[blindkid] can I get the other side?

Tue Mar 3 02:53:09 UTC 2009

A lunch to discuss forces in the universe? Sounds like a capital notion!
Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
To: "'Ationfbnet Blind Kid Mailing List, \(for parents of blind chn\]was <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Date: Sunday, Mar 1, 2009 16:48:33
Subject: Re: [blkid] can I get the other side?

>
>
> Dear Leah,
> First let me say, I think you are an extraordinarily wonderful and
> thoughtful person.
> 
> Second as regards #2: "Braille cannot be learned by those with some vision".
> Well, there are decades and decades of evidence that vision itself has
> nothing to do with the ability or inability to learn Braille by touch. (it
> is about practice by the way-shockingly like anything else, smile) If it
> could not be learned by touch if you have vision then what about the
> thousands of blind people with low vision who have learned it by touch?
> Thousands can not be a mere exception to some rule.
> 
> My own son is one of them. He has some low vision, and he is a primary
> Braille reader (Meaning for anything over a few sentences he strongly
> prefers Braille or must have Braille for access or fatigue issues), and a
> dual reader (meaning he can read large print with magnifying glasses, and
> sometimes it is convenient especially for graphs, maps and photos and
> illustrations, for the first time in years he has chosen to read his giant
> print bible chapter by chapter, he likes giant comics and drawing them
> himself, sometimes the thing just doesn't come in Braille and he is
> fortunate now to have that convenience-comwe don't know how long it will last)
> and a dual writer (He can write long things faster on his six key
> braillenote than anything, he can type very well, and he though often
> chooses to read his math book with his left hand and write the (now
> calculus) answers with his right. He uses a standard black pen or pencil and
> can read his writing and it is about 14-16 point in size. This only works
> well for math or fill in the blanks.
> 
> HOWEVER-COMHE is only proficient in Braille because he was love-forced to read
> it with his fingers and not his eyes and he began to actually get it and use
> it ALL DAY LONG. It is kind of (not quite) like touch typing-those who have
> to look can never type as fast as those who can by touch. Dr. Ruby Ryles
> expects her graduates to read Braille by sight at a minimum 70 wpm I
> believe. I suppose that one could read it by sight much quicker, but again
> that would be someone who had full sight and could scan ahead quickly and it
> did not take energy to just see it. 
> 
> But it is ridiculous and makes no sense to have a blind or low vision child
> read it by sight up to their noses too and slowed down putting energy into
> seeing it. That is the whole point of Braille for them in that it requires
> no vision. 
> 
> So why do they say it can not be done? It is because they do not WANT it to
> be done. They do not want the child to HAVE to learn that hard ol',
> stigmatizing, bulky, sloweaggall the myths about it) Braille and then if they
> do, well that means they are going to have to work a bit harder (and hone
> their own skills with it) for awhile themselves. It is much easier for the
> teacher to stick a CCTV in the room than to get each lesson ahead and plan
> and carry out the Brailling. But, I have seen teachers go to ridiculous
> lengths and cost and create workspace, to enlarge something, but cry it is
> so much work, expense, and space taking, and a hassle to get Braille. This
> is nothing but the nature of prejudice in my opinion and experience. It is a
> belief that print like vision is superior no matter how inefficient or
> unreasonable in reality.
> 
> And force simply means pushes or pulls, or keeps a thing where it is, or
> changes direction of a thing. Force can be applied with evil intent, often
> is, and of course that is a bad thing. But force can be applied with the
> intents of true love too, and it is I think then the strongest force in the
> universe. Sometimes things must be pulled or pushed or moved or changed in
> direction, or kept where they are, for the good.
> 
> It would be such a fun lunch to have with you and Mike Freeman about the
> philosophical and physical forces in the universe! Hey Mike? Smile
> 
>  
>  
> Carrie Gilmer, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Leah
> Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 11:46 AM
> To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [blkid] can I get the other side?
> 
> I certainly got some meaty answers to my questions!
> 
> Joe, thank you for your story. I'm not dead set on learning Braille by  
> touch, but there are two reasons I am experimenting lightly with it:
> 1. I have a little eye problem myself, and I wonder if I was someday  
> able to read by touch, if I could save some function. I use my eyes to  
> compensate for a damaged balance mechanism and it can be overly  
> demanding on the eyes.
> 2. I am still curious at the belief of some who say Braille cannot be  
> learned by those with some vision (unfortunately they are our local  
> professionals). So I feel the letters just watching my learning  
> process, to see if something really does come up that prevents me from  
> identifying by touch. I'm going to keep doing this a little longer,  
> because I can only identify some letters and no words.
> 
> But, I will try to remember what you say and will give myself  
> permission to read it visually to get the job done if need be!
> 
> Carrie, thank you. I especially liked what you said about  
> stigmatization affecting people's ability to deal with accommodating  
> their own disability. And I thought what you said about being forceful  
> was very bold! I had not thought about it in degrees. You certainly  
> reclaim the word force as a positive thing!
> 
> And Steve, I really appreciate practical examples because that is how  
> I best learn. In fact, I would like to ask if you would mind if I  
> quoted your examples anonymously if I write an article about extremism  
> on my blog. I will totally understand if you decline and I am still  
> grateful for what you wrote.
> 
> Leah
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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