[blindkid] reading rates

[Carol Castellano]

Another good idea!  I'm writin' 'em all down!

Carol

At 01:15 PM 3/22/2012, you wrote:
>One easy research project would be for the Braille teachers at all the
>NFB centers to record all students' times at the beginning and end of
>their training, and quantify the degree of improvement in speed. This
>would be especially useful in the adult programs, for making the point
>that it is possible to learn the code, or to gain fluency, in
>adulthood.
>Arielle
>
>On 3/22/12, trising <trising at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > Hello:
> >     Before I began assisting Braille readers to improve their reading
> > speeds, my husband and I both entered the Adult Braille
> > Readers are Leaders Contest. We had to determine our speed for 
> this contest.
> > We timed each other for a period of one minute each
> > time, on a passage of material from a novel that we intended to 
> read for the
> > contest. At that point, our reading speeds were
> > consistently between 250-260 words per minute for each minute 
> that we timed.
> > This put us in the expert category for the contest.
> >     Then, when we were asked to assist with Braille camp at Camp 
> Tuhsmeheta,
> > we read NFB literature and also  discussed strategies
> > for improving Braille reading speed. These include, using more fingers on
> > the Braille, reading silently, keeping palms off the
> > Braille, and keeping hands together until the end of the line. When we were
> > at camp with the teens, we made sure each teen had a
> > hard copy Braille book that they were interested in and that they could
> > keep. We then timed their speed on Monday morning without
> > any instruction. Then, we gave instructions on how to improve 
> speed and gave
> > time for practice throuout the week. Last summer, by
> > Friday, we  had numbers that improved for all of our students who were
> > working on speed. Some others, who were just learning the
> > alphabet completed the alphabet and had a good start on the contractions
> > that involve each letter of the Braille alphabet standing
> > alone. This is probably not a scientific method, but it has 
> worked for us as
> > we help teens improve their speeds. If they have
> > something to read that they enjoy, even if it challenges their reading
> > level, the results are much better than trying to get teens
> > to read books that are written more for the elementary level. Sorry this is
> > so long. I hope it helps
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Terri Wilcox
> > Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
> > Ann Arbor Chapter President
> >
> >
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>
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Carol Castellano
President, Parents of Blind Children-NJ
Director of Programs
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.blindchildren.org
www.nopbc.org