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Activity and strategy

Adapting What’s Gnu for Beginning Braille Readers

What's Gnu? is an easy game to adapt for beginning braille readers, which can be fun to play at home with sighted siblings or in an inclusive classroom.

I recently adapted this What’s Gnu? game, which I found at Goodwill for two dollars.  (It can be found on Amazon or other locations as well.) 

What's Gnu? cover
What’s Gnu? cover

It’s a great word-building game that is perfect for both my boys (ages 9 and 6).  The goal is to make three-letter words, and it’s a fun way to work on spelling skills. 

Adaptations

  • I added braille labels to the letter tiles
  • I added braille letter labels to the cards as well. 
  • I also added white garage sale stickers for the “blank” spaces on the card, so Liam could feel where the blanks were.
Making three-letter words
Making three-letter words
Letter tile
Letter tile “E” with braille label

We made up our own rules for now to simplify things a bit.  They each get their two tiles from the “green tile machine” and I give them a card with which they could make a word with the tiles they have.  They are getting pretty good at that, so soon I plan on giving them three cards they can choose from to make a word.  After they master that, we can add more cards, etc.

Two brothers playing What's Gnu?
Two brothers playing What’s Gnu?
Deafblind braille reader playing
Braille reader playing

This is a wonderful word game that is easy to modify for a variety of abilities!

Collage of Adapting What's Gnu? for beginning braille readers
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