[nabs-l] Foreign language

[Jason Mandarino]

Thanks, I appreciate this.

My interest is personal and not academic. I am a huge academic nerd, but my
program does not require or expect me to take a foreign language. I am
primarily interested as I like learning new things, and more so realizing
the increased Spanish speaking statistics as the Latino and other
populations rise. I love to communicate, and would think for it to be a
shame that I could not simply due to never trying to learn something
different.

Much appreciated,

Mandarino

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jedi
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 12:46 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Foreign language

Hi.

I have taken a foreign language in college with little to no experience 
beforehand. I took American sign Language (ASL). ASL presents some 
unusual challenges that you won't have to deal with in Spanish. For 
example, I needed a tactile interpreter, or someone who would mimic 
what he or she saw as people sign throughout the classroom so I know 
who's saying what and what's being said. Additionally, having a tactile 
interpreter also meant more intimate practice with communication, most 
especially when my interpreter was deaf. I was able to obtain this 
service through my DSS, and it was filed as interpretive services and 
was provided through the deaf/HH program already in place. As usual, I 
handled everything else in the way of accessibility.

I have also taken spanish in high school, and I think that my 
experience in high school is relevant to your question. First and 
foremost, you will certainly want your text book in an accessible 
format. I would highly recommend getting your book in Braille if at all 
possible so you can learn how things are spelled and practice your 
reading and writing skills. Most spanish text books produced for 
english speaking students are produced in grade one spanish Braille. 
There are only minor differences between this style of Braille and 
English Grade 1 Braille. All letters are the same except letters with 
acute accents. I will list the acute letters and other special 
characters below near the end of this message. You may have to do some 
negotiating to get your book. I would suggest working on the book end 
of things a quarter or semester prior to your entrance into the class. 
Also note that many electronic note takers support Braille in foreign 
languages. That said, you may be able to obtain an electronic Braille 
file from a transcriber so you won't have to carry volumes of Braille. 
Otherwise, a standard file will suffice, just don't try to read it with 
English speech synthesizers as they won't know how to decode what's 
written. Incidentally, writing in Braille using a note taker is doable 
with a standard Braille file, just don't try to decode it with speech 
synthesizers unless you have a preinstalled language pack. Your 
disability service should pay for the transcription of your text book. 
If not, check with rehab. If not rehab, this might be a good use of any 
scholarship money you have, particularly if Spanish is part of your 
major or course of study. Best case scenario, a local transcriber will 
already have the material and simply charge you for the file. check 
around at all the usual hot spots for Braille texts; you may find what 
you're looking for.

Frankly, there's no real need to audit the class before actually taking 
it. If your girlfriend wants to take the class first, by all means, her 
experience should be helpful when you decide to take the class. Besides 
an accessible text book, I would highly recommend hiring a reader for 
the class. Your reader's responsibility is to read any text not readily 
available in an accessible format, or text that isn't usable by a KNFB 
Reader with spanish software if you have one. Your reader can also 
scribe tests for you if you've decided that such an arrangement is 
appropriate. Your reader would serve one final function: she or he 
would be responsible for providing you descriptions of visual material 
such as information while watching films in spanish, descriptions of 
objects used to convey concepts such as pictures or actual objects that 
you are to describe in Spanish, or any other necessary info. For 
example, your teacher may hold up a ruler and ask you to name it in 
Spanish. Your reader would tell you it's a ruler in English or hand you 
a ruler to touch for your identification. I would recommend that your 
reader be a
Spanish speaker or an experienced student who has already taken the class.

I have used these techniques in both spanish and ASL classes with 
excellent success. You may encounter weirdness on the part of the 
instructor who might not see a way to properly educate you as a blind 
student. No worries. You will simply have to explain how you will do 
what just as always.

One more word on texts and homework. I would highly suggest doing your 
homework using a Braille note taker if you have one. This way, you can 
practice reading and writing skills and prepare a printed copy for your 
instructor either in paper or by electronic means. Otherwise, do the 
homework in Braille, then meet with your scribe who will take dictation 
from you into print based on what you've written in Braille.

As promised, here is a brief table of Braille acute letters. Others may 
add or amend to this summary if need be.

Capital letters are the same in Spanish Braile as in English Braille.

Periods and commas are also the same. So should be true of dashes, 
colons, and semi-colins.

Numerals are the same and are often written in literary format as 
opposed to Nemmeth format.

Exclamation and question marks are placed on either end of a sentence 
in print and in Braille. In print, the preceding mark is inverted while 
the mark at the end of the sentence appears as usual. in Braille, 
exclamation and question marks also appear both at the beginning and 
end of the sentence, but there are no inversions (the marks look the 
same on either end). The question mark is written with dots 2 and 6, 
then is followed by capital signs, the sentence itself, then the final 
question mark written again with dots 2 and 6. Exclamation marks follow 
the same rules but are written with dots 2, 3, and 5. Quotation marks 
are the same in Spanish as they are in English Braille.

Acute letters

A is written with dots 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6.
E is written with dots 2, 3, 4, and 6.
I is written with dots 3 and 4.
O is written with dots 3, 4, and 6.
U is written with dots 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
I believe the "ch" letter of the Spanish alphabet doesn't change; it is 
still written with dots 1 and 6.
Double L is written simply as two L's as in English.
N with a tilde over it is written with dots 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.
All non-accented letters are written as usual.

Let me know if you have further questions.
Original message:

> I am curious if any blind students have learned a second language in
> college, with no previous experience of middle school or high school
> courses. I am interested in learning Spanish, and would like some
> suggestions on how to do this from scratch. I have contemplated the idea
of
> having my girlfriend take an entry course, as she is also interested, and
> meanwhile auditing the course in order to get a feel of what it will be
> like.

> There is also the topic of Spanish Braille, and then additional resources
of
> tutoring and audio materials. I would love any feed back you guys might
> have, and if necessary you can feel free to reply to the following address
> and I can post a digest version of the responses if it gets too cluttered.

> j.mandarino1 at comcast.net

> Sincerely,

> Mandarino



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-- 
REspectfully,
Jedi

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