[Ohio-talk] braille

Wed Mar 22 15:55:57 UTC 2017

Hello everyone,
I have to say that when i was a little girl attending public school as a visually impaired person with low vision. The teachers would often say that i would not need to use braille as much due to the fact that i still had a great deal of remaining vision at my disposal. In fact,it wasn't until i was eight years old and in the third grade when i first learned the braille code. It had opened up a world that i had never experienced before. However, as time went on and i got older braille was not encouraged  by my teachers after the seventh grade even though i could still read large print at the time and write long hand. There were times when it had became extremely difficult for me to solve a range of difficult math problems due to not having braille at my disposal. So i was forced to only use a hand held magnifier along with an four track tape recorder in order to get my assignments in on time. It was not until i was thirty five years old when i finally had the opportunity to use braille on the job for the first time. Also when i had  vollinteered for the very first bell program back in 2013 and  i had tried to read to the students in braille that i knew that my skills as a braille reader were very poor. So i took it upon myself to contact the library for the blind in Cleveland and have them send me children's books such as Cinderella and afterwards i began to practice reading out loud in order to increase my braille reading speed. I even had them send me the nfb kernel  books one at a time and  that was what really helped my braille reading speed to increase tremendously. I had begun to have a new since of confidence within myself that i hadn't had before. So it is never to late to learn braille again. In fact, i went onto to take a series of different classes through the Hadley school for the blind and visually impaired all in braille and i did amazingly well. I even took the transitioning  to u.e.b and received a b+ in  the course. So. Yes I dip find that braille can be a tremendous tool that one  can have at their disposal in order to help them carry out their day to day task whether it maybe for work, school or anything  in between. Braille is something that everyone that is blind or visually impaired truly does need within their daily lives. Because as much as technology may grow throughout the years. It will not replace braille for the blind. This is our way of reading and writing along with receiving information at our fingertips without it we are  forever lost.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 22, 2017, at 8:00 AM, ohio-talk-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Re: Braille question (Deanna Lewis)
>   2. Re: recent coverage on NPR for Braille (Debra Baker)
>   3. Braille (Colleen Roth)
>   4. Re: Just a Friendly reminder about the April service project
>      program for chapters (Cheryl Fields)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2017 13:19:41 +0000
> From: Deanna Lewis <DLewis at clovernook.org>
> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
>    <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] Braille question
> Message-ID:
>    <C6F9E6AFF2A60148AFD6B782AFAF04A60227EE81 at clovermail2.clovernook.local>
>    
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> Heather,
> My story is very similar to yours... In school (even at the school for the blind) they kept saying that braille was too hard and that I wouldn't need it. So, I didn't start learning braille until I was in my early twenties. It's been difficult, and I am still a pretty slow braille reader. But, I had some really good teachers (Marianne and Bernie) and I also took courses through Hadley. Braille is very important to me; nothing beats the feeling of picking up a hard-copy book and actually reading it. 
> Deanna
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ohio-Talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Heather Leiterman via Ohio-Talk
> Sent: Monday, March 20, 2017 12:01 PM
> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
> Cc: Heather Leiterman
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] Braille question
> 
> In school I had a visual acuity of approximately 20/200. At every IEP my mother would always ask for braille instruction. She was always told no she needs to use the vision she has. Since one of my eye conditions is glaucoma my mother felt it necessary that I should be prepared in case the worst happens. When I was 29 the worst happened and I lost 80 to 90% of my vision. I have tried to learn braille a few times since then with no success.
> I have been thinking more about learning braille lately. For me cost is always been an issue. When you don't have an open case with the state agency paying for a braille tutor out of your own pocket can be fairly expensive. I have also had some problems tactfully and being able to identify each individual dot.
> 
> Any suggestions or advice would be helpful.
> 
> Sent from the iPhone of Heather Leiterman
> 
>> On Mar 19, 2017, at 10:06 PM, Marianne Denning via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I have been reading that many people who were visually impaired during 
>> the school years did not receive braille instruction and they regret 
>> this as adults. If you are one of these, are you interested in 
>> learning braille as an adult? If so, what is preventing you from doing so. If not, why not?
>> 
>> --
>> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>> (513) 607-6053
>> _______________________________________________
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> --
> This email was Malware checked by UTM 9. http://www.sophos.com
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:18:34 -0400
> From: "Debra Baker" <bakerdebra53 at gmail.com>
> To: "'NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List'"
>    <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] recent coverage on NPR for Braille
> Message-ID: <000601d2a288$b3403ff0$19c0bfd0$@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"
> 
> I didn't find your beginning to be rude at all, Cheryl.  In fact, I thought
> it was encouraging.  Thank you.
