[Blindtlk] Tips for Better Braille Reading Speed RequestPlease...

Thu Sep 8 19:44:25 UTC 2011

Hello James:

I am pasting an article below with some very, very helpful suggestions on
how to read faster and increase your Braille reading speed. Please read it;
it contains the valuable information you would want:

Building Braille Reading Speed: Some Helpful Suggestions
By Jerry Whittle

Over the past seven years I have had the opportunity to teach over two
Hundred blind persons to read Braille. During that period I have timed
Twelve students at rates of greater than three hundred words per
Minute. Of
Course, all of these rapid readers had been reading Braille since early
Childhood, and none of them needed to improve speed; however, there
Were
Some interesting similarities among many of them that are worthy of
Noting.
First of all, eleven of the twelve read with two hands, starting the
Line
With the left hand and finishing it with the right. Meanwhile, the left
dropped down to the next line to find the beginning and start reading as
soon as the right hand had finished. Only one of the twelve read more than
three hundred words per minute using only the right hand. In fact, he
read
over five hundred words per minute. One of these twelve read one
hundred
sixty-nine words a minute when he entered the center. At the beginning
of
his training he read with his left hand only, but he moved both hands
across
the entire line and brought both all the way back to the beginning of
the
next line, losing approximately one second per line because of the
inefficiency of this method. We encouraged him to read the first half
of
each line with his left hand, then track down to the beginning of the
next
line while finishing the line with his right. Once he started
practicing
this more efficient method, he no longer lost that second on each line
since
he could pick up the next one with his right had finished the last.

As a consequence he increased his reading speed from 169 to 302 words a
minute before graduating.

After years of teaching, it is absolutely clear to me that the
two-handed
technique is by far the superior method. I remember another student who
read
only 60 words per minute when she entered the center. She read with
only her
right hands. She also took the advice to begin using both hands, and
she
increased her reading speed from sixty to one hundred twenty words per
minute in six months; however, I should point out that she also read
over
three thousand Braille pages while she was a student at the Louisiana
Center
for the Blind. The number of pages read is an extremely important
factor in
building speed. A large proportion of Braille readers read at a rate of
fifty to seventy words per minute. In order to increase speed, once
someone
is reading at sixty words a minute or more, he or she should read a
minimum
of ten thousand Braille pages a year, two hundred fifty pages a week,
thirty-five pages a day-give or take a few pages.

Setting goals is another important factor in attaining good or
excellent
reading speeds. I would suggest that one set page goals per day. For
example, I currently have a student who has just finished Grade II
Braille,
and she is working diligently to build speed. When she first completed
the
code, she began to read a short novel, setting a goal of ten pages per
day.
She set aside a certain time in the evening to accomplish this rather
ambitious task. During her first time test she read twenty-four words
per
minute. During the next month she faithfully maintained her page goal
and
even increased it to about fifteen pages per day. In her last timing
she
read forty-five words per minute. Of course, some of this speed
resulted
from her being able to pick up words more rapidly from context, and
this
ability accelerated her reading rate. Some of the improvement also
resulted
from her growing ability to pick up the signs more easily thorough
constant
practice and in general from her consistent hard work.

I have noticed that most of the students who really work hard attain a
level
of about sixty words per minute rather quickly after completing the
code,
usually in two to three months. The rate of speed levels off. This
observation is not based on a controlled study but merely on my
observation.
What usually happens

is that students are able to increase speed rapidly because the fast
they
read, the more it makes sense to them, and the more they pick up by
context.

For example, "Jack and Jill went up the ...": it does not take a mental
giant to guess that the final word of this sentence will be "hill."
However,
once the student has reached a speed that takes account of contextual
prediction, the rate levels off, and it then takes reading a tremendous
number of pages to continue to increase steadily - at least ten
thousand
pages per year.

The best readers at the Louisiana Center for the Blind who knew no
Braille
before entering the Center have learned to read at a rate of fifty to
seventy-five words per minute in six to nine months. The student in
this
category who attained the greatest speed before graduation read at a
rate of
seventy-five words per minute. That person read over eight thousand
pages
during that six-month period. She actually stayed in her apartment on
many
weekends and read Braille diligently. In other words she approached her
Braille reading as if it were a job.

