1. Guiding Students to Become Fluid and Efficient Braille Readers
Helen Stevens
Iowa Department for the Blind

2. Outline Background Proficient Literacy Skills Learning Braille
Normalizing Braille
Technology

3. Background

4. Audience? PK-12 students Beginning or long-time braille readers
Began braille at any grade level
Low vision & blind

5. Proficient Literacy Skills
Ability to effectively access and communicate information and ideas
Grade appropriate skills
Fluency
Comprehension
Writing

6. Learning to Read
Audio reading isn’t bad, but it’s not learning to read
Basic concepts: letters, words, punctuation, phonetics …
Teach contractions as they come up

7. Spelling Learn both to write words in braille and spell them out
Importance of knowing what letters contractions stand for

8. Learning the Code Older students already know how to read
Cover contractions as quickly as possible
Read meaningful interesting content
Incorporate into schoolwork

9. Barriers
Misconceptions
Limited instructional time
Student motivation

10. Reading Technique Print readers don’t read letter by letter 2 hands
6 fingers
Shapes rather than individual dots
Enforce as early as possible

11. Learning to Use More Fingers
Read with non-dominant hand
Read with each finger independently

12. Sight words All ages Automatic recognition
Efficient way to increase speed

13. Harm of Uncontracted braille
Learn wrong shapes
Slows reading speed development
Harder to know whether words look right

14. Braille, Braille, Everywhere
How to normalize braille and make it a part of students’ lives

15. Classroom Labeling: Student supplies Print signs or posters
Interactive classroom items
Classroom library

16. Schoolwork
Refreshable braille
Worksheets before books

17. Home
Parents learn basics
Labeling
Games
Making time for reading

18. Technology
Improves access to braille rather than limits the need for it
Notetakers
Braille displays

19. Questions and Discussion