[blindkid] Pre-braille?

Sun Mar 8 20:03:47 UTC 2009

As always, Excellent Carol, I want to clarify something though that I said
in view of a statement of Carol's. Because, I think our two statements on
large print alongside each other to new people could seem confusing or not
in sync-when they really are.

The definition of "dual" is fairly broad, and I don't know that we or anyone
has any such thing near a "it means child can use print 50% and Print 50%"
or of that order. The definition of dual mostly means really capable of
using both to some degree. In my mind in the truest sense-many considered
dual on paper or in goals have not had enough tactile exposure to be truly
dual (meaning they CAN ACTUALLY USE both)...and some blind kids do not get
enough exposure and experience with print. When I said he will likely not be
a large print READER with only being able to see 2 and 3 inches, what I
meant is FOR READING, even large print will not be very accessible to him
for reading. He will use his eyes when they work for him and should be of
course encouraged and use them when they offer gaining info in pictures or
words visually--even if a CCTV enhancement is needed. So I want to clarify
that I mean he should yes be capable of "reading" print, but in my view with
that kind of access problem it will not be an effective medium in day to day
reading needs getting met (as we really think of reading compared to a
sighted child)--or in enjoyment. 

I have never found trouble with a lack of encouragement or opportunity for a
child to use ANY vision available. The trouble is a focus on it to the
exclusion of tactile or an emphasis on tactile that nothing near the
encouragement of visual.  

So..He should learn print. I want to clarify that I did not mean he should
not. Many of us feel all our kids should be to some degree dual. Meaning
that no one we know of has been hurt by learning Braille and children with
no usable vision need and find it very beneficial to know the shapes of
print letters and to write with a pen or pencil in print as well.

But the point of tactile experience is very important that Carol made,
tactile should not be mere "exposure" it needs emphasis, and I know Carol
and I agree and have said it this way too, so much emphasis that it really
needs to become a "way of life".

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 Carol Castellano
Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 10:48 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Pre-braille?

Hi Marie,

In addition to all the great resources and ideas Carrie and others 
have mentioned, you can also sign Jack up with your state/regional 
Library for the Blind.  They will send print-braille picture books to 
your home and to the school.  This is a free lending library which 
operates through the mail (and when he is older, via downloads from 
the internet).  It's a little scary that the VI teacher didn't know 
how to get him books.

Regarding "concepts" that have to be understood before beginning 
braille instruction, usually teachers mean concepts dealing with the 
set up of a page, so top and bottom, and left to right.  These, as 
others have mentioned, are part of what is taught as "pre-braille" 
skills.  Just don't let these become an excuse to delay the 
introduction of braille.

It sounds as though Jack may be a "dual media" learner--someone who 
learns both braille and print.  The key to this seems to be making 
sure that the child learns braille thoroughly and is completely 
proficient in it.  I think you may want to avoid just "exposing" him 
to tactile materials.  There should be a real EMPHASIS on them!  So 
as you discuss the issues with the team, make sure a sensible plan is 
put in place as to when braille (including pre-braille) will be 
taught and how often.  The line to measure against is--Is he keeping 
up with his peers?

Another important factor will be to make sure his materials are ready 
in accessible form when he needs them, so that he can participate 
fully in every activity of the school day.

You may have figured out already that there is quite a prejudice out 
there against teaching braille to students with some sight.  The 
research on literacy and employment, however, strongly support the 
teaching of braille to these kids.  Let us know if you need links to 
the research.

Best wishes,
Carol

At 07:37 PM 3/7/2009, you wrote:
>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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