[blindkid] IEP Advice

[Carlton Anne Cook Walker via blindkid]

Pui,

I will reiterate Ms. Denning's reference to the importance of items in
addition to literary braille, including Nemeth Code, Unified English
Braille, braille writing (with Perkins and slate and stylus), abacus
skills, technology skills, tactile diagram reading, non-visual techniques
for organization and other daily living skills, and orientation and
mobility skills. All too often, we place so much emphasis on reading that
we completely ignore mathematics and other non-visual skills. Nemeth Code
is the braille code used for mathematics and science. It is a beautiful and
elegant code, but it differs in several ways from the literary braille
code. While students do a great job of picking up and understanding these
differences, they can only do so if they are taught Nemeth.

Kindergartners are learning a lot of mathematics. In fact, according to the
Maryland Common Core State Frameworks for Braille (which correlated the
braille skills needed to meet the Common Core Standards, and can be found
at: http://mdk12.org/instruction/commoncore/braille/), kindergarten
students need to know how read a hyphen, a mathematical comma (math and
literary commas are different in braille), an ellipse, plus sign, minus
sign, read and write Nemeth numbers 1 through 20 (Nemeth numbers differ
from literary numbers), and how to write equations in horizontal format.
Again, this is JUST Kindergarten. Please check the documents for first
grade and on. Nemeth can be easily taught as numbers and symbols come up in
the regular math curriculum, but they must be taught.

I also referenced Unified English Braille (UEB). This is a series of
changes made to the Literary Braille Code. It's not a big deal, but our
students need to know both codes because UEB will be implemented on January
4, 2016, but literary braille code materials already in existence will be
used (and need to be understood) for years to come. Again, this is not a
difficult task, but it is a task which should be undertaken sooner rather
than later. You can find out more about UEB at:
http://www.brailleauthority.org/ueb.html.


I hope this has been helpful. Please feel free to reply to the list or
contact me off-list.


Carlton



-- 
Carlton Anne Cook Walker
Attorney at Law
President, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
Teacher of Students with Blindness/Visual Impairment
105 Creamery Road
Boiling Springs, PA   17007
Voice: 717-658-9894
Twitter: braillemom


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