[il-talk] Fw: BRAL Newsletter 1.1

Fri Nov 6 21:59:16 UTC 2009

I won't necessarily be forwarding all these newsletters to Il-Talk, but this first one gives some basic numbers on the Braille Readers Are Leaders adult contest.  

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Shaheen, Natalie 
To: Shaheen, Natalie 
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 12:49 PM
Subject: BRAL Newsletter 1.1

     Braille Readers Are Leaders                                            
      November 6, 2009
     Volume 1, Number 1

            Dates to Remember

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

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

     In the Beginning
      The first annual Braille Readers Are Leaders contest for adults has now begun!  You are one of one hundred and five total contestants (forty two beginner, twenty one intermediate, eighteen advanced, seventeen expert, and seven sighted parent/teacher).  Don't waist time resting your fingers; get to reading or you will be left behind as your competitors' fingers race across hundreds of Braille pages.

      Have you set a goal for yourself in this contest?  It is reported that goal setting has been used since the early 1800s as a method for improving performance.  Make sure your goal is attainable but challenging.  Throughout the contest check your progress towards your goal. 

      Have you read over the rules for the contest?  To insure that everything you read is counted towards your final page count it is a good idea to review the contest rules.  Visit our Web site (www.nfb.org/bral) and follow the link titled "Adult Contest Instructions and Forms (Word)" to access the rules document online. 

      The Leader Board
      Would you like to know how much progress your competitors are making throughout the two-month reading period?  The Braille Readers Are Leaders Leader Board is a great way to check out your competition!  Now that the contest has begun there is a new link on the Web site (www.nfb.org/bral) titled "update your reading log for the Leader Board." By following this link you have the opportunity to update your reading log as often as you desire throughout the contest.  At four secret dates throughout the contest we will pull the data that has been submitted and determine the top three readers in each category.  This information will then be displayed on the Web site in the form of a leader board.  Contestants whose names appear on the Leader Board at any point throughout the contest will receive a special prize. NOTE: Contestants who update their reading log electronically throughout the contest should keep a copy of their reading log for their personal records as a cumulative log must be submitted at the conclusion of the contest.  

            Do you have questions?  Contact Natalie Shaheen:

            410.659.9314 x2293

            Nshaheen at nfb.org

            or visit our Web site

            www.nfb.org/bral

     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 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=oAiEZ0k7i_2f7htt9LoIcBfQ_3d_3d. 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.

      Registration
      Do you have friends who are interested in competing in the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest but are not yet registered?  It's not too late.  Have them visit www.nfb.org/bral to register!

      Frequently Asked Questions
      If I started a book before the contest but finish it during the contest may I count the pages I read during the contest reading period (November 1 to January 4)?  YES. If you read two hundred pages of a three hundred page book during the contest then on your reading log you should write "200" in the column titled "total pages read."

      If I do not finish a book during the contest reading period may I count the pages I did read?  YES.  As above only record the pages you read during the contest on your reading log.

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