[Ohio-talk] 2012 NFB BELL Program?

[Barbara Pierce]

This was the third summer in which more than one state conducted at least
one BELL Program. Each year we have reported on the events in the Braille
Monitor. The most recent report is in the November issue. The effort is
directed at youngsters who need Braille but who are not getting it at all or
who are getting so little instruction that they are not making progress. The
curriculum is carefully designed by the education staff at the Jernigan
Institute. It combines Braille instruction with other skills training and
activities with adult mentors, who are of course blind. Every state that has
begun the program is committed to continuing it. Participating adults and
kids are transformed by the experience, and parents get ideas and insights
that transform their dealings with their children and the school systems
that have been selling them short. 

At the convention last week NAPUB agreed to try hard to prepare to submit a
grant for Imagination funding for BELL in 2013. The affiliate does not have
the funds--it costs around $3,000 to conduct a two-week program--but we
badly need the instruction. Those who will be teaching the next summer
attend a workshop in February to help them get ready. The JI team supports
them through the spring and will even send a lead teacher, if that is
needed. With Debbie on our team, I doubt we would need that much help. We
certainly would not try to do this program without the leadership of the JI
education team, but I think we have the staff talent to run the program,
assuming that we can identify students in a single area who could benefit
from it. They have to be close enough to stay at home during the program. If
you will look up any of the stories, I think you will agree that this is a
well-thought-out effort that embodies everything we believe about the
importance of Braille to all students who cannot read print easily, quickly,
and for long periods.

Barbara

-----Original Message-----
From: ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Everett Gavel
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 12:37 AM
To: ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: egibbs at nfb.org
Subject: [Ohio-talk] 2012 NFB BELL Program?

Hi All,

Forgive me, but, what's the point of this program? I
haven't been keeping up with it if there's been
previous discussion on the BELL program. It's rather
brief and vague below. We could get this here for
Ohio's kids to help learn and use braille. I get that.
I'd like that. But, why this over other programs and
efforts. 

I get that it's to help kids learn to read, not
continue their reading. But it's so vague below that it
only has one sentence of actual program description. It
says, "The Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning
(BELL) Program is an intense two-week program that
introduces children to Braille through engaging
activities." 

Do we decide what 'activities' we use? Is there a list
of ideas to choose from? Is there a site where we can
go to learn about others' involvement and efforts in
the past on this program? Such as the section of the
site where all efforts NFB chapters put forth in Meet
the Blind month are aggregated in a long list on one
page? Because the message below was uninspiring and
uninformative. So I'm asking for your help in
understanding it a bit better. 

I ask you, can we get this in Ohio? More to the point,
why should we, I guess? Right now it seems a rather
uninspired effort. Can we make it something
inspirational? Do we have the time, the people, and the
desire? Because I'm sure we have the kids who could
benefit. 

Seems like a decent way to start off more consistent
classes of actual braille learning for kids & adults.
With this 2-week intensive program. 


Thanks,
Everett




-----original message----- 
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 10:08 PM
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] 2012 NFB BELL Program

2012 NFB BELL Program 
Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning
 
The Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL)
Program is an intense two-week program that introduces
children to Braille through engaging activities. The
NFB BELL Program has expanded exponentially in the past
3 years.  In 2008 it started in Maryland, and then grew
to include Georgia in 2009, when it was adopted by the
NFB Jernigan Institute. In 2010 it tripled with six
sites in five states and almost doubled in 2011 to
eleven sites in seven states! In 2012, BELL is going to
keep getting bigger and better. Will your state be one
of the new program sites?
 
Applications are available online for interested states
to complete at www.nfb.org/BELL. Interested states must
submit an application no later than December 15, 2010.
For more information, please contact Emily Gibbs
(410-659-9314, extension 2407; egibbs at nfb.org) at the
NFB Jernigan Institute.


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