[blindkid] Pre-braille?

Sun Mar 8 07:11:35 UTC 2009

Go to the Internet; type the word, Pre-braille and a list of pre-braille
skills for learning Braille, and activities will be there.

Debra

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of empwrn at bellsouth.net
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 5:37 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Pre-braille?

It was an update of the IEP-not time for annual yet. The PT requested the
meeting so she could decrease services since he is doing so well with his
PT. 
I insisted that the whole team be present so we could discuss the latest
vision findings (vision in his good eye is 20/320 NOT 20/50) and how it
impacts every part of the team. The VI teacher went over the Low Vision
Rehab Doc's report but really made no suggestions. I presented the team with
Jack's name printed in 2 inch letters and 3 inch letters. Dr. Decarlo said
that Jack needs 2-3 inch letters for reading. The team, like I, was shocked
to see how big 2-3 high letters really are. You cannot fit any more than
Jack's first name on a page--good thing we did not name him a longer name!
Anyway, I presented that and told the team that we did not think it would be
responsible planning on our parts to not think of how that letter size
impacts his future schooling and we wanted to begin braille instruction. The
LEA representative immediately began saying that there were concepts that
Jack had to understand before he could begin braille instruction. The VI
teacher made no suggesti!
 ons. I as
ked if Jack could not learn his braille letters right along with his print
letters. The teacher said that she was fine with that but nothing was put in
writing. I asked about borrowing braille-print books so that Jack could used
to the idea of braille just as children get used to the idea of print
letters. Our VI teacher had no idea if we could get any for home use. They
mentioned pre-braille but did not really tell me what it was or propose any
kind of plan for working on it. Then the VI teacher sent me a follow up
email stating that she guessed she considered Jack a large print reader for
now but certainly saw no reason not to expose him to tactile books. I
thought about sending her an email back written in 2-3 inch print just so
she could see what she was saying. Do you think this is a case of true
ignorance of the law? It sounds to me like she is trying to get out of
teaching him braille without having to assess his needs. Or do you more
seasoned (and perhaps more reason!
 able) par
ents believe it sounds like they are going to help us get started? For my
part, I just ordered some braille flash cards and a braille labeler from The
Braille Superstore. My plan is to put braille in Jack's environment just as
print is--everywhere. I thought that I could use the labeler to print
braille to go along with the printed text in Jack's books so he could get
used to feeling the braille as I read to him. I don't know if I should stick
the labels which are clear on the page along with the text. 
I will look in to the other resources you referenced.
Thank you,
Marie

Marie-more about Jack- www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com
www.apert.org
www.thecraniofacialcenter.org
Sent from my Palm Treo

-----Original Message-----

From:  "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
Subj:  Re: [blindkid] Pre-braille?
Date:  Sat Mar 7, 2009 12:41 pm
Size:  4K
To:  "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,\(for parents of blind children\)'"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>

Dear Marie,
I am a bit unclear, but you had a meeting-was it to form a new or annual
IEP? They will have to have SOMETHING written in for goals. If you think
that getting him ready for literacy is an important goal, then it should be
in there. Hey need to write up specific goals for the pre-Braille
instruction.

Pre-Braille, is in a sense Braille instruction--as much as early print
experiences are a part of learning print--and both are reading readiness. If
you get "pre-Braille" goals it will be that you are on the way to formal
Braille instruction, and once this is in an IEP it is very difficult to get
it out--the burden of "proof" for removing it is harder and if you disagree
in writing they can not legally take it out with out a court order in their
favor. That said you will find that getting things on paper is only an
initial triumph, implementation is where troubles often continue.

As for pre-Braille itself. Overall it is much the same--you are doing
pre-reading activities. He should play write and scribble, and read along
whether he can recognize anything yet or not. But you will want some tactile
writing and reading. The things Jill described are typical. You should be
reading to him. He should do activities that develop his hand strength and
also develop technique: reading a tactile line, hands together at left, read
across to the right, go back and move down to the next line--in progression
of skill the fastest readers midway across the line drop left hand down to
the next and finish with right hand only and then joins the left hand. 

He will need to learn tactually to follow a line and scan and skim and keep
his place and discriminate one symbol from another, just like sighted kids
do in print. There are Braille exercises to practice just like there are
print exercises for these things. Also he needs to learn terms above, below,
next to, etc.  

In early print, people do not wait to teach the alphabet. You can have flash
cards, and toys with Braille on them, and if he is play writing and
"accidentally" makes an L or an A with the Braillewriter then point it out
to him. 

I recommend getting "the Bridge to Braille" by Carol Castellano from our
Independence Market at www.nfb.org (products and publications link). Also
APH (www.aph.org) has some good instruction books if you want to know if
what the teacher is doing makes sense. And Creative Adaptations for Learning
has a lot of good early literacy, tactile pictures and flashcard stuff>
Their site is: http://www.cal-s.org.

We have a pre-reading program called Braille Reading Pals, register for it
by writing to bcheadle at nfb.org. Get lots of books, get registered for "Dots
for Tots" at the Braille Institute. www.brailleinstitute.org. Also National
Braille Press has a free early reading program for families, www.nbp.org. 

The school needs to provide materials too, In his IEP under accommodations
or materials needed you will want to have a Braillewriter listed (for HOME
use too),a slate and stylus (for HOME too), Braille twin vision or early
reading primer books and early literacy materials, (for HOME too), Braille
paper and index cards (for HOME too).

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 Marie Smith
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 9:24 AM
To: 'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'
Subject: [blindkid] Pre-braille?

We went to our IEP meeting and the IEP team did not deny Braille
instruction. Instead, they said something about pre-braille but really made
no firm commitment regarding instruction. Somebody PLEASE point me in the
right direction. What are pre-braille skills? It sounds kind of like
pre-literacy like you expose children to letters and stuff but the VI
teacher mentioned something about pre-braille books? What is this?

Marie (mother of Jack, 3 yrs old with Apert Syndrome)
http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com
Learn more about Apert Syndrome
http://www.thecraniofacialcenter.org/apert.html
Get information and support at Teeter's page
http://www.apert.org

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