Teaching Braille

How Braille labels helped bring meaning to a math lesson

Author: Sally Cameron, Halifax, NS

Last year I had an eleven year old braille student whom I will call Duncan. Duncan was a reluctant math student. He leaned on me or any other adult near him for support. As a result, he could not get through one math equation without asking several questions. One of my main goals for him in math last year was for him to independently start, work on and solve a math problem. The most challenging aspect of this goal was Duncan’s fine tuned ability to stall. He would come up with every excuse possible to slow down or stop the math problems. Although Duncan worked out of a brailled math text book, the same text his school used, he was not motivated. That all changed the day I brailled the text found on real objects. Duncan was working on a lesson that required him to estimate the cost of an item based on the weight of the contents and the number of units being sold. I brought in several different items found in the grocery store, brailled the text with braille labels and gave it to Duncan with the directions to estimate the cost and then add up the grocery bill. Duncan took the real objects and with an eagerness I had never seen before searched the items for the required information. As he sat with his Perkins on his left and the grocery items on his right he started, worked on and finished the math problem on his own. The only question he asked was if he could drink one of the 200ml drinking box, after all I had eleven more. From his math book Duncan knew that information was available to him. But he would forget once he finished reading the question. By actually putting the braille on the objects he was able to bring meaning and worth to the objects and the math

Author: Robert Just, Toronto, ON

I started learning to read and write Braille at the old Halifax School for the Blind in the early 1950's and participated in (and won) several Braille-reading contests.

I have some cherished memories of Braille in school and I would like to share a particularly fond one if I may.

I was in Grade IV at the time. Our Braille teacher, Miss Pearl Campbell, was a stickler for errorless Braille and each day she would conduct a class and check each pupil's paper for errors or absence thereof. She would put two little plastic stars in the right-hand corner of the page to indicate perfection.

A paper with one to three errors was awarded one star. A paper with more than three errors, of course, garnered no stars. At the end of the school year, each student was given his/her book with the year's work in it and I kept mine from Grades III, IV, and V for years afterwards just for the sake of nostalgia. Now, perhaps, I should get to my point. One day while I was in Grade IV, Miss Campbell came to us with an idea:

"Class," she began, I was thinking of taking you on a picnic some Saturday afternoon. In order to earn this picnic, everyone in the class must produce a perfect Braille page on a designated day."

We all cheered and were filled with determination to work towards that goal. The designated day arrived and each student was sitting at his/her desk, slate and stylus at the ready, champing at the bit for Miss Campbell to enter and say "good afternoon" and to instruct us to get ready. Everyone ready with slate and stylus, she began dictating. You could have heard a pin drop in that classroom except for the pecking sounds you would have expected from all styluses working at once. Everyone seemed to be relaxed and ready to work to accomplish the task we were assigned. At the end of the session Miss Campbell collected all the papers and scrutinized them one by one, saying "perfect paper" as she went through each one. We had accomplished our feat and the date for the picnic was set. A sighted teacher, Miss Stella Fraser, was invited to come along and help out and she and Miss Campbell got together and prepared us a wonderful party. We went to a Halifax park and played all manner of games and ran around the park to work up an appetite. The Halifax "Chronicle Herald" was called in advance and a photographer came to the park for a group picture. An article about our picnic and how we earned it was written to accompany the picture. I won the Braille reading contest that year.

For about five years after graduation from high school, I studied piano and learned Braille music from a blind teacher, attaining the Grade IV level in music and theory. In the 60's and early 70's I participated in an annual rally under the sponsorship of the Atlantic Sports Car Club. The instruction sheet was in Braille and each blind navigator was expected to communicate the instructions to his/her assigned driver. In 1977, the first year I was working here in Toronto, I took second place in the rally sponsored by the British Empire Motor club and still have that trophy in my possession.

