Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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I just had my first braille lesson!! (self.Blind)
submitted by blindnessandbees
So after a lot of fighting with my local center for the blind I finally got green light to start learning braille a while back. Today was my first lesson and it went surprisingly well. It was mostly getting to know my teacher and discussing how the lessons are gonna work, but we also did a bunch of tactile skill exercises which my teacher said I was quite good at! It was a long road to get these lessons, as I’m legally blind and not blind yet (I have RP so I will be soon enough) which normally means I’d have to wait but I didn’t want to end up in a situation where I was unable to read. I’m glad I stood up for myself! Soon I will master the art of these damned dots!
AllHarlowsEve 8 points 4y ago
I went blind suddenly like 6 years ago and was told to not even bother with braille at first because there's so many auditory ways to learn things, or label them, etc.
I would much rather learn braille and not use it than have a situation where braille would help and be screwed.
I would much rather learn braille and not use it than have a situation where braille would help and be screwed.
bleeblat 7 points 4y ago
Good for you. I just ran into a person the other day who was told they shouldn't even try to learn braille! It's good that you got lessons anyway. You'll figure it out sooner than you think.
bradley22 3 points 4y ago
I think people should have the choice. They should be told the pros and cons of both ways of reading then, once they have all there questions answered and a taster session they can choose what they think is best for them.
bleeblat 1 points 4y ago
Yes, exactly. That's why I was concerned. Because telling someone not to even try to learn something is silly. Even basic literacy might be enough, at least then you've got something.
bradley22 1 points 4y ago
Exactly.
aaronespinozaca 3 points 4y ago
Just remember to remember the rules. I am relearning them again even though I know how to read and write already. I forgot the rules for not practicing them.
oncenightvaler 3 points 4y ago
hey, blind guy here, got taught Braille straight away in elementary school from specialists, and would be happy to encourage you. Glad you see Braille as valuable for reading. If you tell the country you live in I can try to help connect you to the library for the blind there.
It will take a long while because you probably want to learn the alphabet and the contractions, but I know that you can do it and that you will practice a lot.
It will take a long while because you probably want to learn the alphabet and the contractions, but I know that you can do it and that you will practice a lot.
blindnessandbees [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Hey! I live in the Netherlands but I’m already in contact with my library for the blind, as they also do the audiobook service over here which I use daily so I’m good on that front, but thanks for the offer dude! And yeah for me braille is very much the way to go. I go to a school for the blind and visually impaired, where all blind students use braille displays. It’s kind of a social skill thing. When in class using a screen reader isn’t exactly an option (well you could but either you’d be making noise or wearing headphones in class. Neither of those are ideal) it was never really a question about wether or not I’d learn braille, but more of when.
multi-instrumental 3 points 4y ago
Grade 1 braille is honestly really easy to learn. Grade 2 is pretty easy as well. It's just like using "shorthand" in certain respects.
oncenightvaler 2 points 4y ago
ah I get it. I have had a debate before with a fellow blind guy and he was totally blind but he grew up using just screen readers and he claimed that my braille skill would become extinct and useless, that Braille was dead, even though I claimed that the Embosser and the Braille display were very useful.
blindnessandbees [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Yeah I suppose you could be blind and be just fine never learning braille, but to me as soon as I heard I was going blind I knew I wanted to learn braille. It’s still an important skill
rebeckd 3 points 4y ago
I have RP too and my parents really had to fight in my IEP meetings for me to start learning Braille, but they eventually let me start learning in 5th grade and now (I'm in 10th grade) I feel like I'm pretty good at it! I hope your lessons go well!
orioltheoreo 2 points 4y ago
Braille is necessary but it is also less useful nowadays with all the spoken technology we have. I would say that it never hurts to learn it, so congratulations.
SpikeTheCookie 2 points 4y ago
How fun!! I have RP, too. I'm super excited for you, and hope you enjoy having words flow through your fingers. :-D
Eisah 1 points 4y ago
I'm always shocked by this kind of response. It feels like the people saying, "Don't bother learning" may not really think deeply about what it would be like if they were illiterate. How convenient would it be to go to a restaurant and not be able to read a menu? How much more convenient would it be just to feel a label on the salt & pepper bottles rather than needing a device to read it for you? What if you want to sit down and read a book rather than have it read to you? I can't imagine it's fun going through a recipe if you have to keep rewinding the audio to listen to what ingredients you needed again. A simple list of ingredients you can read seems way more convenient.
Technology has helped a lot, but I hope MORE people learn braille, not less. It's sad that it's being discouraged.
Braille takes a little bit, but a lot of it is just taking time to memorize stuff. Keep working at it and you'll have it down in no time!
Technology has helped a lot, but I hope MORE people learn braille, not less. It's sad that it's being discouraged.
Braille takes a little bit, but a lot of it is just taking time to memorize stuff. Keep working at it and you'll have it down in no time!
blindnessandbees [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Exactly! Braille is an incredibly useful skill and since I’m still quite young I feel like I can’t just be like “welp guess future me will deal with this”
Autumnwood 1 points 4y ago
Good for you! I'm amazed at the posts where people are being told they don't need braille. You have a toolbox full of tools. Why not learn to use them all? Especially since braille is still used.
blindnessandbees [OP] 2 points 4y ago
Exactly! Quite a lot of the accessibility features in the outside world is braille based! It’s still very important!
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