[Pibe-division] Any suggestions?

[DrV]

Hi Cindi,
I would strongly encourage you to have her enroll in the Braille Readers are
Leaders Program (www.nfb.org/nfb/Braille_Readers_Are_Leaders_Overview.asp).
Kids get real excited about this. I remember how with both my boys, the
first year they participated in the contest experienced a truly dramatic
improvement in their reading fluency - the difference between the first day
& the last days of the contest was honestly pretty shocking (in a very good
way). They are both good readers, but each time they participate, there
still is yet an even further jump in their reading fluency. Beginners tip -
Not all braille pages are created equal - whether a long braille page or a
shorter braille page - a page is a page. It is OK to start with some easier
books to build her numbers & sense of accomplishment. Order some fun braille
books from your local braille library in preparation for the contest & hook
her up with the Kenneth Jernigan Library (
www.actionfund.org/actionfund/Contact_KJ_Library.asp?SnID=134452252) - they
will send her some great age-appropriate books. Also, consider contacting
the NLS & order braille childrens' magazines like Stone Soup & Spider
magazine, or Muse (
www.actionfund.org/actionfund/Contact_KJ_Library.asp?SnID=134452252) which
they mail to the child's home every month or 2. The BrailleNote suggestion
is also great. My kids are anxiously looking forward to their "Super Folder
2011" which will be loaded with fun books for each of them downloaded from
bookshare & webbraille - & which can't be opened until November 1st - the
first day of the Braille Readers are Leaders contest. Every year I put an
empty "Super Folder" on their SD cards/USB sticks a few weeks ahead of the
contest to "tease" & create some anticipatory buildup to the actual start
date. The actual files get transfer Halloween night. Every Braille Readers
are Leaders participant is a winner - in so many ways & will even get a
Certificate of Participation & a cool T-Shirt.
Best wishes,
Eric V


On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 11:32 AM, Cindi Eskew <cindine at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello Everyone!
> I am a first year teacher, for teaching blind students and essentially for
> teaching period. I am looking for suggestions on how anyone out there is
> teaching their beginning readers.  Are you using Patterns or BOP? Are you
> using your own curriculum? I am working with a "fourth grade" student who
> did not begin braille until third grade. The entire code has not been
> completed yet. I am trying to figure out how to tackle this and what ways
> others have found to push the students along quickly.  We are working on
> Nemeth and she is picking that up beautifully, but reading seems to be a
> struggle for both of us. I am not sure how or where to begin.  She did the
> Patterns series PrePrimer and Primer last year. So should I continue this?
> Is there another series? How does BOP compare? I have been using 2nd grade
> reading passages, because she has tested that this is about her
> instructional level, but she is not familiar with some of the code.  Also,
> how much braille homework is everyone sending home? Thank you so very much
> to anyone who has suggestions!! I greatly appreciate any advice!!!!!
>
> Cindi Eskew
>
> "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without
> accepting it."
>
> Aristotle
>
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