In 1971, still living in my native city of Halifax, I was chosen to be on a team transcribing textbooks into Braille for the students at the old alma mater. I found this experience most rewarding. The project was submitted to the federal government for its Opportunities for Youth program. The following winter, under the Winter Works/Local Initiatives Program, I started to work again, this time transcribing material for the CNIB's Maritime division. There were many fun-filled events in connection with this program. The first major project I undertook was the transcription of Arthur C. Clark's "2001 a Space Odyssey", which I divided into seven Braille volumes. A little later in that particular project I started doing more transcription work for the old school. I transcribed an excellent historical reference book entitled "Nova Scotia's Two Remarkable Giants", which the then history teacher and her pupils greatly appreciated. When this was completed and thoroughly checked, I transcribed the 448-page Canadian Scout Handbook published by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of Canada. This I divided into 11 large volumes. This took me into the summer of 1972, as our projects were granted a series of extensions. Some of my work included transcription of Shakespearean plays. I did "The Merchant of Venice" and "Julius Caesar" close together. Then came an economics textbook, which, like the Canadian Scout Handbook, I divided into 11 large volumes. That fall and into the following winter adventure books dominated my work, as I transcribed such works as "A Wrinkle in Time", "Two Against the North" by Farley Mowatt", and "A Hundred Million Francs" by a French author by the name of Paul Berna.

From time to time we had to digress from our regular work to transcribe monthly statements for those working in the institute's catering service known as Caterplan. Meanwhile, I became interested in amateur radio, attaining my license in 1973. Each month, when the Caterplan newsletter was released, I transcribed it and sent it out to the Braille readers who worked in the canteens around the Maritimes and each month there would be at least one amateur radio-related article.

In 1976 I came to Toronto and took the Dictaphone transcription course and had dictionaries and other references in Braille. Toward the end of the course, I assisted in the compilation of a glossary of drugs, which I utilized until my retirement in 2005, after a 28-year career as a medical transcriptionist at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital.

I attend a large Salvation Army citadel here in Toronto. About six months after my enrollment as a soldier in 1992, the officers, in association with the pastoral care committee, arranged to get me the complete Army Song Book from England. It is in eight volumes. Each week, in preparation for the Sunday morning worship meeting, someone E-mails me the song numbers. This way I can go to my seat and look them up in plenty of time. I also have a couple of hymn books and other music books and the whole Bible here in my apartment.

Braille Joke

Author: Genevieve Wales

Just thought I would send a joke that one of my braille students liked
to tell......

What did the blind man say when he felt the sand paper?

That's the most violent story I've ever read.

A lifetime with Braille as primary asset

Author: Penny Leclair, Ottawa

Braille has always been a part of my life; though things have changed in how I access Braille. As a child I used Braille to learn to read and write, so it was an automatic way to keep information and read information. My hearing declined so that I no longer could listen to books; I embraced Braille even more as I depended on the dots to provide most of the news and reading enjoyment. I have always considered a system that uses Braille to file information to be most practical. Before computer technology, all my recipes were stored in three-ring binders, and my appointments were stored on hard paper. Now, of course, computers perform the filing function, but knowing and using Braille is still important.

I think the most creative way I devised to use Braille was when I labeled a skeleton with letters that corresponded to a list of names of bones of the body. I studied anatomy, and learned 212 bones of the body by labeling a skeleton with Braille letters, taped to each bone, along with sheets of paper that explained each label in more detail. I doubt I could have learned the body as well, if I had not used Braille in the system of displaying information that was totally meaningful to me. As technology improves our lives, it does not diminish the value of knowing and using Braille. I use a communication method called British Two Hand manual, because I am Deaf-Blind. This system is based on touching parts of the hand where each location stands for a letter of the alphabet. I use Contractions of Grade 2 Braille to short form words, making it faster to receive information. Utilizing contractions of the Braille code has made a big difference in how
accurately I can receive information at a reasonable speed. One thing I know about myself and Braille is that we will remain linked for ever.

Getting an education can be a challenge when you have "special" needs. For me, back in the late 1990's, it was a serious challenge to locate qualified Intervenors. An intervenor ( a person who uses tactile sign language to help Deaf-Blind people to communicate with others, or if enough hearing might repeat at close range what is said.) When I began attending classes at
Algonquin College in Ottawa, I had to help train interested people to be intervenors. To start off I used to show them Braille contractions to short form words. I would email to them, using short formed words, actually taken from using the grade 2 Braille code. They learned the British Two Hand Manual, and practiced, this using short forms. It took many hours to have
them progress to a fast speed, so we started by using a laptop computer, and a Braille display. I would pack all three pieces of equipment, my personal equipment, into a brief case, and travel from class to class. I would sit next to the person using the keyboard of the laptop, typing into a word processing program. I would connect my Braille display to the laptop, and read as the intervenor typed, using Braille contractions. All this was done without any of us having any experience about how to! It was a challenge for us to maintain speed, but this system was fully dependent on Braille. We moved from using a laptop to using the sign language, as the new intervenors became more automatic with the use of Braille contractions and the Two Hand
Manual alphabet.

