[il-talk] "At Large" Braille Reading Group

[Robert Gardner]

The NFBI Braille Literacy Committee is interested in forming an "at large" Braille reading group that would follow the same model as that of the Blackhawk Chapter's ABLE Group described below.  The NFBI group would meet once a week by teleconference to read Braille.  The goal would be to improve the Braille skills of those participating.  The group would start meeting around the end of October.  

 

If you are interested in joining such a group, please contact Bob Gardner bythe end of the month, August 31.  Also, if you have questions, please contact him.  

 

rgardner4 at gmail.com

309.236.6606

 

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ABLE GROUP/BLACKHAWK CHAPTER

 

Several years ago, the Blackhawk Chapter formed a group with the purpose of improving the Braille skills of those participating.  The group was called the ABLE Group, where ABLE stood for Access to Braille Literacy for Everyone.  

 

The ABLE Group met once a week  for an hour and a half.  People read Braille out loud to each other, with Each person having the same Braille book or story, each person taking turns reading.  

 

Reading aloud was considered an important part of the program.  In general, reading aloud seemed more challenging than reading to one's self.  If you're not sure of a word or contraction, you can't just gloss over it when reading aloud to others.  Also, if a person got stuck on a word or contraction, others in the group could help.  

 

Those in the group were ones who needed to refresh their Braille knowledge, or improve their reading speed.  The reading speed of those in the group was less than 50 words per minute.  Several in the group doubled their reading speed within a year after the founding of the group.