[nabs-l] Advanced foreign language advice needed

Fri Aug 24 23:44:19 UTC 2012

Danielle and all,
While I generally agree with the do it your own attitude, I feel there is a 
place for notetakers. In classes involving more visual
input via videos slides, actions etc, a notetaker can take down those notes 
you're missing and even describe to you what you're missing. For instance in 
my high school spanish class students had to act out something and the class 
guessed its action or we would be given commands in spanish such as open the 
door or turn on a light switch and students did that. This method of 
listening and performing the action is called total physical response. In 
addition, my teacher showed videos and wrote on the board a lot. This person 
starting the thread said she had a braille note and I'm sure can take notes 
well. But its hard to follow a foreign language class when you have 
handouts, have to hear the teacher and write your notes.
Remember that sighted students can copy from the board where as we have to 
hear it and write it. in taking my own notes, I found that sometimes I could 
hardly get one thing down and the prof was onto the next thing! In my 
spanish class in high school, I used a brailler and did not take notes; I 
had a student notetaker. It would have been too loud to braille and listen 
to the teacher and besides there was hardly time.

I do not buy the work argument because at work we are at meetings and taking 
notes there, not trying to comprehend a new concept. Well, we might be 
learning, but it is not a foreign language and at work you have more time.
Do you all know that most of the 8 hour day, employees really don't work? 
They come to work, but they are not working! Why? Well, because, they either 
cannot concentrate the whole day, get bored of the assignment and go  on the 
internet, and some just are lazy. Even the best conscientious workers will 
take social breaks or breaks for personal matters.
So, a blind employee might put in an extra hour or two of work then to learn 
or complete an assignment.

In school, I think we should get accomodations if we need them. After all, 
professors really don't verbalize everything and I learned the truth my 
first semester at school. You may want them to verbalize everything on the 
screen  or at least everything that is important, but they don't. They are 
going to point to stuff or another thing I saw was talk about something and 
not read the definition. I found a notetaker quite helpful in spanish and I 
stick to my suggestion. Notetakers are not  for every class, but in some 
situations its good. And, a good notetaker will copy down correctly so you 
get the spelling of words. I did not know how to even write most of the 
words down since it’s a foreign language.
Other students are not expected to know how to write it either, at least for 
a while. They copy from the board and see the pictures. By pairing the 
picture to the verbal message, they understand the concept.
Then they learn how to write the foreign language vocabulary.
For instance, my teacher had a picture of the beach or restaurant and 
pointed to certain stuff and
described it; sometimes she translated to english; other times not as it was 
obvious she was pointing to the oceean.

Anyway, we'll all do what is best for us, but I don't think we should rule 
out an accomodation based on philosophy or what our future might be.

In general, I think students could learn better notetaking skills; I wish 
there was a class in notetaking and study habits because it is not as needed 
in high school as teachers teach differently, butin college listening and 
getting the important points and putting them down in your own words is 
important.
If we had such a class for anyone, I think the drop out rate would decrease.

Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: Danielle Sykora
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 5:27 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Advanced foreign language advice needed

Hi everyone,
Yes, I agree that we should be able to take our own notes. The ability
to take notes is a very important skill. It doesn't seem practical to
always expect to have someone else take notes for you.
Just my opinion,
Danielle

On 8/24/12, Lavonya Gardner <hotdancer1416 at gmail.com> wrote:
> They have note takers for school and assistances for work. I have 1
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Aug 24, 2012, at 17:00, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>
>> My view may not be popular -- but, it seems to me that as blind persons 
>> we
>> need to be able to take notes as does everybody else.  Use of a human 
>> note
>> taker, while it may seem expedient, isn't going to prepare you for the
>> real world.  Unless you have a problem, in addition to blindness, most
>> employers aren't, and shouldn't provide you with a note taker.  We need 
>> to
>> have the tools to study as everybody else does.
>>
>> I would use the Braille note to take notes in class, and worry about
>> powerpoints etc. later.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 09:10 PM 8/21/2012, you wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>> If this is a state college, if you ask for a note taker, they can't deny
>>> you a note taker. If they say that is against their policy, say that is
>>> BS and you can sue them.
>>> If they are a private college that put you on a 504 plan the case is the
>>> same. They can provide you accommodation if it isn't unreasonable.
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>>> -----Original Message----- From: Ashley Bramlett
>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 6:37 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Advanced foreign language advice needed
>>>
>>> Aleeha,
>>> Well, that is too bad because I think a foregin language class is one
>>> where
>>> a notetaker would be very  beneficial.
>>> If you feel you miss material in class, you can always go to the
>>> professor's
>>> office hours. In my experience, they are generally real willing to help
>>> and
>>> repeat or clarify any lecture material.
>>>
>>> Ashley
>>>
>>> -----Original Message----- From: aleeha dudley
>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 8:28 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Advanced foreign language advice needed
>>>
>>> I use a note taker in science classes and am not ashamed to say it. The
>>> university does not provide these services for foreign language classes.
>>> Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
>>>
>>> Aleeha Dudley
>>> President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
>>> Changing what it means to be blind
>>>
>>> On Aug 21, 2012, at 6:40 PM, "Ashley Bramlett"
>>> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Aleeha,
>>>> Sounds like a handful. I would not be able to read notes on a laptop,
>>>> take notes and listen at the same time even if it was in english!
>>>> What teaching style does she use? I only took foreign language in high
>>>> school; I would not want to try in college due to no braille
>>>> availability. In high school I was accomodated with hard copy braille
>>>> and braille texts which was vital to my success; college you have to do
>>>> auditorily.
>>>>
>>>> What I'd suggest is not reading the class notes in class. Do you need 
>>>> to
>>>> read them for a worksheet or group activity? If so, could someone else
>>>> read them with you? Sometimes my professors have a study guide but I
>>>> follow auditorily since I ask the professor to speak out the questions
>>>> before going over them. If in a group of students, I try and get them 
>>>> to
>>>> read the handout to me so I can participate.
>>>> Instead of in class, get any handouts ahead of time and read them. If
>>>> you feel you need them in class, is it possible to put the handout file
>>>> on your braille note and switch files from your notes and class notes?
>>>>
>>>> Another idea which might be quicker for accessing notes is to emboss 
>>>> the
>>>> class notes. Do you have an embosser of yours or the schools?
>>>> I find that i can  skim a hard copy document faster than a braille
>>>> display file.
>>>> Also recording class might help. Another idea, which many would 
>>>> disagree
>>>> with, is have a notetaker. Your school should provide a notetaker upon
>>>> request for you. Languages classes go fast and I think it would be hard
>>>> to take notes as fast as they go especially when other students can 
>>>> copy
>>>> notes from the board or slide at their pace and you have to do it
>>>> right as the teacher talks.
>>>>
>>>> HTH,
>>>> Ashley
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: aleeha dudley
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 10:08 AM
>>>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Advanced foreign language advice needed
>>>>
>>>> I was wondering if any of you have taken 300 level foreign language
>>>> classes and if so, how did you keep track of all that is happening in
>>>> the class? I am finding it difficult to read the class notes on my
>>>> laptop, take my own notes on my Braillenote apex, and also try to
>>>> comprehend what the instructor is saying since it is all in Spanish. 
>>>> Let
>>>> me know what you think. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Aleeha Dudley
>>>> President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
>>>> Changing what it means to be blind
>>
>>
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