Today the intervenors use the Braille forms of words when they write personal notes for themselves, finding it a very convenient way to produce accurate notes in writing.

The strange thing is that if I indicated someone would have to learn Braille contractions, they would be intimidated, so I stopped telling the new intervenor they were learning Braille short forms. Only after they become proficient, do I explain to them that they are using contractions of the Braille code! Braille is perceived is being extremely difficult to master. It really is not harder than learning any logical system of writing or communicating.

I Was Looking For A Teaching Job

Author: Joey Baird, Pocologan NB

Braille has had an enormous influence on my life. My first introduction to Braille was watching a friend of my mum’s as she read recipes and books in Braille. I was amazed that she could make sense out of the dots! Her delicious meals were evidence that she could!

After being at home bringing up children, I was looking for a teaching job. There was a vacancy at APSEA and an itinerant teacher that I knew was telling me about the job, which sounded interesting – except that I would have to learn Braille. She said I would have no problem; I applied.

Learning Braille was like climbing a mountain. I began on the grassy slopes. The letters came easily but the rules were steeper terrain. I was learning on my own, by correspondence, and I thought that the examination would consist of a Perkins Brailler and some Braille paper in a big gym – with an exam, the contents of which I would have to know. There were so many rules – and I did not have any idea of the WHY of the rules! I climbed, and the mountain got steeper and craggy.

My husband, Gordon, was supportive. He cleared two hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings when he did the homework with our children while I closeted myself with Braille. (I worked a lot of weekends too!) I was loosing confidence; the mountain was very difficult – like a sheer rock face - and I could see no way to finish climbing to the top. Then I heard about the Braille program through Nebraska State University. I signed up and it was like a safety rope from above to help me climb. The people there were always positive and encouraging and again, progress was made. Finally I completed the course and was ready to challenge the CNIB exam. I was allowed to use my text to look up things! By this time I knew by heart many rules – and I understood WHY many of the rules were needed – after all, there are only six dots! I completed the exam, and then used the book to check that I was correct.

The day that I received news that I had passed the CNIB Braille Examination was wonderful. I was feeling I was at the top of the mountain and I could see the other side – but there was yet another part of the mountain to climb. Nemeth Code came next, but I had learned how to cope: I applied to Nebraska State University where the people there, again, gave so much encouragement and confidence that I climbed easily to the top of the mountain. A later course in Nemeth Code from Judi Johnston at APSEA came easily to me. Lately, I have helped teachers’ assistants with English Literary Braille and Nemeth Code they have taken from Hadley. Hadley courses seem to be excellent and the books they provide are nicely laid out and easy to consult.

I love to teach Braille! It is a challenge at times to keep it fun – but what a joyful challenge! There is such a thrill to see a student make sense of the Braille and to begin to use it. I am pleased to be able to tell my students the “why” of the rules, to help him or her make sense of them. There are now many methods and materials available to help teachers of Braille. How nice to see a child able to curl up and enjoy a Braille book.

I have enjoyed many creative students. I now am able to do some Braille Art that we have played with and worked out. For example, we can make Christmas trees and candy canes on cards!

Strides have been made in providing our students with tactile diagrams. More time is needed to teach the interpretation of tactile drawings and diagrams. Many are based on the interpretation of a sighted person, without thought to the experiences of the kinaesthetic learner.

I am pleased to find Braille appearing in elevators and on signs in our daily environment. I am delighted to know that I was a part of helping students learn Braille so they could enjoy reading and writing in their lives.

I must also mention that through all of my teaching and training at APSEA, I received strong encouragement from many people, especially Dr. Ann MacCuspie, who is still working to improve the lives of students who are blind or visually impaired. Ann is inspirational!

When I am teaching Braille to students there are lots of little fun innuendoes to help. The children, also, often come up with their own ideas to help them to classify and remember letters. For example, the letter “g” uses the top four dots that feel like a little square and the letter “g” stands for the number seven. I tell my students that my husband’s name is Gordon, which starts with “g” and that he has seven children – and he is a little square! I also tell them that they should never forget “j” - that “j” is the most important letter in the alphabet because it starts my name, Joey. However, that has backfired with students teasing me that “j” also stands for zero!
We always think of ‘K’ as “kangaroo k” – with a space in the middle for the baby kangaroo. An “l” does not have a space because it does not have a baby in a pouch – “l” is more like a little line…The Braille alphabet is a fertile place for imaginations to flourish!

