[nabs-l] Transitioning Student

[Harry Hogue]

Hello Kayleigh,

Pen pals by postal mail may seem a bit old-fashioned in the day of e-mail, but it really provides a good way of practicing Braille, and gives you a chance to both read it and write it, rather that is with a Perkins Brailler or by the slate and stylus.

No matter what anyone tells you, do what works for you as far as how you choose to write your Braille--some advocate the slate and stylus (I use them for quick phone numbers, myself) while I use the Perkins for any thing longer (i.e. by notes on Japanese).

Also, put Braille wher ever you will notice it the most.  Braille your favorite tapes, CD's, movies, boxed foods, canned goods, etc.  his will give you practice with every day things and will reinforce waht you have learned.

Get a magazine, if you enjoy reading magazines (you can get free montly subscriptions to a variety of magazines from the Library for the Blind) and read an article.  If it takes you a month to read one article, it takes you a month.  You are not in competition with anyone else, and you have nothing to prove to anyone.  Listen to know one who tells you that you must reach a certain speed to be a competent Brailler reader; if Braille meets your needs for pleasure reading, practical uses, and professional functions (i.e. reading books/novels, labeling file folders for school, work, etc., and keeping appointments in a calendar) then you are a competent Braille reader.

I have read Braille since I was nine (learned Braille until that time) and am now 23, so it could be argued that I am somewhere in the middle of those who knew it all of their lives and those who started later, since I was in the fourth grade and was illiterate because of vision loss.

If you ahve any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me, or anyone else on list.

Congratulations and keep up the good work,

Harry

--- On Wed, 12/9/09, Kayleigh Joiner <kayleigh281 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Kayleigh Joiner <kayleigh281 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [nabs-l] Transitioning Student
> To: "NABS list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009, 9:14 PM
> I am in the process of transitioning
> from print to braille. Since the 7th grade I have been
> teaching myself braille during my free time by taking the
> courses from the hadley school for the blind.  I finished
> the 3rd literary braille course from hadley this past
> semester. I went to CCB this summer and learned all of my
> contractions. I don't have a very knowlegable vision
> teacher. I feel like I am running out of drive to continue
> reading. I am a senior in high school and am trying to
> juggle two advanced placement classes (with the rest of my
> other classes), my school musical, and my varsity choirs.
> Does anyone know of any listservs or anything of that type
> that are for students making the transition from print to
> braille? I don't really have any friends that are making the
> switch. They either have known braille all their life or are
> reading print. And also my parents don't know Braille either
> so they can't really relate with me on this situation. I
> do
>  plan on attending an NFB training center after I graduate
> to get better blindness skills. I am leaning towards LCB.
> Any advice would be greatly appreciative. 
> 
> Sincerely,
> Kayleigh 
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