[blindkid] slate and stylus

Mon May 16 00:32:18 UTC 2011

Hi everyone:

I, too, support you Penny in teaching Abby how to use the slate and
stylus, as I never learned how as a child. I got one last summer as I
realized its portability and wanted it as an extra tool to add to my
toolbox. As I taught myself how to use it, I am slow and slip all the
time and am probably not using proper technique at all. And now
because I didn't  learn while I was young I find it annoying, but
still recognizing its value. So I say the younger you can teach it the
better. But I don't think backwards. I think that was the one
deterrent when I saw one in high school and was told by my sighted
vision teacher and braillist that I needed to write backwards. That's
not true. I still think/write braille the same way I always did, only
reversing the direction I'm writing. Like Aaron, I just remember 1-2-3
is now on my right instead of my left. Quite the concept to try and
explain to many people, but it makes sense to me. If you're writing in
the opposite direction, of course your dot positions would reflect
that. I used to love when my friends and I would have an opposite day
as a child, doing everything opposite to how it should be. That might
be a fun way to introduce it too, and get friends and family involved,
so Abby will have someone to write notes to.

Patricia

On 5/14/11, Aaron Cannon <cannona at fireantproductions.com> wrote:
> Hi Penny.
>
> My first response to your idea of teaching your daughter the slate and
> stylus is, please do!  I had a pretty good education in braille and
> O&M, but if I could change one thing about my instruction, it would be
> how much work we did on the slate & stylus.  Maybe sacrifice some of
> those endless hours spent learning the Opticon (it probably seemed
> like a good idea at the time).
>
> Don't worry too much about confusing your daughter with the slate.
> However, it can't hurt to be a little careful in how you talk about
> the slate & stylus.  Get her to think about writing on the slate as
> just going the other way.  She's not writing backwards letters, she's
> writing the same braille letters she's used to.  She's just writing
> them going the other direction.
>
> I know it's just semantics, but sometimes it can help.
>
> Of course, the best way for her to learn the slate & stylus is for her
> to use it.  Here's an idea you might try when she gains a little
> confidence with using the slate & stylus:
>
> When you go grocery shopping, have her write out your shopping list on
> the slate & stylus before you leave home.  Then, take her with you to
> the store, so she can read it to you as you purchase items.  She can
> (quite literally) scratch off each item as you put it in the cart.
> She'll probably like it better the more you can rely on her to know
> what to buy next, rather than double checking on your own copy of the
> list.
>
> You might also "accidentally" forget to tell her something that needs
> to go on the list, until you are away from home and in the car on the
> way to the store.  This could help her learn first-hand the usefulness
> of such a tool.  After all, as you noted, the brailer is not very
> portable.
>
> In fact, any situation you can think of where she can help you,
> whether you need the help or not, by using the slate & stylus is
> great.  I loved it when my mom did things like that with me, and I
> think most kids like to feel like they're doing something to help.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Aaron
>
> On 5/14/11, Mary Donahue <braille at satx.rr.com> wrote:
>> Hello Merry and everyone,
>>
>>     I'm getting good ideas from your message about teaching the slate and
>> stylus, as our Chapter Braille class will be starting next month. If
>> anyone
>> else has any other ideas, please keep them coming!
>>
>> Mary Donahue
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Merry-Noel Chamberlain" <owinm at yahoo.com>
>> To: "(for parents of blind children)NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List"
>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 11:36 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] slate and stylus
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Penny,
>>> One very important thing to remember are the dot numbers for each letter.
>>> When writing on the slate one must know the dot numbers and realize that
>>> the dot numbers are the mirror image of the letter when it is read. To
>>> start with the slate and stylus, sometimes I use the following that you
>>> can get through APH.
>>>
>>> Pop-a-Cell – create letters back and forth
>>> PegCell – create words back and forth.
>>>
>>> Also, to gain some practice before actually getting to the slate and
>>> stylus, I've used play dough. I have them make a long snake and then
>>> press
>>>
>>> it flat. Using the stylus or a peg toy to press holes in the play dough
>>> from the right to the left.
>>>
>>> Another thing to do is place a sheet of Braille paper on the carpet (or
>>> get a carpet square from the store) and use the stylus to poke holes
>>> through the paper - all over the place - willy-nilly - then turn the
>>> paper
>>>
>>> over and discover how many letters were made. This activity does NOT
>>> involve the slate...
>>>
>>> As they get better, I use the sentences in THE SLATE BOOK to practice - I
>>> like to have someone read them to a student and myself as we compete to
>>> complete the sentence the fastest with the least amount of mistakes.
>>>
>>> Oh, and I don't use the word 'backwards'... I use 'mirror image' or
>>> 'flipped'.
>>>
>>> Above all - HAVE FUN!
>>>
>>> Merry-Noel
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>>
>>
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>
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