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Short Reports

Using an Integrated Literacy Curriculum with Beginning Braille Readers

A.M. Swenson

Abstract: Beginning braille readers may benefit from the integrated literacy curriculum now used as the basis for academic instruction in many regular kindergartens. This approach reflects the interrelationships of oral language, reading, and writing, and stresses the pleasurable and purposeful aspects of literacy and skill development. Careful selection and adaptation of materials and techniques by the vision teacher will enable young blind children to participate in many meaningful literacy experiences.

Blind children learning to read and write face a far more challenging task than their sighted peers. Developing the experiential background necessary for comprehension and mastering the intricacies of the braille code often require much one-on-one instruction. Although the teaching of braille will always necessitate individual attention, recent trends in teaching literacy skills to young sighted children appear to have significant implications for beginning braille readers.

It is now recognized that most sighted children begin school already possessing many literary behaviors, such as left-to-right sequencing, the ability to recognize some letters and produce letterlike forms, and an understanding of the purpose of reading (Wiseman, 1984). Some researchers dismiss the traditional concept of reading readiness, using the term "emergent literacy" to describe reading and writing behaviors seen in young children (Teale, 1985). This new perspective is having a significant impact on kindergarten curricula around the country. In many classrooms, "integrated curriculums" are being tried, stressing the close interconnections of oral language, reading, and writing skills. Kindergarteners no longer "get ready" to read and write they are reading and writing every day, in a wide variety of situations.

The connection between what is spoken, written, and read becomes even more apparent to children when they are active participants in a print-rich environment where oral language, writing, and reading are important daily activities (Sprunk et al., 1986).

Innovations in teaching language

These children use "big books," collaborative stories, journal writing, story conferencing, and many other activities as a regular part of their instruction. This multifaceted approach produces five-year-olds who are excited about reading and confident in their abilities as writers-results not usually attainable through the sole use of basal readiness materials.

Blind kindergarteners, whether mainstreamed or self-contained, can benefit from much of the integrated-curriculum approach, even if the "Patterns" readiness books continue to be used as a part of the instructions program. However, several special considerations are important in expanding the blind child's early literacy experiences. Blind children certainly do not come to school with the same repertoire of literary behaviors as sighted children. Their lack of exposure to the wealth of written language that surrounds every sighted child, and the relative scarcity of preschool braille materials, may mean that they do not even have the basic concept that spoken language can be written down.

Environmental differences for blind readers

Much can be done to develop this concept during the preschool years by creating a "literature environment" in the home-reading aloud, making simple braille books based on the child's experiences, familiarizing the young blind child with the braille writer and its purpose, and encouraging approximations of reading and writing behaviors (Miller, 1985).

Equally important for every young child is an understanding of "the functional aspect of literacy" (Teale, 1985).

(Photo Caption) Student-made books vary in size and shape, each based on the authof's own interests and experiences. All books contain tactual illustrations, braille text, and a print transcription so they can be shared with blind and sighted classmates.

Young blind children often miss out on the purposes of reading and writing because they do not observe other family members reading the newspaper, making shopping lists, jotting down telephone numbers, or consulting a recipe card. Even though print is an abstract concept for blind children, they can be made aware of its many uses of having parents describe in simple terms what they are reading or writing. Later on, when blind children begin to read braille and write on the braille writer, their basic understanding of why people read and write will give them many reasons to practice and enjoy their new skills.

Once blind children begin kindergarten, much can be done to encourage their participation in an integrated-literacy program. Teachers of visually impaired children tend to spend a great deal of time on the mechanics of reading and writing braille, including manipulative activities to develop finger strength and coordination, tracking drills, and braille character discrimination exercises. While these are important, they do not give a real purpose for reading and writing, nor do they necessarily spark enthusiasm for literary pursuits. They also tend to isolate blind children from the academic activities of their sighted classmates, which are often very social at this level.

Appropriate adaptations

The vision teacher's first task is to select the most meaningful aspects of the "print-rich" kindergarten environment to transcribe into braille. These may include the daily message, one or more "big books," collaborative stories, samples of other children's writing, and print books representing the best in children's literature at this level. Preparation of these materials is time-consuming, and often each braille selection must be explored on a one-to-one basis before being used in a classroom group activity. However, the use of such varied written materials adds an important dimension to the blind child's early reading experience, and lays the foundation for future progress and enjoyment.