I Loved Braille Right From The Start

Author Sandra Brooks, Kingston ON

I was totally blind from the age of one, and so went to the Ontario School for the Blind in Brantford, Ontario at age six. I can remember learning Braille. We were given cards with words on, written out in uncontracted Braille, and then written in contracted Braille. The first words I can remember on these cards were Mother and Father. We had plastic envelopes that I remember we called "houses" and we kept our cards in these envelopes.

When I was in Grade One at the Ontario School for the Blind, at Christmas my parents received a Braille Christmas Card. I remember that it had a raised velvety feeling poinsettia on the front, and the message in the card was written in Braille and print. When the card was opened completely, the alphabet was shown so that it was possible to see which dots made up which letters.

Using this and a slate and stylus, my Mother learned how to write enough uncontracted Braille that she could write letters to me when I was away at school.

It was such a special thrill for me to be able to read my own letters from home without someone having to read them for me. I can only imagine how long it must have taken her to write them, what a loving thing that was for her to have done for me.

When we were cleaning out my parents house after her death, the card was still there, definitely showing its age and the fact that it had been well used.

If memory serves me, we started learning to write in Braille with a slate and stylus at the same time we learned to read. Once we had a large enough vocabulary, we started reading books all about Dick and Jane and Spot.

I loved Braille right from the start, and have never changed my mind with respect to that. Despite all of today's technology, and the fact that I have a computer, a Braille printer, an mp3 player that will play audio books in Daisy format as well as in mp3 and text format, I prefer to read to myself in Braille and always have Braille library books and Braille magazines on hand. I have a Braille writer, but a day doesn't go by that I don't write myself a message or take down some information with a slate and stylus.

Braille made it possible for me to graduate from high school, to go on to the Royal National Institute for the Blind School of Physiotherapy in London, England, and to receive my diploma as a registered Physiotherapist. Later, still using primarily Braille, I graduated from Queens University with a B.Sc. in Physical Therapy.

Braille made it possible for me to take notes on my patients, write down information I would later type up to go on charts, and to label pieces of machinery so that I could use them independently.

Braille has helped me to label equipment in my home, to organize files, to label food items, to label clothing so that I know what colour it is. I think one of the saddest things that seems to be happening these days, is that educators seem to think young children being educated in the regular school system don't really need to learn Braille. They feel computers and audio equipment have taken its place. This is totally wrong. Without being able to read and write Braille, children are being made illiterate. It is vital that we be able to write and read, not need to rely on equipment that may not be portable, or, as we all know, can be unreliable.

I cannot emphasize enough, the enjoyment Braille gives me every day, and the independence it allows me. Yes, Braille books are bulky and take up a lot of space, but the advantages will forever outweigh the disadvantages.

I hope that Louis Braille realized what a wonderful legacy he left us, and I hope that the blind community will always cherish it and insist on its continued and increased availability.

Three Languages In Braille

Author: Eileen Conway-Martin, Miramichi, New Brunswick

“Three Languages Embraced: Mi’Kmaq, Braille, English”

When we think of languages and the various ways to communicate, we find that there are many. For a little Mi’kmaq girl, Sierra, and her family, three languages are daily embraced within their home, i.e. Braille, Mi’Kmaq, and English. For example, on any given day, it may be just as easy to hear “Thank-You, “ Wela’lieg”, or to observe Sierra and her mother, Arlene, writing “Thank-You/Wela’lieg” in print and in braille.

Early in Sierra’s life, it became apparent that she would be communicating in her own, unique way. Having been born with Retinopathy of Prematurity, Sierra’s working vision from birth was 10% tunnel vision in one eye. With the acceptance of this reality, the process of introducing touch and Braille as a valuable form of communication began.

Though deeply affected by this experience, the family vowed to give Sierra a rich life as a beautiful and wonderful Mi’Kmaq child, a gift from their Creator. In speaking about this time, her mother, Arlene Denston talks about the passion she felt inside, to give Sierra all that she needed to really live in the world. “I made my mind up to help my little girl in whatever way I could.” When the subject of Braille was introduced, her response was positive and determined. “Sierra will learn Braille and so will I.” Sierra’s mother did just this. Arlene learned Braille and organized a room where both she and Sierra could read and write together. This continues today and there is not a day that goes by that you can’t hear Arlene say… “Look at my little girl reading, isn’t this great. Wow Sierra, you’re doing a great job.”