> 
> Debbie Baker
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ohio-Talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cheryl
> Fischer via Ohio-Talk
> Sent: Monday, March 20, 2017 11:51 PM
> To: 'NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List'
> Cc: Cheryl Fischer
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] recent coverage on NPR for Braille
> 
> Strangely, I find myself hesitating to say what I have to say: I fear
> someone will find it rude. The fact is that I found Braille to be very easy
> to learn. It was back in the 1980s and while I didn't want to learn Braille
> because I didn't want to be blind and to need Braille, my progress in
> learning new contractions and adding to my speed of Braille reading kept me
> interested enough not to quit. 
> 
> I also have to credit my Braille teachers at the Cleveland Sight Center for
> their encouragement and for never saying Braille is hard. It was just
> something I would be learning along with cane skills and typing, and they
> said I would find it useful if I was open to it and worked on learning it. A
> casual, but positive enough message. I remember thinking, "Well, what else
> do I have to do? As long as I'm here..." 
> 
> Right after I learned Braille, I went off to college with a Perkins
> Brailler, a tape recorder, a talking calculator, a manual typewriter, a
> white cane  and a CCTV. For the first three years, I used the CCTV a lot,
> but often re-wrote my handwritten study notes in Braille. I couldn't use the
> CCTV anymore at some point in my fourth year in college, but I was fine
> thanks to my tape recorder and Perkins Brailler. 
> 
> I didn't remember all of the contractions when I first got to college. I
> used those I remembered when writing my study notes and, from time to time,
> I would say to myself, "I know there's an er contraction or  ment
> contraction," and I would look it up and then add it to the other
> contractions I used regularly. I even created my own Braille shorthand
> symbols and a Braille system for doing Math.
> 
> After college, I found myself without much to do. I ordered Braille books
> from the Library for the Blind and tried my hand at reading books I had
> never read or listened to before by some of my favorite authors. Those books
> by Graham Green, Earnest Hemmingway, and Charles Dickens came in lots of big
> Braille volumes, but I ordered just one novel at a time and I found myself
> engrossed in the stories just as I did when I used to read print.   
> 
> At this time of year, I use Braille to organize lists of information and
> keep track of numbers and calculations while preparing my taxes. My Perkins
> Brailler is my friend, as is my talking calculator. Having the Braille pages
> I've written in my hands makes it easy to keep track of what I'm doing. I
> then work with a reader to put the information I've compiled onto the tax
> forms.
> 
> I think Braille was easy for me to learn because I felt no stress over
> learning this puzzle of a code. Just like a child learning to read, I had no
> sense of what importance this skill would have to the rest of my life. I
> thought I might use it to label things, write lists, or whatever. I had no
> idea of how Braille would help me to learn, how it would make me
> independent, and how it would allow me to become who I am. And being a
> Braille reader is part of who I am.
> 
> Cheryl Fischer
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ohio-Talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marianne
> Denning via Ohio-Talk
> Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2017 6:17 PM
> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
> Cc: Marianne Denning
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] recent coverage on NPR for Braille
> 
> My concern is that we always say learning braille is hard. If we tell people
> it is hard then people won't even try. That is the wrong attitude to begin
> with. We need to change the message.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Mar 18, 2017, at 12:16 PM, Rachel Kuntz via Ohio-Talk
> <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> The following story appeared on NPR's All Things Considered recently. 
>> It made me think about the many reasons for the decline in Braille 
>> reading most of which are not discussed in this story. Listen to or 
>> read the story and let me know what your thoughts are about the 
>> decline of Braille reading and suggestions on how we can promote 
>> Braille
> reading.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> As-braille-literacy-declines-reading-competitions-held-to-boost-intere
>> st
>> <http://www.npr.org/2017/03/13/519983877/as-braille-literacy-declines-
>> readin
>> g-competitions-held-to-boost-interest> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> Rachel R. Kuntz
>> 
>> Board Member
>> 
>> National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
>> 
>> 937.245.0547 cell
>> 
>> <mailto:rachelrkuntz at gmail.com> rachelrkuntz at gmail.com
>> 
>> <http://www.nfbohio.org/> www.nfbohio.org
>> 
>> Live the life you want. Blindness is not what holds you back.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ohio-Talk:
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> com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:49:33 -0400
> From: Colleen Roth <n8tnv at att.net>
> To: ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Ohio-talk] Braille
> Message-ID: <20170321214933.n8tnv at att.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> I am so thankful for Braille. My maternal grandmother knew the importance of Braille and asked the Religious orders of nuns in Toledo to send one of their sisters to learn braille so that I could go to Catholic Schools. The Ursuline Sisters sent Sister Maura O'Brien to do this.
> Until the UEB I have felt like a very competent Braille reader. I use Contracted English braille and can read some UEB, but cannot write it.
