<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr">Carlton: </div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Thanks as always for excellent advice. Will start making tracking sheets and reading daily to build the mechanics before worrying about speed. </div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Warmth, </div><div dir="ltr">Sanho </div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Mar 25, 2024, at 8:39 AM, Carlton Anne Cook Walker <attorneywalker@gmail.com> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Sanho,<div><br></div><div>Great questions!</div><div><br></div><div>1. Regarding the bottom of the cell: Typically, missing the bottom row results from suboptimal finger placement. You really want to get the entire pad of your fingers on the braille cell.</div><div>I find that tracking practice can help. Consider making your own tracking sheets (using a slate and stylus, brailler, or embosser). Early on, the rows can contain the same letter side-by-side all the way across. I recommend starting with letters that have dots in the top row and the bottom row, but not in the middle row (k, m, u, x). With these letters, you will immediately know if you can discern the bottom row, and you can adjust your finger position as needed. </div><div>Then, move to rows with the same letter and one space between the letters. In time, add spaces and switch up the letters. Over time, add letters with dot 5, then with dot 2.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Regarding reading speed:</div><div>The obstacles you reference are common -- for both braille and print readers. Here is my favorite way to help build reading speed (and confidence): Emboss fully-contracted materials you have memorized. This allows you to concentrate on recognizing braille rather than adding decoding to the task. You already know what the words are, so you are, literally, teaching yourself what those words feel like. </div><div>I also recommend using poems and/or song lyrics (which, to a large extent, are poetry). Poems and song lyrics pack a great deal of meaning and higher-level vocabulary into a relatively short amount of text. This gives you far more bang for your buck. </div><div>Of course, I advise you to avoid scrubbing. When you need to re-read a word (or line), lift your fingers slightly, and move them to the left. (It's fine to allow helper fingers to glide across the braille to keep your place.)</div><div>Most importantly, DON'T FOCUS ON READING QUICKLY. Focus on your reading mechanics: full pad touching the braille, no scrubbing, etc. Speed will come later. If you focus too much on speed, the mechanics might remain weak -- thus stifling your potential long-term. </div><div><br></div><div>Hope this helps, </div><div>Carlton</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div>Carlton Anne Cook Walker<br>Attorney at Law</div><div>BEAR--Blindness Education and Advocacy Resources</div><div>Teacher of Students with Blindness/Low Vision</div><div><div><div>101 Kelly Drive</div><div>Carlisle, PA 17015<br>Voice: 717-658-9894<br>Twitter: BrailleMom</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)"><b>This message is not intended or offered as legal advice. </b> These materials have been prepared for educational and information purposes only. 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Today's Topics:<br>
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1. Curriculum Question (Sanho Steele-Louchart)<br>
<br><br><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: Sanho Steele-Louchart <<a href="mailto:sanho817@gmail.com" target="_blank">sanho817@gmail.com</a>><br>To: <a href="mailto:nfb-braille-discussion@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfb-braille-discussion@nfbnet.org</a><br>Cc: <br>Bcc: <br>Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:11:12 -0400<br>Subject: [NFB-Braille-Discussion] Curriculum Question<br>All: <br>
<br>
Two issues for which I'd appreciate your recommendations. <br>
<br>
First, regularly missing the bottommost dots in a cell. Reading G rather than ER, F rather than P, etc. People have told me not to scrub. Does additional acuity come with practice? <br>
<br>
Second, my speed is quite slow and reading itself quite tiring, resulting in very little practice. This needs to change. Do we recommend 10 pages until someone can read 30 then 30 until they can read 50? Or perhaps simply reading as often as humanly possible? <br>
<br>
Warmth, <br>
Sanho <br>
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