The process of learning has been rich.Like all young children, her early teachers encouraged exploration and touch. Sierra was introduced to a world rich with textures and excitement. In time, Sierra learned through literacy experiences the power of the Braille Dots. As Ann Cameron, Resource Teacher within the school states, “I have enjoyed the exposure to braille and learning the process of early literacy in another language. With her Itinerant Teacher Sheree Larade, Kindergarten teacher, Kara Wilson, and special teacher Donna Hubbard, Sierra continued to experience the joy of reading and writing. As Donna Hubbard states, “I have been with Sierra since she was two years old. We have a special relationship and it has been very exciting for Sierra and I to learn Braille together.” Finally, with her mother’s love of reading and writing in the home, Sierra’s excitement continued to grow; furthermore, in time, everyone was introduced to Sierra’s favorite friends and characters through literacy, i.e. Spot, Barney, and Elmo.

Now, in Grade 1, the learning and excitement for Braille continues to grow within the children and teachers of Croft Elementary School. As you enter the school, this is readily evident with the bright “Welcome Sign” in five languages, one of which is in Braille. According to Mark Donovan, Principal of Croft Elementary School…. “Our lives have been very enriched by this young Mi’Kmaq girl. Together we are learning Braille and exploring the world through this new lens. The introduction of braille and the celebration of Sierra’s cultural roots within our school is a source of great pride for all of us.”

As well, when you come into Sierra’s grade 1 classroom, there is a Braille Alphabet banner, with Mi’kmaq colors and materials. Cheryl. Noel, Sierra’s grade one teacher has viewed Braille as an additional language and integrates Braille symbols within the grade one teaching. “Sierra’s ability to communicate in three languages is a real asset. Her grade one classmates learn Braille from Sierra and strive to be like her. They want to have braille along with their English and French.” Furthermore, Braille books are part of the classroom library and all children may take them out for reading. Finally, learning materials have also been created thanks to contributions by Sierra’s mother, Grandmother, and other family members. Braille books have spoken of Sierra’s Culture. Cards in the three languages were recently created by Sierra and her teachers to thank her Educational Team for their commitment to her.

In closing, because Sierra and her family initially embraced Braille as a valuable language for their home, Sierra has been the gift and joy of reading and writing. Moreover, because Sierra expresses that joy, students, teachers, and her community, all have learned the value of this viable language. As her present Itinerant Teacher, I feel honored to be part of this literacy experience, where Braille is truly a part of real life celebrated by so many. I would only hope that other Itinerant Teachers could also have this experience. Finally, in the words of Arlene, Sierra’s mom, “I love having three languages in our home. We love having Mi’Kmaq, Braille, and English side by side. I think it is great and most of all, I think Sierra is doing great.”

A Braille Teacher

Author: Armando Del Gobbo, Kingston ON

I arrived in Canada from Italy in June of 1959, and in November of that same year, I started to lose my vision! It was a frightening experience! I did not know the language, it was a brand new culture, and the children around me were not very kind!! I was ushered to every doctor in the country, I was picked, poked, punctured and anything else they could thing of doing to me. Finally we were told that there was nothing that could be done, and that I should think about going to the CNIB. I finally had a wonderful doctor who understood my plea for help, and contacted CNIB on my behalf. A short time later a worker by the name of David visited me, and suggested that I learn Braille. Of course, not fully understanding what was being said to me, I was very hesitant!

A few days later a wonderful young lady, hardly older than myself, showed up to start teaching me Braille. By this time, I could no longer read print at all. It was love at first touch! With Braille that is! I wanted to inhale the whole think all at once! Myra kept telling me to slow down, or at least, I think that is what she was saying!
I spent hours unend devouring the material!! By the time Myra came back a couple of weeks later, she nearly fell off the chair when she saw how much I had done.
Braille had brought back light into my life, a real gift!! Being a new comer, it helped to learn the language, I could hear the words, but until I saw them in Braille, I had no idea how to spell them. Being able to have the words at my finger tips, it was a huge advantage. The English language is not an easy one to learn!

