the publication complete.

Deaf Education in Europe – the Early Years was officially presented on 21 September 2013 at World Deaf Day in the Netherlands.

Available as paperback and e-book

Dimensions paper copy: 19,25cm x 27,5cm, 8.5" x 11" (Legal); 100 pages, 79 illustrations 

ISBN: 978-90-806571-5-1

Publication date: 21 September 2013

Publisher: Maya de Wit
 

A Deaf Journey through Time
In fifteen stories and two dreams
Henk Betten
Order: Amazon (USA), Amazon (UK), Amazon (DE)

Henk Betten, a Deaf librarian, sums up a lifetime of reading and writing in this comprehensive volume of stories on Deafness. Drawing from world literature, including the Bible and the classics, as well as from his very personal experiences of being Deaf in a hearing world, Henk Betten has published a book on Deafness that ends up looking far into the future.

Having read extensively about Deaf experiences throughout the centuries, Henk decided to bundle some of these stories. Some stories date all the way back to antiquity and biblical times. Others were taken from more recent canonical authors. Henk also included some of his own reminiscences.

First published in Dutch in 1998, the book ends up looking forward to a more promising future. As we have stepped into the 21st century, where technology keeps opening up new opportunities, it is even possible to imagine a world where Deafness is not an obstacle at all. For now, such a future might still be a dream but it is crucial to cherish such dreams.

Available as paperback

Dimensions: 15,24 cm x 22,86 cm, 6" x 9”
Pages: 174

ISBN: 978- 9080657175

Publication date: 1 July 2018

Publisher: Maya de Wit