[access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
- From: <Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 22 May 2014 16:15:35 +0000
Hello Jackie,
It means that now that more blind people are being taught in sighted schools,
their teachers need to be taught the value of Braille as a means of access to
literacy not provided by speech alone. Ian Macramé's 'glass half full' article
on the subject should help, and we need more of that approach.
Best regards,
Clive
Clive Lever
Diversity and Equality Officer
Kent County Council
Office: 01622 221163
Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Kent County Council
Room G37
Sessions House
Maidstone, Kent.
ME14 1XQ
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Jackie Brown
Sent: 22 May 2014 17:00
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? - News
- Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hi Clive
Yep I concur completely, certainly in my own case anyway.
It seems to me though in following this very interesting thread that it varies
on where you were taught. This throws another spanner in the works!
(smile).
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: Thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 22 May 2014 14:40
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? - News
- Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hello all,
I was taught grade 1 Braille in our Infants' class, then went on to grade 2.
In primary school we were taught when to use capital letters, and though I
didn't read many American books (braille with caps), that theory largely
stuck: Proper names (names of towns, people, days of the week, months and so
on), at the start of sentences, in titles (British Broadcasting Corporation),
etc. I think spelling was rarely a problem for me, despite the fact that I was
reading in grade 2 braille. But then maybe I'm just weird and should have got
out more. We were given spelling books when I was about eight, and I used to
read the notes for teachers too: I can still remember a little of what they
were like: "The phonic work in these exercises will enable you to develop the
child's knowledge..." and all that jazz, italicised to boot!
So, although the use of grade 2 may hamper the ability to spell, that's not a
given. I suppose I was just lucky.
Best,
Clive
Clive Lever
Diversity and Equality Officer
Kent County Council
Office: 01622 221163
Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Kent County Council
Room G37
Sessions House
Maidstone, Kent.
ME14 1XQ
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Norman Waddington
Sent: 22 May 2014 14:24
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? - News
- Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hi,
I was taught normal Englis grade 2 braille firstly. When I had typing lessons
then and only then was I introduced to capital letters etc.
Norman.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Eleanor Martha Burke
> Sent: 22 May 2014 12:41
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Interesting Jackie because I understood I learned English Braille
> which did not have any punctuation other than the common ones and no
> capital letters but then perhaps you learned it after me. I certainly
> do not recall books from NLB with English Braille with capital letters
> or all this punctuation of underlining, italic etc.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Jackie Brown
> Sent: 22 May 2014 12:33
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Interesting Eleanor. Perhaps people like Steve Nutt and I were lucky
> to have good Braille tuition at our school in that era. It is one of
> the few things about boarding-school I guess I am grateful for. And I
> suppose it depends whether you like using Braille and can make it the
> tool it has always been for me at least. I am passionate about it,
> and I am not sure there is a day that passes when I don't come into
> contact with it for something.
>
> True everyone is different, but I will never be dissuaded from the
> belief that youngsters today should be taught Braille wherever
> possible if they have a severe visual impairment where print is of no value
> to them.
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Jackie Brown
> Twitter: @thebrownsplace
> Skype: Thejackmate
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Eleanor Martha Burke
> Sent: 22 May 2014 12:14
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Indeed that is correct. I am just talking about my own experience and
> how learning Braille for me did not assist me well in Capitalisation,
> punctuation and spelling.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Karl Proud
> Sent: 22 May 2014 12:12
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> I would have thought that capitalisation and other punctuation would
> be easily taught using type and speech as well as if using braille?
>
> Karl
> On 22 May 2014, at 11:56 am, "Eleanor Martha Burke"
> <eleanormarthaburke@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Continuing the discussion Jackie, I learned Braille at school and
> still use it, however I did not learn capitalisation, other than that
> I was informed that one always puts a capital letter after a full
> stop. American Braille however, includes capitalisation and
> punctuation. It was only as an adult Braillist that I learned all the
> symbols that indicated punctuation such as underline, italic etc. As
> for spelling I am not good at spelling and I personally attribute this
> to Braille Grade ii but there you are!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Jackie Brown
> Sent: 22 May 2014 11:32
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Hi Vince
>
> Not sure how much we are wandering here, but I do think it is relevant
> to assistive technology.
