[Pibe-division] Teaching Braille to a Teenager

[Heather Field]

Hello Pauline,
It appears that I do almost exactly the same as Gail does. Especially with older students I use the Mangold Program of Tactile Discrimination. It has exercises to develop all the skills of braille reading. Also, it includes graphing student progress as an integral part of the program and I have found that this is a crucial motivational portion of the process. Students really enjoy seeing how they’re improving as they personally move the markers on the graph paper. There is a letter and number program and they are available from Exceptional Teaching aids.
www.exceptionalteaching.net
Manuals are available in both print and braille.

Like Gail, as soon as the students have mastered enough letters, I begin brailing sentences and little stories, sometimes jokes and riddles, for the student to read. I introduce contracted braille from the start and the student is able to read meaningful sentences from quite early in the learning process. 

As well as the Go Fish game, I also play a Categories game where I braille lots of words on cards using the contractions. Then, we have three cards in our hand and we have a pick up and discard pile. Players can lay down three or more cards if the words are associated in a category. The student must explain the association first. For example, pen, ten, men and pencil could be laid down as a category of things found in a school. Hen, garden, pen and wren could be the category of things found on a farm. Obviously, categories can be fairly loose.  
Hope this is helpful.
Warmly,
Heather

From: Wagner, Gail Katona Y 
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2012 3:43 PM
To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List 
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Teaching Braille to a Teenager

Hi Pauline,

No matter the age, I start with the Mangold program to work on good technique and to get through the alphabet. I don’t do every single page necessarily, but it really helps with proper finger and hand movement. The Braille Too program is good for getting through the Braille code, but it is boring as heck! All worksheets, unrelated sentences and very few stories.  Once a student knows his/her letters, I will Braille sentences and short stories having to do with the student’s interests.  I will include and add contractions as they are learned.  Braille her CD cases (or don’t they even use CDs any more??) or DVD boxes. Braille friends’ names and phone numbers and email addresses. I have my students write to each other as pen pals, or you can sign up for a “Slate Pal” with the NFB.  I read to my students and have them follow along. I will stop and have them continue reading. I play word games in Braille – something as easy as “go fish” with letters or new Braille contractions can be goofy fun for a 14 year old. Have words/contractions on separate cards and have them used to create sentences. I think one of the most important things you can do is try to connect your student with someone close to her own age who is a Braille user, or who is also learning. Contact your local NFB or POBC group to see who is close by.

Be patient, be encouraging and have fun. 

 

Gail Wagner, TBVI

 

From: Pibe-division [mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Smith, Pauline L
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2012 9:08 AM
To: 'Pibe-division at nfbnet.org'; Brink-Chaney, Marcie A; Landino, Alice J.
Cc: Miley, Priscilla; 'Vision at lists.pdx.edu'
Subject: [Pibe-division] Teaching Braille to a Teenager

 

Good Morning,

 

I teach braille in a local rehabilitation program.  In a little over a week, we will be geting a 14-year-old studfent who lost her sight earlier this year.  She has ben reluctant to begin braille instruction.  What materials do you recommend for teaching braille to this population of students?  What techniques or suggestions do you have for encouraging and/or teaching her?  Your assistance is appriciated.

 

Pauline Smith

Braille INstructor

 



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