Learning Braille - Courses and Resources for Children and Young People

Learning braille - courses and resources for children and young people

There are several ways in which children and young people can learn to read braille. In this factsheet we explain about the different types of braille, provide information on the courses available for teaching children to read and writebraille,and highlight useful products and publications available to purchase from RNIB.

If you would like to order any items mentioned, or request a copy of our Braille Products or Everyday Living catalogues, either visit or telephone our Helpline on 0303 123 9999. To make browsing and ordering easier, RNIB product codes are listed in brackets.

Contents

Learning braille

Uncontracted and Contracted braille

Braille courses

Pre-braille skills

Introducing braille

Continuing with braille

Products for teaching and learning braille

Welsh braille

Braille music

Literacy assessment

Neale Analysis of Reading Ability

Learning Media Assessment

Rules and reference books

Using the braille code series

Introduction to braille for sighted readers

Buying and borrowing books

Ways of reading

Shared reading books

Magazines

Oxford Reading Tree

Braille - the world at my fingertips

National Library Service

ClearVision Library

Braille products

Braille machines

Electronic braille

Braille frames

Braille paper

Braille Labelling

Everyday Living and Leisure

Why buy from RNIB?

Contact us

Other useful contacts

Learning braille

Children who are learning to read and write braille will benefit from developing pre-braille skills first and his factsheet lists courses available for teaching braille to children. Most of the materials are aimed at young children learning to read through braille, and offer a phonetic introduction and systematic progression through the complete contracted braille code, with supplementary material at various stages. There is also a comprehensive course for older children transferring to braille, who need to learn a new way of reading rather than how to read.

It can help beginner touch readers to read materials in double line spacing at first to track lines more easily. Sighted people generally read braille by sight, so need reading materials with braille on just one side of the paper.

Please call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 if you need any further help with getting started with braille.

Uncontracted and Contracted braille

Uncontracted braille (formerly known as Grade 1) is a letter-for-letter translation from print. It includes the alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks, representation of print symbols and composition signs. Anyone who is familiar with uncontracted braille can quite easily go on to learn the additional signs for contracted braille at a later date if desired. Uncontracted braille is quicker to learn but takes up more space. Many books and magazines are available in uncontracted braille, as well as bank statements and labels on medicines and lift buttons. Anyone who knows uncontracted braille can label items and enjoy card and other games with friends.

Contracted braille (formerly known as Grade 2) is a more complex code, which includes a number of extra signs and some shorthand in addition to the characters in uncontracted braille. Commonly occurring groups of letters are represented by one or two signs - e.g. ING, THE, ST and EN are single characters, while TION, ENCE and OUND are represented by two characters.

Contracted braille also includes a kind of shorthand, where groups of letters represent complete words - e.g. AFN is afternoon, QK is quick and FR is friend. Contracted braille takes considerably longer to learn, but there is a larger range of material available in this format, and contracted braille takes up about 12% less space than uncontracted.

Unified English Braille (UEB)

Unified English Braile has been developed by the International Council on English Braille (ICEB), to bring together several existing braille codes. This means that rather than the current codes for Maths, Sciences and literary material there is just one code. In October 2011 UEB was adopted in the United Kingdom and in 2013 the updating of braille courses began. The UK are not alone in adopting UEB and join other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, Canada and most recently the USA. Many ambiguities which existed in Standard English Braille (SEB), no longer exist., making it easier for braille learners.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES?

With regards to the literary code there are very few differences. The main changes affect the technical material; however the key differences are listed below:

• The removal of sequencing (you cannot write 'and', 'for', 'of', 'the' 'with', 'a', un-spaced from one another).
• Nine contractions, are no longer used ('ble', 'com', 'dd', 'ally', 'ation', 'to', 'into', 'by') and the shortform 'o'clock'.
• The potential inclusion of type form indicators (e.g. font changes, bold and underlining have been introduced).
• The revision of some punctuation signs (e.g. there are now different symbols for open brackets, close brackets, the ellipsis and dash).
• There are braille signs for more print symbols e.g. up and down arrows, tilde, backslash, underscore; and shapes e.g. square and circle.

