braille square  
Learning Braille

Braille - as I see it!

The Braille square

10 patterns of dots

Creating the letters

Developing the invention

Look-alike letters

glindridge@hotmail.com

Learning Braille

Before any of us could read, we first had to learn our ABC. The ABC is comparatively easy to learn. Kids even learn it as a game. But what about blind people? Being able to read is just as important to a blind child as being able to read is to a sighted child. Before the blind can read, they, too, have to learn their ABC. But what is the ABC for people who can't see? It is called Braille.

braille alphabet

The braille alphabet looks like a jumble of random dots, without any order in the chaos. It not only looks hard to remember but looks easy to forget. To most people, that would be enough to discourage them, and that applies to blind people, too. Why would anyone bother with it?1 If learning the very first thing, the braille ABC, is difficult, what hope is there that many would take on the onerous task of teaching the blind to read? In fact, many teachers who are trained to teach children to read and write braille are themselves unable to read and write braille at a competent level.

If only braille could be made easier to learn, not only would more blind people learn it but so would more sighted people. A sighted parent of a blind child would be able to share much more with their child and in the same way, so would the sighted child of a blind parent.

If only the alphabet formed a pattern! Even better, if it could be learnt as a game! In other words, if there were order instead of chaos. Well, there is!

There is order in the braille alphabet
For the first time, anywhere, it can be found right here, on this site. The pattern is so simple, that it is child's play! So simple that it is unlikely to be forgotten. Children, parents, or anyone, can follow the pattern and instantly create the alphabet. Once people see how easy it is more will learn it.

1American statistics:
1.3 million Americans are blind. Fewer than 10% of blind people can read braille. Only 10% of blind children are being taught to read braille. For comparison, in the 1950s, more than 50% of blind children were learning braille. 70% of working-age blind people are unemployed, yet 80% of blind people who can read braille have good jobs. The one thing to assist blind people to be successful is to learn braille. Braille readers are leaders.