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What is Braille?
Unified English Braille (UEB) is a tactile (touch) alphabet used by blind people to read and write. All Braille letters or symbols are formed within a Braille cell. Each Braille cell can contain up to six dots (two columns of three), numbered 1-6. The dots “raised” in each cell determine what the letter or symbol means. Braille is not a language but can be used when reading and writing any language, following its same rules for writing and punctuation.
Is Braille hard to learn?
Braille is taught on a one-to-one basis and can be learned by individuals at any age. For success in reading and writing Braille, an individual must be motivated to learn and practice as it takes time, patience and the ability to memorize and to recall what was learned. Because Braille requires the reader to feel the Braille cells, Braille may be challenging to learn for individuals with loss of feeling in the hands and fingers. Others with a cognitive impairment, dementia, Alzheimer’s, a history of strokes, additional disabilities or poor fine motor coordination may also have difficulty learning Braille. Blind and visually impaired children and adults who are learning English can simultaneously learn Braille for reading and writing purposes, provided they have a qualified instructor able to teach them.
What are Braille grades? Do I have to start learning Braille at Grade I?
There are two levels or grades of UEB. Everyone starts Braille instruction with Grade I, which is also known as uncontracted Braille. It consists of Braille letter-for-letter substitution of the print counterpart. Some individuals may wish to also learn Grade II Braille, or contracted Braille. Grade II Braille is made up of contractions that substitute shorter sequences for the full spelling of commonly occurring words or letter groups. Grade II Braille makes it possible to read more quickly and it requires less storage space.
How long does it take to learn Braille?
The time it takes to learn Braille often depends on an individual’s goals for using Braille. If an individual wishes to learn Grade I Braille only, the individual may be able to learn Braille in a few short months. If an individual wishes to fluently read and write Grade II Braille, the individual will need to learn contracted Braille, which can take more than one year to learn. The learner’s motivation and commitment to learning Braille will also impact the time it takes to learn.
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