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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Dear Sally and list members, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>If you Google the ABC Braille Study (Alphabetic Braille
and Contracted Braille Study) you will find out that several leaders in the
field of education of children who are blind collaborated on a 5-year
longitudinal study that asked (among others) the following questions that are
pertinent to your question on reading instruction methodology below. This study
was funded by the American Printing House for the Blind. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></P><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Cambria>Hand Movements in Braille
Reading<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 13.5pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Arial>Research Question (Implied):<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 13.5pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Arial>Are there differences in hand movements of C and U
readers?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Cambria>Specific Hand Movement
Issues<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 24pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Do children’s hand movement patterns
remain the same over time or do they change?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 24pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Is there a relation between hand
movement <I>patterns </I>and reading rates?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 24pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Is there a relation between hand
movement <I>characteristics </I>and reading rates?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 24pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Is there a relation between hand
movement <I>patterns</I> and grade level?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Do hand movement <I>patterns</I> differ
according to whether children were initially taught contracted versus
uncontracted braille?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Do hand movement <I>patterns</I>
correlate to the number of contractions
introduced?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>Do hand movement <I>characteristics</I>
correlate to the number of contractions
introduced?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>What is the relation between the number
of contractions introduced and reading speed?</FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>some factors looked at
were:</FONT></SPAN></H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 21pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Arial>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Cambria>Types of Hand
Movements<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 29.25pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">One-handed
reading: left hand, right hand<o:p></o:p></SPAN></H3>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Cambria> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></H1>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Cambria>Two handed
reading<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: left"
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Cambria>left hand used as
marker<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">parallel hands - left and
right together<o:p></o:p></H4>
<H4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">split hands - left and right
together until near end of line, and then separate<o:p></o:p></H4>
<H4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">scissors reading - both
hands used independently</H4>
<H4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"> </H4>
<H4 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">If you Google this study,
you will find much published information about the results, in the form of data
as well as presentations that have been given. </H4>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Both teachers in the field
now, and those who are in teacher preparation programs strive to follow "best
practice" when teaching our students. We are very appreciative of the
folks who undertook this landmark study for the purpose of determining the
answers to these important questions. </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Thank you for asking!</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Sheila Amato,</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">TVI and university
teacher-trainer</DIV><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=andysally@comcast.net href="mailto:andysally@comcast.net">Andy &
Sally Thomas</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pibe-division@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:pibe-division@nfbnet.org">Professionals in Blindness Education
Division List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 18, 2009 1:34
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Pibe-division] Braille Reading
Styles</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Teachers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am curious about braille reading styles.
Do teachers generally work with a child to develop the fastest reading style
or, after contractions are taught, does the teacher usually allow the child to
work with a style that is comfortable for the child? I've seen people
read with a "scissors" technique and read really quickly. Is this an
unusual technique or is it a natural progression in learning?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks for your help.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sally Thomas</FONT></DIV>
<P>
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