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Activity and strategy

Contracted Braille Reading and Writing Activities

Lessons to provide braille students with practice with single-cell whole-word contractions

Random High School is a new braille reading and writing scheme currently in development.

I am currently putting together a series of stories aimed at reinforcing the acquisition of contracted braille signs. Typically, each section starts with a new set of contractions. In this section I am sharing Alphabetic Word Signs (also known as Single-Letter Whole-Word Braille Contractions).  

This one consists of a reading activity split into two sections.

Finally, there is a writing activity aimed at assessing acquisition of the new signs.

The story is about a boy who is being shipped off to a boarding school by his parents. They have recently got new jobs which means they will be travelling a lot. This means they won’t be home. The new school is said to be very odd. In a typical fashion the story develops and the reader will find out that the school is very unusual and unique. The main character is called Malky, and he quickly realises that his new surroundings are remarkably strange. 

This should be used once your student(s) has some understanding of the alphabetic word signs. 

Ask your student(s) to read the “reading section”. Using your own records or notes, record any signs that your students struggle with or perhaps areas in which they need more practice. 

If you would like some record keeping sheets, please feel free to contact me. 

If you are happy to move on, ask you student to complete the writing activity. Complete this using one of the following methods:

  1. Copy directly from braille.
  2. Read out aloud to the student.
  3. If the student can access large print, give the student the exercises in print in their desired format.

 

Reading focus

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