Category: Cram Session
Hi.
Was just wondering if anyone had any tips for "that darned sighted woman from Canada" who is very much interested in learning to read Braille.
With LOTS of help from the Hadley School, I've started down the path to learning how to write and visually read braille. I've mastered Grade 1 and am in the process of trying to remember everything that is Grade 2.
What I'd really like to do either concurrently or consecutively is learn how to read braille by touch, and so I am seeking out advice from the pros (i.e. all of YOU)... do you have any suggestions or can you point me in the right direction to learn how to read with my fingers?
Please don't slag me for wanting to learn. I've always been fascinated by Braille and ever since my Mom lost most of her sight a few years ago (from complications from a stroke and partially failed cardiac bypass surgery... she lost the right side of her field of vision and the remaining sight is rather dim), I've been given the opportunity to step into your world (as limited as my pass may be) and learn all about it.
The very kind people at the Hadley School welcomed me unconditionally and I want to learn enough to be able to give back to them and all of you (i.e. become a transcriptionist and help translate everything I can from typewritten English to Braille).
Besides, converting "one more" Sighted to the Braille Side means one less "ignorant Sighted" person in this world.
I thank you all in advance for any help you can offer!
I certainly don't think it's a bad thing...you wanting to learn, but I got a question...Why do you want to learn to do it by touch specifically? I know a couple sighted who read braille, and they all use their sight to read it...My husband to a degree included. LOL, though he doesn't do as well as it sounds like your doing. :)
No particular reason other than to be able to read while I'm in the car (I get motion sick easily) or in a situation where it's too dim to read with the available light...
Hmm, it's interesting. I read braille, and if I try to read in the car I still get the motion sickness. I don't think that motion sickness and sight are necessarily related, so, you may find that reading braille or print makes no difference on the motion sickness. :) Sorry, I don't know how to help you learn it by touch, but I do wish you the best.
i would honestly say, put a blind fold on, and start over. when i was in 3rd grade, i tried to learn braille by sight, but quickly got in trouble for that. i had to start over from step one and wear a blind fold, so that i wasn't tempted to use my eyes.
I've taught braille to many sighted people. Many people say that sighted people do not have the proper sensativity in their fingertips to read braille by touch, but I disagree, I've never found a connection between fingertips and eyes. I have a few tips you might try.
First, don't jump directly into trying to feel standard sized braille, because your not used to it yet, the indevidual dots may be difficult to discern. For instance, the difference in an A and a B in braille, it may seem simple to think of, but feeling it while its surrounded by other dots, is not as easy. you may try jumbo braille first, then gradually move to smaller braille.
Also, get what are called twin vission books, IE, books that are both brailled, and in print. then you can check to make sure the braille you've translated as a word, actually is that word. This helps more in grade two braille. the signs for the words work, word and world, are all very similar, only one dot separates them. Thus it may be hard to remember, or to figure out which it is. it will be easier if you can look at the print while your reading. However, be careful not to become dependent on this. Only use it until you can read braille by itself, then weed out the print.
Last, and this may seem funny, but I used it as a teaching tool, and it worked wonderfully. Check the braille signs on doors and things. I don't know how common those are in canada, but here they're everywhere. When possible, find one, and read it, if its correct, move on. I had my students go out and find all the signs they could that were wrong, and write down what was wrong about them. You might come up with some variation on that.
My only other suggestion is to get a braille cube. A braille cube is a cube, rather like a dice, but slightly longer. It is separated into three segments that swivel. Each segment thus having four sides, on these sides are different configurations of braille dots. for instance, the segment that has dots one and four on it, will have dot one and four both on one side, only dot one on another, only dot four on a third, and the last having neither dot one or four. that being repeated for dots two and five, and for dots three and six. thus, by turning each segment, you can create any character in braille. It is a great way to remember and review the grade two symbols. Plus, it usually comes on a key chain, which makes it fun.
I applaud you for trying to learn braille. We could always use one more transcriber, and one less "ignorant sighted person" as you put it. If you need any help, send me a message on here, and I'll see if I can help.