[blindkid] ABCs

[Susan Harper]

Hi Erin,
     One of my twins has some sight, which seems to be functional.  He has a
cortical vision impairment, that seems to be improving.  The other twin has
totally detachedd retinas, since almost birth.  He is totally blind and yes
I am teaching both Braille and print to both boys so they have a concept of
what others are doing.  My thinking is that it will help with spelling,
etc.  The boys were 25 to 28 weeks gestation.  The were born into less than
optimal circumstances and I have had them since they were discharge from the
hospital as foster children and then later adopted them.
      We are making amazing progress.
      I use a standardized Brialle cell and Braille immersion(Braille books
and print for whatever) since birth.  I also use the Braille train blocks,
and any other toy with Braille embedded.  I also adapt my own toys.  In
addition, I use many manipulative to work on fine motor skills, like
puzzles, beads, and my personal favorite, my magic beans.  We have been home
schoolers for over 20 years.  Magic Beans are nothing more than large kidney
beans that we use for counting.  However, I have found a new use, by using
the extra large, gigantic size grated cheese jars and having my son pick up
one bean at a time and putting them into the little holes.  He is much more
into raking with his fist and getting lost of things in the process.  It is
good for fine motor and teaching the concept, "one at at time".  This is a
favorite activity we do each day.  I also use the for counting, adding, and
multiplying.  I also use a counting frame.  It is really all about looking
at what concept you want to teach and then working out several ways to teach
it and then be willing to try again.

     A good place to start finding out where your child is at with his skill
level is to use something like the "Oregon Project", which is a check of
list that covers many of the areas of skill that your child will need to
move from the pre-school level of functioning to school level.  There are
many other tools as well, which I am sure some of our other folks will cover
with you.  But you can look at some other those skill areas that need work
and provide play/learning opportunities to work on those skill levels.

     Now on a more parent level.  Just expose your child to as many
experiences as possible in and out of the home.  Read, read, read, and use
Braille twin vision when ever you can.  Keep trying.  We just do stuff over
and over and over and then one day it clicks and we are off and running.
Not one said this would be easy, and I say, it is just different.  All
children learn differently and at different rates.  Take joy is all those
little accomplishments and give your self a pat on the back and share your
progress with the rest of us.

     Now unless anyone thinks I spend inordinate amounts of time daily, that
is not the case.  I spend about an hour total doing one to one activities,
Monday through Friday.  I believe that being little boys and doing little
kid stuff is as important as the learning stuff.  You are more than welcome
to call of site at 860-376-6034 or e-mail at griswoldjp at gmail.com.

      Much of what I have learned has come from resources provide by this
site.  So I am so grateful to everyone who has gone before me.

     Oops, said it was a slow day!
Blessings,
Sue H.

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 2:27 PM, Erin Teply <eteply at cfl.rr.com> wrote:

> Hi Sue,
>
> I have a question for you.  It sounds like you are teaching braille and
> print, so your twins have some good vision?  I am curious as to how you have
> the letters brailled, do you just use the standard size braille cell or do
> you have it enlarged on a different medium?  My son is 4 and I'm working on
> this with him as well.
>
> Thanks and congrats!  It is these little things that make our day!
>
> Erin
>
>
> On Mar 9, 2010, at 10:26 AM, Susan Harper wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >      I just have to share one of the joys of home schooling, especially
> > when working with challenged children (one might say the mother too is
> > challenged).  Remember the twins are only 3 1/2. Vinnie and I were
> working
> > on Braille and print letters and their sounds.  As we finished each
> letter
> > we picked out of the bucket, I put it on the table.  Vinnie is doing
> great,
> > repeating the letters and sounds that each makes.  Brandon climbs up on
> the
> > bench on the other side of me and starts picking up the letters and
> saying
> > my B, my A, etc., until he had identified all of the print letters.
>  Yahoo!
> > Both guys are doing great and speech improves remarkably as we work on
> > isolating sounds.  However, this is a benefit of a multi-age classroom,
> > where I am working on oral reading, phonics, and spelling with Mercy(7).
> > The boys hear and learn from this as well.  Yes it must be a slow day.
> > Love Mom and
> > Blessings,
> > Sue H.
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