Susan.Goldfield@p0.f1089.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Susan Goldfield) (05/31/91)
Index Number: 15896
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Mary, you have an excellent point in reference to the advantages of
using braille. I can't mention any names, but I know someone who is
in high school and can't spell. Frankly, I believe that there is a
crisis in the school system. These schools are graduating students
who are illiterate. Illiteracy is unfortunately very common, but I
believe is being ignored especially with blind students. This person
was educated by tapes. All spelling and gramatical errors are ignored
by his teachers. Why? His counselors at his school encourage tapes
and have not followed through on any requests made for braille materials.
Unfortunately, this bright young man will slip through the cracks
and make it to graduation. The very sad thing is that he can't even
spell the word. I'd appreciate your thoughts.......Sue Goldfiel
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1089.0!Susan.Goldfield
Internet: Susan.Goldfield@p0.f1089.n261.z1.fidonet.orgWalter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren) (05/31/91)
Index Number: 15906
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
SG> Mary, you have an excellent point in reference to the advantages of using
SG> braille. I can't mention any names, but I know someone who is in high
SG> school and can't spell.
I know one who graduated from college, and can't spell worth
anything, and he used braille.
I will mention a name. That is me. If you don't believe it, just
ask my daughter. I have used braille all of my life, and think
that braille is the thing, but if I had any spelling knowlege at
all, it was braille in college that finished it off for me. Trying
to take braille notes in class as fast as you can go, you have to
make up your own shorthand, and that can ruin ones spelling. An
example, if I had to write down motor in college notes, I would
have put mtr, and when it came time to put the vowels back in well,
when I was playing annagrams one day, they would not let me spell m
o t e r as a word. Oh, well, that's the way it goes.
Walter
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!396!5.18!Walter.Siren
Internet: Walter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.orgBeth.Hatch-Alleyne@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Beth Hatch-Alleyne) (05/31/91)
Index Number: 15907
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hello, Susan, although I haven't had the pleasure of conversing with
you before, I had to respond to your message about Braille grammar
and spelling vs. the use of tapes. As a child, I tried to use
Braille rather than tapes. I wanted to read what I was assigned,
rather than listen to it. I flunked a book report because no one
would order me any books, of course I could have ordered them
myself, but I didn't think of that when I was younger. At any
rate, I have come across people who think I can't spell words
correctly in my studies in journalism. I went to the NFB convention
in Chicago, where someone at the Hadley School gave a presentation
on the courses it offers. The gentleman said blind people
inherrently spell things wrong, and that every blind writer has
problems with grammar. Of course, I told him this was not so, and
asked him where he got his data. If blind kids aren't taught
Braille, ihow can we learn to spell if we can't read books, and read
what others have written. Just wanted to add my two cents to this
discussion, hope to chat with you soon, Beth.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!260!207!Beth.Hatch-Alleyne
Internet: Beth.Hatch-Alleyne@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.orgGary.Petraccaro@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Gary Petraccaro) (05/31/91)
Index Number: 15909
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
-> In a message to Mary Otten <05-14-91 22:57> Susan Goldfield wrote:
->
-> SG> Mary, you have an excellent point in reference to the
-> SG> advantages of using braille. I can't mention any names, but
-> SG> I know someone who is in high school and can't spell.
Fyi, I'm hearing stories just like yours about sighted students. This
one can't be laid solely at braille's doorstep. In partial agreement with
you as far as the value of braille and being able to spell, even so. The
reason I say partial has to do with braille's use of contractions which I
feel may also contribute to not being able to spell. Braille has several
words which can be represented by only a couple letters. You can forget
how to spell those. Well, I can <grin>.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!90!Gary.Petraccaro
Internet: Gary.Petraccaro@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.orgcovici@ccs.covici.com (John Covici) (06/03/91)
Index Number: 15938 Gary.Petraccaro@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Gary Petraccaro) writes: > -> In a message to Mary Otten <05-14-91 22:57> Susan Goldfield wrote: > -> SG> Mary, you have an excellent point in reference to the > -> SG> advantages of using braille. I can't mention any names, but > -> SG> I know someone who is in high school and can't spell. > > Fyi, I'm hearing stories just like yours about sighted students. This > one can't be laid solely at braille's doorstep. In partial agreement with > you as far as the value of braille and being able to spell, even so. The > reason I say partial has to do with braille's use of contractions which I > feel may also contribute to not being able to spell. Braille has several > words which can be represented by only a couple letters. You can forget > how to spell those. Well, I can <grin>. I think the rules of Braille need to be changed, for just that reason. I was at a conference of the Braille Research & Literacy Foundation last September where it was pointed out that an 11-year old child has to learn several different Braille codes to do his every day school work. This is certainly rediculous. It's also true that even the sighted world is becoming more illiterate every year. John John Covici covici@ccs.covici.com