[nabs-l] Braille Reading Speed

trising at sbcglobal.net trising at sbcglobal.net
Mon Dec 30 21:15:09 UTC 2013


Dear Maria:

     I cannot help with Braille music, but I can help with your question about increasing Braille reading speed. If you practice 
these tips, your speed will increase.
1. Read Silently! Do not move your lips as you read. Hear the words in your head, but do not mouth them. Fast readers do not move 
their lips.
2. Use six fingers of both hands! Use all fingers except pinkies and thumbs. Index fingers give details, but tall fingers and ring 
fingers give the shape of the words. Fast print readers do not read one letter at a time and neither do fast Braille readers. If one 
hand is not as sensitive, that is all right, but keep it on the page. It will help out  more as you keep it involved.
3. Keep palms up off the paper! It should feel like you have a soft ball under your palms. Flat hands with dragging palms will slow 
you down. Keep elbows and arms slightly off the desk or page. dragging these will also slow you down. Braille is primarily read with 
the tips of the fingers, slightly back from the nail, but closer to the nail than to the pad of the finger.
4. Keep in contact with the Braille, but do not brush or rub back and forth or up and down. Light touch is better. Read with both 
hands working together until the last couple words of each line. When you approach the end of the line, your hands separate 
temporarily. The right hand reads the last word or two while the left hand tracks back on the same line and moves down. This way, 
you do not lose time by losing contact with the Braille.

I hope this helps. Please contact me with questions.

Sincerely,
Terri Wilcox
Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
 





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