[il-talk] Fw: BRAL newsletter 1.5

Sat Dec 5 02:07:18 UTC 2009

FYI

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Shaheen, Natalie 
To: Shaheen, Natalie 
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 1:31 PM
Subject: BRAL newsletter 1.5


     Braille Readers Are Leaders                                            
      December 4, 2009
     Volume 1, Number 5
     
       
            Dates to Remember

            ·      Reading Period: November 1, 2009-January 4, 2010

            ·      All contest entries must be submitted before January 22, 2010

             
     Breaking News
      Due to technical difficulties many of you have not been receiving the weekly Braille Readers Are Leaders newsletter. We apologize for this inconvenience. As of Monday, December 7, all issues of the newsletter will be available online at www.nfb.org/bral.
      Ode to the Code
      By The Sligo Creek Digital Communications Consortium

      (Tune: "Jingle Bells")

       
      Going to the school to write an IEP,

      The teacher says "Use print, because your child can see."

      The equipment is too big, and large print is too rare,

      And fifteen words a minute will not get you anywhere!

       
      Chorus:

      Braille is here! Braille is here! Braille is here to stay!

      We will keep on using it, we don't care what you say!

      Braille is here! Braille is here! We will sing its praise.

      It's the system for the blind to get a job that pays.

       
      They say that Braille's too tough to teach the newly blind.

      Its codes and its contractions discombobulate the mind.

      Contractions we've learned all, and codes we've mastered, too.

      For blindness has no negative effect on our IQ!

      Chorus

       
      They say that Braille's complex. They say that it's too slow.

      They say that new technology's the only way to go.

      But we'll keep using Braille, because it is the key

      To making sure that blind folks will be literate and free.

      Chorus

       
      National Federation of the Blind Song Book 1991

      Help Needed
      In commemoration of the two hundredth anniversary of Louis Braille's birth, the National Federation of the Blind has started a Braille Readers are Leaders Campaign to address the Braille literacy crisis. To help us address this crisis we need information from adult Braille readers.  You can help us by filling out a very short, seventeen-question, survey online. This survey is completely confidential and will not affect your participation in the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. Donate five minutes of your time to help change the state of Braille literacy in this country. Note: this survey is designed for blind Braille readers; thus the sighted teachers and parents competing in the contest do not need to fill it out.

      The Leader Board
      The Braille Readers Are Leaders Leader Board has been updated for the second time. Data was pulled on Wednesday, November 25. The leaders in each category are burning up the pages: beginner Pam Schnurr has read 558 pages, intermediate Doug Smith has read 1777 pages, advanced Tracy Bundy has read 2903, expert Nicholas Wilcox has read 4705 pages, and sighted Gail Wagner has read 68 pages. 

      If you didn't make the Leader Board this round, you have two more opportunities.  We will pull the data two more times at undisclosed dates.  So, keep reading and entering your data by following the "Update your Reading Log for the Leader Board!" link on our Web site.

      Peaking after the Plateau
      Athlete know that after many years of practice and steady improvement in their sport they will eventually reach a plateau. Plateaus in performance are frustrating but surmountable. With good coaching athletes can continue to improve their skills after a plateau. Like athletes Braille readers reach plateaus in their reading careers; but with good coaching a Braille readers can also conquer their stunted skills! John Bailey offers some great coaching to Braille readers who wish to improve their skills in his 2003 Braille Monitor Article "Surmounting the Braille Reading Speed Plateau."

      Frequently Asked Questions
      Do I need to do anything special to make sure I get my prize for earning a spot on the Leader Board?  NO. You will receive a package after the completion of the contest which will include your T-shirt, a certificate of participation, and any other awards/prizes you won through the contest.

      When will we find out who won the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest?  The winners will be announced in the spring!

       
            Do you have questions?  Contact Natalie Shaheen:

            410.659.9314 x2293

            Nshaheen at nfb.org

            or visit our Web site

            www.nfb.org/bral
           

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