Later at OSB, Braille became an intregal part of everyday life. Math assignments, poetry, science and all of the other subjects came alive right under my finger tips! Later in university, and on to my job, Braille was always with me! As I have been teaching Braille for the last 35 years, I have had the extreme honor and prililage to pass on the gift to hundreds of others.
As I watch each student complete their goal, and hear the delight in their voice, I experience a real high!! My students have been young children (3-1/2) parents, grand parents and great grand parents. The delight eminating from these folks at the accomplishment of their goals, at times leaves me speechless!! As I show up for a lesson with a parent, and am met by his two-year-old daughter rushing into my arms to show me how proud she is of her accomplishment of taking a pen and joining the dots on the page. The delight of working a new comer to Canada trying to learn the language, Braille, and trying to cope with her recent loss of vision, as we sit during the lesson, her newly acquired kitten derives great pleasure in sitting on my hands while I am trying to read the Braille. When I decided to sit her on my knee to keep her off the book, she decided to place her paws on the page much the same as mine, and following from side to side. Taking a moment now and then to look at me, as if to say “am I doing it right?” Visiting a grand parent, who is learning Braille to be able to read to her grand children.

This lady had a huge dog, who went through a routine at everyone of my visits, as soon as I walked in the door, the dog would come and pin me to the wall, at which time I pushed him away saying “get out of my way you big horse!” One day her grandson had stayed home from school and witnessed the ritual! When the parents came to get him, he was asked what he thought of meeting grandmother’s teacher, and did he notice that I was blind? His reply was “is he ever, he thinks our dog is a horse!” While teaching a young lady, I could not figure out why we were making such slow progress, she just did not seem to be paying attention! I happened to get a little closer, and I could hear music, at which time I realized the she was wearing head phones and listening to her walkman!! At times, I have also received notes in Braille which made me blush!!

Through the years, I have tried to keep Braille interesting and fun for my students, which makes learning much easier! I tried using oranges, marbles, rubber balls in muffin tins to teach the consept of Braille, but it wasn’t until I came up with a little game which I play with children, that I really got their attention! The game is made up a board about 5 by 7 inches, and has six hollows in it, to represent the Braille cell, in these hollows I have little rubber balls of very bright colours! I also have a pair of dice, which lend themselves very well for this purpose, since they have from one to six dots on them the same as a Braille cell. We play a game by playing a ball in each dot position, starting at one and so on. We playing by taking turns placing a ball and calling out the position. Once this is mastered, we then roll a die, and place a ball in the corresponding place. After this is mastered, we start forming letters using the same principle.

After letters have been mastered we play a fishing game, where each fish is holding on to a letter, the student reads the letter and then shows me what it is on the board! This is a very popular game with the little ones, and with some not so little! Another tool which I use, is a Braille alphabet on a small zinc plate which has been glued to a small board, (pocket size) which students can carry with them at all times, and practice the alphabet, while at the doctor’s office, waiting for a buss and so on! Giving the gift of Braille, is to give freedom, privacy and dignity! Ifeel extreme honor and privilege to be the giver of such a great gift! It saddens me to hear people say, “why would you need Braille, when technology has come such a long way?” Yes, technology has come a long way, and it does make it easier to produce Braille, which should make it more available.

No matter how far technology has come, my best friend is still my little Braille slate, which goes with me every where. It works for me no matter what! It does not need to be booted, plugged in, or worry about running out of batteries, or worry about the version of the software!!

There’s Nothing Like Reading

Doris Goetz, Edmonton AB

I have used braille as a means of reading and writing for 56 years, and can't imagine my life without it. Recipes, knitting and crocheting patterns, keeping track of print materials, phone numbers and messages as well as labeling things are the very useful things braille has done for me. However, the hours of enjoyment playing bridge and ther card games, playing scrabble and mah jungg, all in braille, have added much social interaction and a lot of fun to my life. But the best thing braille has done is provide me with hours and hours of sitting with a good book and being emmersed in the lives of people in books. I enjoy reading talking books, but there is nothing like reading the book for myself, and being able to check spelling, rereading favourite passages--nothing beats it.

