by Myrna R. Olson, Ed.D.
Editor's Note: Dr. Myma Olson is an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of North Dakota. She is also the author (in collaboration with Sally S. Mangold, Ph.D.) of Guidelines and Games for Teaching Efficient Braille Reading (Published by the A.F.B.). She developed the following outline as a handout for college students training to become teachers of blind children. Only part of the outline is printed here. The second half of the outline will be printed in the next issue of Future Reflections.
ENTRY LEVEL I: THE STUDENT WHO HAS NEVER READ PRINT OR BRAILLE
I. Build A Positive Attitude
A. Braille as an option, not a second-rate option
B. Provide
Braille reading models
C. Provide Braille-print labels on environmental
surroundings
D. Expose child to Braille-print books
E. Demonstrate that reading is fun!
II. Refine (or Develop) Sensory Motor Abilities
A. Tactual-Kinesthetic
1. Focus on large motor, body image first
2. When working on fine motor, tactual exploration and recognition should
proceed from:
a) differing textures and tempertures to...
b) differing shapes, sizes, weights (three-dimensional objects) to...
c) differing directional characteristics of three-dimensional objects to...
d) two-dimensional representations of objects (e.g. geometric shapes)
to...
e) examination of Braille paragraphs, lines, symbols
3. Sample Activities
a) Play with nesting-type toys; manipulative toys
b) Encourage finger feeding; self- feeding (one to one and 1/2-yearolds)...sorting
groceries (two and
1/2-year-olds)
c) Give verbal descriptions of size, shape, etc. that relate to child's
toys, clothes
d) Introduce hand- and finger- strengthening toys and objects
(clay, play doh, pinch clothespins)
e) Introduce cutting, pasting, stringing,
sorting, hole- punching (fouryearolds)
f) Make "touch" scrapbooks
g) Explore home-made tactile concept
books
h) Work through Touch and Tell
Series, Tactile Road to Reading
Series... APH)
i) Track string, yarn, thread
lines...repetitious Braille
j) Practice reading, page-turning on
old magazines and books
B. Auditory
1. Introduce sound toys and vary their positions, encourage pursuit (age six
twelve months)
2. Play relaxing music at naptime; a radio, rhythm records in child's room
3. Play hide-and-seek with sound clues
4. Identify household objects by the sound they make
5. Visit stores and take walks, pointing
out sounds in the neighborhood
6. Play word games (e.g. sounds of
animals)
7. Do body movements to records
8. Give simple verbal directions for child to complete errands (four- to fiveyearolds)
9. Play "guess the feeling" by voice tone
10. Identify T. V. programs by their theme songs, voices, etc.
11. Point out the differences in sound from differing positions
12. Note with child the safety factors involved
with sound
C. Visual-where there is some residual
vision present
1. Place colorful sound mobiles in child's crib; guide hands to them
2. Present toys with contrasting color to background
3. Allow child his individual examination mode
4. Call attention to visual detail; tape- record child's description of what he
sees
5. Have a treasure hunt for toys, treats
6. Encourage coloring and drawing on a screenboard
7. Practice matching objects to pictures (four-five years)
8. Engage child in visual sorting tasks
D. Gustatory
1. Introduce food variety early...texture, color, shape, temperature
2. Encourage early independence in snack-getting
3. Engage child in mealtime conversation,
teaching him to eat simultaneously
E. Olfactory
1. Point out smells, test their recognition
2. Construct a set of small jars--food, poisons--discuss safety factors
3. Apply orientation and mobility to smell factors
III. Teach to Fill in Conceptual Gaps
A. Survey content of beginning readers
B. Administer basic concept test (Boehm,
APH)
C. Use child's body parts and belongings to
teach concept
D. Help child narrow focus to essential features
of objects
E. Use consistent language and give lots of
application practice
F. Focus on books--they contain pages; pictures
resemble familiar objects; pictures
and books have tops and bottoms, fronts
and backs, etc.
IV. Develop Basic Mechanical Skills...Before Letter/Word Recognition
1. Use simulated materials (sticks, yarn, thread, repetitious Braille)
2. Use Mangold Developmental Program of Tactile Perception and
Braille Letter Recognition
3. Hand-on-hand method (modelling)
B. Get the feeling of "light" touch
1. Verbal reinforcement, demonstration
2. Tracking across blank paper on a slippery
surface
3. Rub chalk on fingertips, track until teacher reports that dots are coming
out clean
4. Track ticker tape run through a homemade tachistocope
a) Identify where lines start and stop
b) Identify like and different symbols
C. Coordinate hand and finger movements
1. Use both hands, several fingers
2. Discuss function of "lead" fingers...detectives
D. Discriminate symbols (assume some language
experience and hope word recognition
has already taken place)
1. Flash cards
2. Drill sheets, push pins
3. Time and chart-Mangold book
4. Start with symbols that are grossly different
first
Build Experiential Vocabularies
A. Practice comprehension that centers
around main ideas and the affective...utilize
imagery, emotional response
B. Attend to story length, interests
C. Point out use of structural and context
clues
D. Read with taped version of story
E. Discuss and identify sign-post words (moreover, furthermore, also, likewise)
F. Discuss and identify turn-about words
(but, yet, nevertheless, and, despite)
G. Use drill exercises on most commonly appearing
words (e.g. Dolch List)
H. Do writing exercises that emphasize organization
and sequence
VI. Teach Skimming and Scanning as Specific Skills
A. Reading for no comprehension as a
precursor
B. Timing and charting
C. Variety of materials-plenty below grade
level
D. Open book evaluation
E. Skimming~for main ideas. Use table of
contents, introductions, summaries, chapter
titles, topic sentences
F. Scanning-for a specific item. Use phone
directories, dictionaries, tables of content
(expect word/symbol to "stand out")
VII. Choose the Methodology Indicated by Child's Learning Style
A. Phonics (must have good auditory perception)
B. Sight
word (good tactile memories)
C. Language experience (must have experiences
to build on)
D. Basal Readers
E. APH Reading Series