[Pibe-division] Is this the way to teach a kindergartenerBraille?

[Andy & Sally Thomas]

My son has used sticky dots to mark things.  When he used a crayon or marker, he wanted to mark things so well he obscured what he was marking and there was no way to move the mark to make a correction.  I guess this isn't a problem as much in kindergarten as it is later when kids are more worried about the correct answer.

Sally Thomas
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DrV 
  To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List 
  Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 12:46 AM
  Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Is this the way to teach a kindergartenerBraille?


  A few more thoughts.
  My 1st grade son Petras (no functional vision) uses a crayon to circle or mark numbers on his math homework & classwork - I think that is perfectly fine & natural.
  My older son (also no functional vision) transitioned to a pen (which he could feel) once it was no longer age appropriate to be using a crayon.
  My wife modifies his Lithuanian Saturday school worksheets & we have Petras similarly find letters or letter combinations with his fingers & then he mark them off with a crayon (which he can feel) - this can all be done tactilely without then looking at the letter; his sighted classmates also circle print letters or letter combos with a crayon or pencil or pen -> Petras is performing a similar task.
  The marking actually seems reasonable to me & has functional utility for a child to independently complete homework & classwork.
  I am interested in hearing about alternatives.
  I am less enthusiastic about connecting the lines - this seems less functional.  Seems to me the objective would help decide how appropriate that is.
  As to the point avoiding feeling for the braille, Petras could write his letters in English & Lithuanian long before he could recognize the dot combinations. For the longest time he was not particularly interested in feeling the specifics of what he actually wrote. It was really just a little after he turned 7 that he really began to try to more intently figure out what each dot combo represented. He has made wonderful progress this year. My eldest son know all the letters tactilely by 2 1/2. Every kid is a little different.
  Best wishes,
  Eric V 





  On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 2:49 PM, Carrie Gilmer <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com> wrote:

    All lines were directed to be drawn and circled by the student. Picture of it taken by mother is attached.

    Six years old, albinism, 20/160-200 measured with correction. Please everyone comment.





    Carrie Gilmer, President

    National Organization of Parents of Blind Children

    A Division of the National Federation of the Blind

    NFB National Center: 410-659-9314

    Home Phone: 763-784-8590

    carrie.gilmer at gmail.com

    www.nfb.org/nopbc


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                      I'm attaching a Braille sheet that came home today. I get these many times a week. Is it strange that Brian is instructed to circle and draw lines? It appears that he is being directed to approach Braille visually. 



                      Please tell me if this is normal or acceptable for teaching a low-vision child Braille. Please tell me if this is so far out of the norm that I should be very concerned. 



                      Thank you!

                      :) Carolynn
                     


               

         




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