For many years I taught braille to others. Most of these people were adults and did not develop their skills to the degree where braille was the most efficient means of reading. They usually used it for labeling, reading braille cards, and writing reminders and phone numbers. Occasionally there were some very motivated and determined individuals. There were some who wanted and did read books in braille and loved it. There were several ladies in their nineties who very much wanted to learn it. None of them mastered it, but they had a wonderful time trying. I have recently learned of one of the most thrilling results of my teaching. During the early nineties a lady who was very hard of hearing asked for braille lessons. She said that if her hearing got much worse she would not be able to hear the tv and would have nothing to do. She learned braille, and I had no more contact with her. Then, nine years ago I retired. A few months ago Bert asked me if I would coordinate a social coffee gathering for deaf blind people. These are held twice a month, and are
to encourage deaf blind individuals to use the two hand manual. Anyway, on the first afternoon I went upstairs to get who ever was waiting to go to the coffee social. The lady was there, and when I spelled who I was into her hand, the first thing she said was: "Doris, you have no idea how grateful I am that you taught me braille. I can't hear now, and my husband is dead. I read between eight and ten hours a day." It is wonderful just knowing that braille has saved her from the isolation she would otherwise have experienced. Just knowing how I love to get inside a good book, it must be a double thrill for her. Now when I see her, she still tells me the same thing about how happy she is that she can read braille.

Braille and Me

Author: Robert Just, Toronto, ON

I started learning to read and write Braille at the old Halifax School for the Blind in the early 1950's and participated in (and won) several Braille-reading
contests.

I have some cherished memories of Braille in school and I would like to share a particularly fond one if I may.

"Class," she began, I was thinking of taking you on a picnic some Saturday afternoon. In order to earn this picnic, everyone in the class must produce a perfect Braille page on a designated day."

In 1971, still living in my native city of Halifax, I was chosen to be on a team transcribing textbooks into Braille for the students at the old alma mater. I found this experience most rewarding. The project was submitted to the federal government for its Opportunities for Youth program. The following winter, under the Winter Works/Local Initiatives Program, I started to work again, this time transcribing material for the CNIB's Maritime division. There were many fun-filled events in connection with this program. The first major project I undertook was the transcription of Arthur C. Clark's "2001 a Space Odyssey", which I divided into seven Braille volumes. A little later in that particular project I started doing more transcription work for the old school. I transcribed an excellent historical reference book entitled "Nova Scotia's Two Remarkable Giants", which the then history teacher and her pupils greatly appreciated. When this was completed and thoroughly checked, I transcribed the 448-page Canadian Scout Handbook published by the National Council of the Boy Scouts
of Canada. This I divided into 11 large volumes. This took me into the summer of 1972, as our projects were granted a series of extensions. Some of my work included transcription of Shakespearean plays. I did "The Merchant of Venice" and "Julius Caesar" close together. Then came an economics textbook, which, like the Canadian Scout Handbook, I divided into 11 large volumes. That fall and into the following winter adventure books dominated my work, as I transcribed such works as "A Wrinkle in Time", "Two Against the North" by Farley Mowatt", and "A Hundred Million Francs" by a French author by the name
of Paul Berna.

Bravo Braille!

Author: Mary Randall, London ON

I know that braille reading and writing has been essential to me as a way to communicate and learn throughout my life.

I am a teacher of thirty years, with three children of my own. This September i retired from formal teaching and immediately stepped into volunteering at an adult learning centre. Needless to say I love teaching people to open up their lives with
language. What I want to talk about is the importance of hand writing, that is, slate and stylus for we braille users.

When i was a fairly unmotivated eight year old we were given cumbersome slates with four large metal parts to play with. It sounds silly, but those big clunky pieces of equipment made writing a challenge and fun to conquer. We used slate and styluses to write with until we reached high school, and consequently became very fast accurate braille writers.
when I went to university in the early seventies, i wrote all my class notes and everything else that needed portability with a small four line slate. even when I came into the computer world kicking and screaming in the nineties, I still carried a slate along with my braille note-taker. (you never know when the battery will disappear etc.) I have used my little slates, both card sized and page sized to teach all of my blind
students to write, (their pen!) i have created endless art projects for my children and students; I use them to label everything and sign cards and make quick notes. In short I need my braille daily to read books and computer displays, and to write with computers and by hand. Braille makes me literate, and helps me to teach other people to read regardless of age, culture, gender, or level of vision. Yesterday my son helped me to
braille a beautiful book, (goodnight moon_ for my friend who has a new grandson and was wondering how to read print books with him. Guess how we did it. Right with a slate and plastic tape.

Bravo Braille