> Braille is a part of my daily life. I have several book cases of braille including the 45 volume Bible with notes and the Catholic Catechism for adults.
> I still have some words to Latin songs transcribed by Sister Maura.
> I love my Perkins and have my original from 1961 which is in good repair.
> I have a jumbo braille writer which I bought to work with someone with neuropathy but need a good home for it. This is free to a good home.
> Colleen Roth
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2017 22:45:07 -0400
> From: Cheryl Fields <cherylelaine1957 at gmail.com>
> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
>    <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] Just a Friendly reminder about the April
>    service project program for chapters
> Message-ID:
>    <CAMVkHWDXiDtogDKuiu=WUfbozNkJKMsq=4b229Nrq_npYcxJiw at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> 
> Fantastic!
> 
>> On 3/18/17, Richard Payne via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> This message was sent to the state presidents  but please get people to
>> join
>> these  calls   and talk about it in your chapters. Richard
>> 
>> Just a Friendly reminder about the April service project program for
>> chapters..  Please note that all calls will take place at 7 PM eastern.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Dear affiliate president:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> As you know,community and service engagement is a central aspect of our
>> philosophy as Federation members. If your chapters have been interested in
>> participating in community service, but perhaps have not known how to get
>> started, there is no better time than the present.  The Community Service
>> Division invites chapters to participate in volunteer and community service
>> related activities during the Month of April for National Volunteer week,
>> which is April 23-29th. By no means do events have to take place during
>> this
>> specific date range, we would like to encourage service engagement during
>> the month of April.
>> 
>> In preparation for events, the Community Service Division will lend itself
>> available to assist chapters in the planning process for chapters
>> interesting in planning an activity in the near future.  Whether your
>> chapter engages in volunteer events on a regular basis, or you are
>> completely unsure of how to get started, the Community Service Division
>> team
>> can help you find an activity that is compatible with all sizes and comfort
>> levels. It is often assumed that blind people are recipients of services,
>> and it is important that we stand amongst our sighted peers to show them we
>> can also give back to the community.
>> 
>> Community Service is a multi-faceted way to challenge misconceptions, meet
>> new people, gain new skills and build a better team within your chapter.
>> Together we can bring about positive change in our communities. This
>> project
>> will show and strengthen our belief in the philosophy of the National
>> Federation of the Blind. You can take part in this project individually or
>> coordinate with your chapter by volunteering at a nonprofit organization,
>> church or school.
>> 
>> Participants will be able to learn and share ideas during bi weekly
>> conference calls that will take place on March 19, April 2, April 16, and
>> April 30. All Calls will take place at 7 Pn eastern time.
>> 
>> To join us, call (712)432-0140 and enter access code 808277.
>> 
>> The Community Service Division will also be sharing ideas via social media
>> updates ("@NFB_CSD" on twitter and "National Federation of the Blind
>> Community Service Division" on face book) throughout the month of March to
>> help chapters plan activities. Please send us information regarding recent
>> or future activities, so we may post them on the
>> <http://nfbcommunityservice.org/blog> Community Service Division Blog. The
>> blog is an outlet in which we showcase our volunteer efforts. We are
>> excited
>> to get started! Please join us on the first call to get more information.
>> Feel free to contact the community Service Division's April Project
>> Committee at ap at nfbcommunityservice.org <mailto:ap at nfbcommunityservice.org>
>> with questions.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Darian Smith
>> 
>> President, National Federation  of the Blind Community Service Division
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Web: www.nfbcommunityservice.org <http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Twitter: @NFB_CSD, at goldengateace
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Facebook: www.facebook.com/CommunityServiceDivision
>> <http://www.facebook.com/CommunityServiceDivision> "
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> E-mail: president at nfbcommunityservice.org
>> <mailto:president at nfbcommunityservice.org>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> (415)215-9809
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
>> 
>> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
>> 
>> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
>> 
>> between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
>> 
>> blindness is not what holds you back.
>> 
>> "We need your service, right now, at this moment - our moment - in
>> history.
>> I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to
>> discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up;
>> ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history" - Barack Obama
>> 
>> 
>> Help drive change for the blind .
>> 
>> Donate your car to the National Federation of the Blind today!
>> 
>> For more information, please visit: www.carshelpingtheblind.org
>> <http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org/>  or call 1-855-659-9314
>> 
>> "
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Ohio-Talk:
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>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Wishing You All the Best,
> 
> Cheryl E. Fields
> 
> 
> A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human
> life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will
> never sit.
> --D. Elton Trueblood
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Digest Footer
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> ------------------------------
> 
> End of Ohio-Talk Digest, Vol 109, Issue 21
> ******************************************