Category: Let's talk
Hey , here's the thing. Chris (AKA) tunehead braught up an interesting point about kids and spelling and I'd like to put this out for people to comment on. When I had a braille display I learned how to spell a lot of things. I need to get me one again. The problem is most of us "Kids" as you put it do not have one. Personally I don't read much, but when I had the braille display I read a lot of what was being said in e-mails as well as hearing speach etc. I learned how to spell a lot better because of that. But most people cannot afford such things. Unfortunetly though. I'm psparshely deaf as you know so having one for me is more ecentual then someone who may be just blind for example. However, I feel that it can help everyone to own a display. But when companies charge an arm and a leg for things, people can't afford them. I realize its a small market and supply in demand and all, but still. There should be some cheaper options out there then paying a tun for a unit which is I feel important to have. Not sure how oit works in other countries as far as getting computer equipment. But here in the US, some states are really good at getting what people need, and others would rather get people the bare minamum depending on what recources they have available.
When I was in junior high and high school, I had English teachers that probably should have been drill sergeants. So I had no choice but to learn how to spell (which I'm grateful for now). But I will admit that the Braille display does help a lot. Unfortunately, I've had this one for almost ten years, and I'm starting to notice that it's not working very well. But at least I can follow along with it.
I had a similar experience in school to what Brooke said. My English teachers should have been drill sargeants. We had spelling bees frequently, and spelling and good grammar were stressed. A device with a Braille display is not a good substitute for a good education.
Oh I agree that the braile display isn't a cure all, but it sure does help.
Just catching up with this thread, and I agree with what JH says. ok, now here in the US, you're looking at paying around $5000 for a braille display. That is far too much in my opinion so I can really understand why so many people don't have them, hell I don't even have one. But from age 5 or so, I learned braille. I learned early because my parents wanted me to have a good grasp on things at an early age, right around the time sighted kids are learning how to write and spell and so on. Spelling bees? I remember them well, and I'm proud to say I did pretty well with them. But the thing is you really do get an idea of how things are spelled if you can actually see it, or in the case of a blind person, feel it and how it's actually spelled. Lots of times you see people who haven't got a good grasp of spelling, trying to spell things and failing miserably. They're not bad people necessarily, but around the internet, if you're a bad speller, it makes you look a lot less educated than you might be. So if you can't get a braille display, at least take a class in braille and learn the basics. That's a good start. A good grasp of braille, coupled with the ability to spell, will help a lot.
The U.S. Government in their statistics keeping considers blind people who don't know Braille to be illiterate.
your points are good, but what if do to a bad past and unable to feel brail do to less sensitivity in the finger tips?, thank the god's for f7, cuz my spelling really sucks, never got into reading due to the pain, and now don't have the sight to read.
my spelling sucks and not sure how to fix it so sorry.
Well, you could always use your cursor keys to learn how to spell something. Go to any website and when you find a word you want to spell, focus on it and then use your left and right arrow keys and you can hear how it's spelled letter by letter. That way you'll know.
i agree with jh as well, if this stuff weren't so expensive, people would be able to afford it.
Well: I have no braille display but when I see a new word in English I always check the spelling. Just with the cursor-buttons. I think I know the spelling very well, in English and of course in German. But it's true: Soem people don't know how to spell things and this is very, very sad.