Daily continuity

In the integrated-language-arts approach used with sighted children, writing is closely tied to oral language and reading. Children discuss their plans for writing at the beginning of a lesson, and later read what they have written in a group "conference," with comments from listeners encouraged. Fluent, uninhibited writing is fostered by making writing a daily activity, allowing children to select their own topics, and emphasizing the importance of the message rather than the mechanics.

Many children keep picture journals where they write a word or sentence about each illustration. All children are encouraged to use "invented spelling," a nonconventional but logical system of sounding out words (Teale, 1985).

Sound/ symbol relationships are acquired in real writing situations through sharing, observation, and practice-often making formal instruction in beginning consonant sounds unnecessary. Some of the children's writing is revised and recopied using conventional "book spelling," then bound into attractive books of all shapes and sizes to be enjoyed by the entire class. The direct link between reading and writing is clearly established through the bookmaking process, and the children gain confidence in their abilities as writers and readers.

Essential read/write relationship

Making the reading-writing connection can be equally valuable and exciting for young blind children. Before students are able to use the braille writer independently, braille language-experience stories dictated to the vision teacher develop the concept that spoken words can be written down. As soon as the children have mastered some basic mechanical skills-finger isolation, knowledge of the dot number associated with each of the six keys, and the ability to write a few words and letters-they can begin composing their own stories with guidance from the vision teacher.

(Photo Caption) A kindergarten author reads his "Touching Book."

Beginning writing

In the beginning, it is important for the vision teacher to model sounding-out behaviors, teaching the children to listen for consonant sounds in each word and providing the dot numbers for unfamiliar letters when necessary. This should not be a lengthy or a painful process-with the invented-spelling technique, how much of a word is written depends entirely on the child's level. Also, the braille code with its short-form words and special characters for common consonant digraphs actually facilitates the inventive spelling approach, and many young blind children are able to write as fluently as their sighted classmates.

Early writing attempts may consist only of the child's name and the beginning letter of a key word. Later on, whole sentences may be written, made up of one or more consonant letters from each word (e.g., I md a bg-meaning, I made a bridge). Like the early writing of sighted children, these braille stories should be recognized as approximations of mature writing. By providing acceptance, encouragement, and daily opportunities for practice, adults motivate children toward greater independence and skill in literary activities.

Group support

The importance of the message in writing is reinforced by providing children with frequent opportunities to share their writing with others. Blind children can participate easily in small group-writing conferences where each author reads his or her writing to the other children. Basic tracking and phonics skills are practiced during the reading, and critical thinking is developed through a discussion of what was heard. Opportunities to produce other types of meaningful written material-shopping lists for mobility lessons, thank-you letters, labels for cassette tapes-reinforce the many purposes of writing.

Like their sighted classmates, blind children gain further confidence and skills by participating in the bookmaking process. Subjects may be taken from the children's own journal or story writing, with the final copy brailled by the teacher, using conventional spelling and punctuation. Even very young children enjoy numbering the pages and assembling the different parts of their books in order, including the front and back covers, title page, text, and "About the Author" page. At this level, tactual illustrations are often a joint effort by the student and the teacher, providing additional reinforcement of oral language, fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and creative thinking. Books are made to be shared; the children's own braille books should become a temporary part of the classroom or school library, and should be read aloud often before being taken home.

Integrating braille into daily activities

Beginning braille readers who participate in an integrated-language-arts curriculum will continue to require more structure and individual guidance in acquiring literacy skills than their sighted classmates. Becoming a proficient braille reader necessitates practice in tracking, character discrimination, and application of complex rules. However, mastery of these skills should never be regarded as an end in itself. Those blind children whose daily work includes at least some aspects of an integrated curriculum benefit from the global picture of literacy it provides. Oral language, reading, and writing are seen as interrelated, purposeful activities.

References

Miller, D. (1985), Reading comes naturally: A mother and her blind child's experiences. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 79, 1-4.

Strunk, R. (1986). Integrated language arts guide for kindergarten. Fairfax, VA: Department of Instructional Service, Fairfax County Public Schools.

Teale, W. (1985). The beginnings of literacy. Dimensions, 13, 5-8.

Wiseman, D. (1984). Helping children take early steps toward reading and writing. The Reading Teacher, 37, 340-344.

Anna M. Swenson, M.Ed., teacher, self-contained/resource room for visually impaired students, Fairfax County Public Schools, Pine Spring Elementary School, 7607 Willow Lane, Falls Church, VA 22042.