I would also suggest that those working to increase their reading speed
work
on their Braille before becoming too fatigued. If you are an early
morning
person, read early in the day. I know a former student who arises at
five
o'clock in the morning to read Braille before he begins to prepare for
school at seven. others are able to read late at night and set aside
the
time to do so. I also think it is important to read aloud during part
of
this reading time so that one does not develop sloppy reading habits.
For
example, when one reads aloud, it is hard to mumble through words; one
must
be exact. Also, by reading aloud periodically, one can begin to develop
good
reading techniques for delivering speeches or for reading in public
places,
such as church or before civic organizations. Additionally, reading
aloud
enables one to hear how fast he or she is picking up a line or to
identify
where any problems lie. I once had a student who was timed at three
hundred
fifteen words per minute. When she read aloud in public, she tried to
read
at that speed. She sounded like she was on fast forward. While she
attended
the center, she worked on improving her speech-making techniques. She
tried
to slow down to a reading rate of about one hundred twenty words per
minute,
and her speaking style improved tremendously. Incidentally, President
Clinton's Inaugural Address was read at a rate of one hundred twenty
words
per minute, about the proper rate for communication of ideas without
losing
one's audience.

Another suggestion is to set a timer for five minutes and read aloud
during
this interval. If you can finish a Braille page in five minutes, you
are
reading at a rate of forty words per minute. If you read two pages,
your
rate is eighty words per minute. If you complete three, you are reading
at a
rate of one hundred twenty words per minute. By setting a timer
periodically, one can see how much progress is being made, and the
timer
acts as a very good motivator to read faster.

In conclusion I would say that building reading speed requires hard
work and
consistency. It does little good to read thirty pages in one day and
wait a
week to read another thirty pages. The reading must be done in a
consistent,
day-by-day basis until a certain level of efficiency has been
established.

One must approach the challenge of increasing reading speed in the same
way
one approaches a job. Many students carry Dr. Jernigan's and President
Maurer's banquet speeches around with them on trips in order to get in
some
reading is airplanes or in doctor's offices. These Braille speeches are
lightweight and quite portable. it is amazing how much time one spends
waiting, and this time can be used to increase reading speed. Most
important, it is essential that one set high page goals, not
necessarily
time goals. Then pages per day is a better goal than one hour. The
two-handed technique is by far the best for optimum reading speed. Find
something that holds your interest. if you are just beginning to read
for
speed, choose a book or magazine article that is not too complicated
and
work your way into more sophisticated reading material.

Finally, read! read! read! Always read with both hands, and set
ambitious
page goals for yourself. if I can be of any further assistance in your
quest
to build reading speed, please call me at (318) 251-2891.

Source: forwarded email message dating back to 2008 by teacher of the blind.

Hopefully it is helpful.
Cheers, Humberto

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mary McGee
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 12:25 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Tips for Better Braille Reading Speed
RequestPlease...

Dear James;
	Reading two-handed as described below is the best way to read
Braille.  I read both print and Braille.  I was never taught Braille, even
though I attended one of those "Braille Schools" when I was young.  I
learned it at the Iowa Orientation Center in 1976, but, with work and law
school, I let it go till about a year ago.  Then, I began checking out
novels from the I.D.B. Library and, surprise, surprise, it's been easy to
pick it up again.  I learned the two-handed method from people like Mabel
Nading and Ramona Walhof and it must have stuck, because now I'm reading the
Braille novels almost as fast as I read print ones.  I suppose I wouldn't be
able to write that fast, but, oh well, I don't care at this point because my
computer skills are good.  
	The part about practicing every day is important too.  I've made a
new rule around this household:  Once the daylight is gone, there will be no
artificial light because all reading will be Braille.  It's worked for me!
Sincerely,
Mary L. McGee

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Hyde, David W. (ESC)
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 1:56 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Tips for Better Braille Reading Speed Request
Please...

Hi James. I once got up to 500 words per minute, but have slowed down. Here
is what I did. Read with both hands. Start the line with the left, pick it
up with the right about half way through, bring the left down to the next
line, and continue. It will seem unnatural at first, but it works. Practice.
Don't try to speed up all at once. Make sure the book is something you
really want to read. Limit your speed work to a specific amount of time each
day. Do not try to
 Identify each character. All readers get things from context.

If you are reading aloud, try not to do it cold. Read the material first.
You may want to start with easy reading books.

Finally, you have to practice. Set aside a period of time each day. Use that
time to practice for speed. Good luck.
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of James Kelm
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 1:30 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: [Blindtlk] Tips for Better Braille Reading Speed Request Please...

Dear friends,

    Well I am turning to those who are on this list for assistance once
again, and I know that I will get a lot of valuable feedback!  My question
is, what are some tips that you can offer me, concerning how to increase my
Braille reading speed?

    My Braille reading is good by general standards, but I still feel as if
my speed is below that of the average print reader.  I am interested in
improving so that I can read at a general conversation or speaking speed.
What are some tips or tricks that you can offer me, other than simply
practicing, which I currently do.  I have been reading Braille for my
personal use for a number of years now, but I am interested in raising my
skills to compair with an average print reader.  I find that when I read out
loud, I feel uncomfortable and uneasy, and although no one seems to notice,
I would like to feel more comfortable within myself.

    Thank you for your help!

Respectfully,
James Kelm

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