[Pibe-division] Pre-braille for young children (ages 0-6)

[Sharisse Roberts]

Hi everyone!

I am a new early interventionist and i am curious as to how to prepare my
children on my caseload for braille; they are various ages 0-6. I also
wanted to expose all children no matter what eye condition/visual
impairment as I don't know which children may become print readers, braille
readers or dual readers. Any resources/guidance/info would be fantastic!
Are there specific activities that I should be doing and if so, at what age
should i start this?
Is it more about just encouraging exploration of textures and use of
hands/fingers as a young child (0-3) and then once then are preschool age,
exposing them to the letters of the alphabet (tactual and braille)?
Do you expose them to jumbo braille or just regular braille? or create
ex-large braille cells for each letter for them to explore?
Do you talk about the braille cell and the dot numbers? Or do you teach
them by the shape of the braille letter? I was thinking either you label
them by saying Dot 1, Dot 2, Dot 3, Dot 4, Dot 5, Dot 6 OR saying top left,
middle left, bottom, left, top right, middle right, bottom right? or do you
label them both ways?
Do you expose them to how their name is spelled in braille like you expose
them as to how their name is written in print and/or raised letters?
Should I expose them to a brailler and/or slate and stylus at some point?
If so, what age? Should I teach them how to write their name with the
brailler? Or do it for them and then allow them to feel the letters made by
the brailler?
Is any of this too advanced and something i should wait for a TVI to do
with them in the future? I just know that most of the children won't
see/work with a TVI until they are 5 or 6 and I don't want them falling
behind because of something i didn't do for them.
I am currently reading the children books and encouraging the parents to
read to them. I also encourage the parents to sign up for free
braille/tactual/large print books through different sources.
Any other suggestions for activities? Any great plans to follow that lay
out when you should be doing what with a young child?

I just want to give my children a great early start so that they are ready
as best they can be to start learning braille once they get into the school
system and get their TVI.

Sharisse Roberts
New Vision for Independence - Leesburg, FL
Youth Services Coordinator/O&M Specialist
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