The changes made to UEB; to reduce ambiguities and to incorporate literary and technical braille into a single code, do mean that UEB takes up slightly more space than the braille we are using now. This increase is minimal for literary materials (around 2% or 5.5% if you include the effect of capitals), and more for technical materials. More specifically:

• The reason sequencing has been removed is because the rules of UEB symbol construction require that where there is blank space between words in print, there should be a blank space in braille
• The nine contractions ('ble', 'com', 'dd', 'ally', 'ation', 'o'clock', 'to', 'into' and 'by') have mostly been dropped because each sign should have one unambiguous meaning e.g., 'ble' is already used as the numeric indicator (formerly the number sign), 'com' is used as the hyphen and 'ation' is capital n etc.
• Type form indicators (e.g. font changes and bold) can now be represented in braille, to take account of the fact that braille users may find themselves working in a print environment where it is important to know the format of the printed text. Braille producers should however take care to include these indicators only where they are relevant.
• Some punctuation signs now take up two cells whereas previously they only took one. This is to remove ambiguity e.g., in the case of brackets there is now a different symbol for open and close square brackets.

Our children’s contracted braille courses are being rewritten to cover UEB and some may be unavailable for a period of time. Please see under each course heading to find out which courses have been updated.

If you would like to be kept informed, please email to be added to our mailing list.

Braille courses

Pre-braille skills

Feeling Ready to Read (TC21009) is an exciting pack of tactile graphic materials to develop pre-braille skills. It is based on the well-loved story of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" and has over 100 fun swell paper exercises to practice skills including accurate tracking of lines, tactile discrimination, two-handed coordination and developing a light finger touch - all vital pre-requisites for a future braille reader. Also included is a very simple version of the story with tactile illustrations for the children to "read" for themselves.

A comprehensive guide for parents and teachers is included in the pack in print. This guide is also available for parents and teachers whose preferred format is braille (TC21010). It is not necessary to order the braille version of the guide if the parent or teacher is a print reader.

Introducing braille

Hands On – Unified English Braille edition

Hands On is designed for a young child who is beginning to learn to read through contracted braille, and who has acquired pre-braille skills. It is the first of our courses to be fully updated to cover Unified English Braille (UEB).This resource introduces the alphabet and alphabetic wordsigns, strong contractions, a few shortforms, numbers 1 to 10, basic punctuation and capitals

Divided into five levels, Hands On includes practice books, a booklet of fun activities and several real stories at each level. The whole scheme includes simple tactile pictures and puzzles to enliven the reading material. It is linked as closely as possible with the Letters and Sounds framework, whilst not compromising the need to keep tactually confusing braille signs apart.

• 32 practice books which each introduce a letter, contraction, punctuation marks or numbers, and provide discrimination and word building exercises using them;
• 26 story books that can be read in any order once the practice books at that level have been completed;
• 5 fun booksproviding a range of activities and games, many including tactile graphics, which consolidate and extend everything learned so far and encourage tactual exploration and familiarity with simple graphic representations.

Hands On Unified English Braille edition – TC21403

Reading Together

Reading together is currently unavailable and is being updated to cover UEB.

Designed for young children, Reading Together encourages emergent reading and writing. Five or six letters with associated braille contractions must be taught before the "real" stories at each of the five levels can be read by the child. Print text appears above the capitalised braille in these humorous stories about Kali, Kai, and their friends and family.

Levels one to three have a full text on the left-hand page, with a simplified version of the same on the right. Having been read the full story, the young learner should be able to read the simplified text and can also scan through the full text to look for familiar signs and words (indicated in bold print). Levels four and five are completely readable by the young learner.

• Reading Together levels one and two correspond exactly with levels one and two of Hands On.
• level three can be used after the letter Y is taught in level four of Hands On
• level four can be used after the letter W is taught in level five of Hands On
• level five can be used after level five of Hands On is completed. Reading Together introduces some additional dot 5 contractions and extra shortforms. It is in capitalised braille throughout.

Braille in Easy Steps

Braille in Easy Steps is currently unavailable and is being updated to cover UEB.

Braille in Easy Steps is designed for latecomers (pupils between the ages of about 10 to 14) who are literate in print but are transferring to braille. No previous knowledge of braille is assumed, and the emphasis is on reading.

The complete contracted braille code is introduced in small steps, with practice reading material in the form of quizzes, activities and stories. Some of the longer stories are accompanied by tactile maps and plans to add interest, and develop search and scan techniques. The capital letter sign is used throughout.

Continuing with braille

Take Off

Take Off is currently unavailable and is being updated to cover UEB.

A second stage scheme for young learners to develop phonic skills, knowledge of braille contractions and wordsigns, as well as encouraging enjoyment of reading and writing. The course takes the learner who has completed 'Hands On' or 'Braille for Infants' (no longer available) to the end of the contracted braille code and has been produced in consultation with the VIEW Children's Braille Committee.