>
> What concerns me about the reliance, if you like, on speech all the
> time for visually impaired youngsters - especially those with no sight
> at all - is that they are less likely to spell, punctuate and
> capitalise appropriately.
> You miss these things with speech unless you are patient enough to go
> through everything you listen to letter by letter. If these crucial
> elements are not taught to blind children in mainstream education
> because it is considered that Braille is unnecessary, I really believe
> the kids are missing out.
>
> Had my son been born with any eye condition, I would have taught him
> to read and write Braille myself, unquestionably. While I type more
> than Braille these days, I am lucky enough to be able to swap just
> like that.
>
> Martin has acquired sight loss due to RP, but he taught himself to
> read and write grade two Braille a few years ago in case he ever
> needed it. While he reads with his fingers quite slowly, he has a
> great memory for everything he taught himself.
>
> I just can't see Braille dying out in the immediate future, certainly
> not while I am alive with any luck! (smile).
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Jackie Brown
> Twitter: @thebrownsplace
> Skype: Thejackmate
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Vincent Thacker
> Sent: 21 May 2014 23:35
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
>
>
> Jackie,
>
> I didn't achieve registration as blind until I was about 54, by which
> time I had too much else going on to fit learning Braile in as well.
> Sorry to say that I've taken the line of least resistance and use a
> screen reader for almost everything.
>
> I did learn a bit of Braille at my local blind society in the end, but
> didn't get any further than "a sad lad" and "dad will yell at you" and
> such things. Then I had to stop because of other commitments.
>
> But I agree that for children, it's surely an advantage to know
> Braille, even just as a quality of life measure. How else are the kids
> going to get any private reading, or private writing, for that matter?
> Great though audio books are, they are not the same as reading a book
> in print. It's too passive somehow to my mind. I'm sure reading
> Braille would come closer to the printed word.
>
> Just my tuppence worth, as someone who knows nothing but won't shut up.
>
> Vince.
>
>
>
>
> ========================================
> Message Received: May 21 2014, 05:02 PM
> From: "Jackie Brown"
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc:
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Hi Clive
>
> Yes, same goes for me. And I do believe children born blind should
> still be
> strongly encouraged to read and write good Braille wherever this is
> possible.
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Jackie Brown
> Twitter: @thebrownsplace
> Skype: Thejackmate
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of
> Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: 21 May 2014 16:28
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? -
> News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Hello,
>
> I read less and listen more. This is partly because there is much
> more
> literature accessible to us now that listening to audio books has
> become a
> sighted thing. However, one reason I don't have a personal problem
> with this
> change in my reading habits is that I already know how to
> communicate in
> writing...I hope! However, I'd hate to have been born blind and
> never had
> the chance to read and write independently.
>
> Best,
> Clive
>
>
> Clive Lever
> Diversity and Equality Officer
> Kent County Council
>
> Office: 01622 221163
> Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> Kent County Council
> Room G37
> Sessions House
> Maidstone, Kent.
> ME14 1XQ
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of
> Gordon Keen
> Sent: 21 May 2014 16:21
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
> Braille? -
> News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
>
> Hi
>
> Yes that was my take on the article as well, however I decided to
> post the
> article as I felt that some might want to visit the exhibition with
> a view
> to expressing their opinion once they had actually attended.
>
> Regards
>
> G
>
> From Bridgerule in glorious Devon, England.
> .
>
> On 21 May 2014, at 15:44, Iain Lackie
> wrote:
>
> > I wasn't aware that the journalist was dismissing braille. If
> anything,
> the professor was concerned that blind people were being denied
> access to
> braille due to the rise of the use of other digital sources of
> information.
> I think it unfair to blame the journalist for expressing the fears
> of
> someone else. If braille is not taught, of course it will die out.
> I have to
> say that even as a braille user, I read much less braille than I
> used to. I
> don't read any less, however.
> >
> > Iain
> >
>
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