Each series is identified by a raised domino and tactile illustration on its coloured cover. A print version of the capitalised braille text appears on facing pages throughout to encourage shared reading at home and school.Each booklet contains a practice page and story; booklets in series 1 to 10 also include a “fun page” of activities to encourage braille writing.

Abi books

Abi books are currently unavailable and are being updated to cover UEB.

These humorous stories featuring the adventures of asparky young blind girl with tactile pictures on the covers to appeal to young readers who have completed 'Hands On' or 'Braille for Infants' (no longer available). They introduce additional braille signs and a print version of the text appears on facing pages to encourage shared reading between sighted and touch readers. Capitalised braille is used throughout.

Get Going (published 1999)

Get Going contains many stories incorporating Scottish culture. It is designed for the learner who has completed 'Hands On' or 'Braille for Infants' and who needs to progress at a slower pace while learning additional braille signs. The print version of the stories is shown on facing pages to help with shared reading, and capital letters are indicated in the braille. Get Going (PR120236) comprises of 30 books and teachers notes, and can be used with the following reading courses: Take Off series 1 to 3; Read On series 1 to 3 (no longer available) and Abi books 1 to 23.

Products for teaching and learning braille

BraillePhun letter and maths bricks are interlocking bricks which are similar to chunky jigsaw pieces. Each one displays one character in both print and enlarged or standard size braille, and are ideal for braille learners. They are available in a range of different sized packs.

Sense and sensitivity, written by Nigel Berry is a practitioner's guide, and focuses on how to teach braille reading and writing to adults and young people who are losing or have lost their sight.

It provides a structure for introducing braille to new touch readers, guidance on establishing good reading and writing techniques and selecting appropriate resources. The book includes unique insights into the development of shape and pattern perception through touch.

Nigel Berry, a true champion of braille, sets out the benefits of using braille at home, for study and in the workplace as part of a comprehensive communication package that enables blind people to regain maximum independence.

Sense and sensitivity is available in print (TC21267P), contracted braille (TC21267B) and on CD-rom (TC21267CDR).

Welsh braille

Blind and partially sighted children can learn to read and write Welsh braille, using the Welsh Braille Code. The programme "Dechrau Darllen Braille Cymraeg" (Starting to Read Welsh braille) consists of 40 graded books. There is also a library of Welsh books in braille and a catalogue is available on request. For more information, please contact RNIB Cymru on telephone 029 2045 0440 or email

Braille music

RNIB's Music Advisory Service (MAS) supports people with sight problems in any aspect of music, providing information and advice on music education at all levels, from beginners to advanced studies. Contact the Music Advisory Service on 020 7391 2273 or email

The following publications support learning braille music notation:

• A guide to braille music notation, written by Edward Watson.

Large print (TC20278) and contracted braille (TC20279).

• Focus on braille music, written by Lisette Wesseling

Available to loan in print and contracted braille from RNIB National Library Service (contact the Music Librarian on 0161 355 2064). Purchase from Techno-Vision Systems Ltd on 01604 792777.

• Braille music for beginners (piano), written by Joan Partridge

Large print (TC20011) and contracted braille (TC20185).

It is also available to borrow from RNIB National Library Service.

Literacy assessment

Neale Analysis of Reading Ability

The Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (NARA) measures accuracy, rate of reading and comprehension in children aged 5 to 18 reading contracted braille.

The test (in capitalised and uncapitalised braille) can help to plan teaching programmes, ensure that reading materials match children's ability, diagnose needs so that appropriate action can be taken, check specific skills have been acquired and probe children's interest in reading.

Neale analysis of reading ability – 2012 edition – TC21390

Learning Media Assessment

A guide to help assess, evaluate and put in place appropriate teaching methods and literacy formats to support children in their literacy development, written by Cay Holbrook. It is available in print or braille from Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI).

Rules and reference books

The Spelling dictionary for beginner writers(TC21298) is for new writers (Key Stage 1 and early Stage 2). In addition to a word list containing most of the words young writers are likely to use, there is a mini thesaurus giving synonyms for common words such as "then", "said" and "went". Also includes theme word lists, covering colours, school, home, geography, sports, astronomy/space, holidays and weather.

Each word is shown in uncontracted braille (and contracted equivalent if applicable), and in 18 point print.For words which sound the same but have different meanings - such as where and wear, sore and saw - a brief explanation or example is given in brackets.