Splendid post! Yes there is a way forward in every situation. We just need to take time to figure it out.
-----Original Message----- From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of mukesh jain Sent: 17 January 2015 12:52 To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues concerning the disabled. Subject: Re: [AI] Visually challenged parent - sighted child...How to bridge the gap? Ouch, what a great topic, The first piece of advice I can give to any blind person, whether they are a parent or not, is to teach yourself to read and write print or have someone help you learn. Sometimes there is no Braille and it is useful to know how to read raised or indented print, and this is especially an important skill for those who wish to become parents. It's also good to know how to write actual letters so your signature isn't just a scribble that's easier than most signatures to forge and so that it is at least somewhat legible. How do you learn print? Well, here are a few suggestions. The first thing you can do to learn print letters is to buy alphabet refrigerator magnets, both in upper and lower cases. For those who don't know about this item, I can tell you that these comes in ABC Magnets form and come in a set of 26 and are ideal for sprucing up your refrigerator, filing cabinet or any other metal surface! The strong magnetshold firmly and resist sliding or falling off, and the bright colors are fun and cheerful for your children to teach the alphabets! When you take them out of the package, they should in theory be in order, but if not, have someone who knows the letters order them for you on a refrigerator, dry erase board, or other magnetized surface, so that you can feel each letter and learn its shape. Practice feeling the letters often until you have them down, then have someone test you on them until you've mastered identifying them by touch. Make sure to do this with both cases as lower case print letters do not always look the same as upper case ones. There are only a few exceptions, such as S, X, and Z. Then you can move on to the next step. Now you are ready for letter and number stencils. These will teach you two things. First off they will teach you to read indented print, as the stencil will have holes in the shape of the letters. It shouldn't take too long to master the indented versions once you've gotten the raised magnets down. Now you can use them to write. Take a pen and paper and practice tracing the letters in the stencil until you have it down. The stencil will act as a guide so you should draw them correctly. Once you've mastered that, you can practice drawing the letters freehand and even working on your signature if necessary. Now you're ready to help a child learn to read and write. With these same materials, you can help a child learn to read and write print, whether they are sighted or blind, but for the purposes of this post we'll assume the child is sighted. When you have mastered the magnetic letters, put them on a surface for the child to practice. Make sure you know how to order them, as children will often want to take them down and handle them. Allow them to do so and tell them what the letters are. Then you can begin taking them down and quizzing them daily on what the letters are. Do not be discouraged if this takes a while. Just keep practicing with the child and they will eventually get it. When they do, and they can correctly identify all or most of the letters even if randomly selected, move on to the stencil, but remember to continue practicing the magnetic letters every day. With the stencil, you should use one more item to make your efforts more fruitful. However, before you get there, give your child the stencil and let them practice drawing the letters with a standard pen or pencil. Let them do this repeatedly so that they can master using the stencil. Then, you'll want to get a trusty glitter pen. This can be used to allow your child to draw letters, whether by stencil or free hand, in a way that what they have drawn will be raised and tactile. This way, a blind parent can feel the letters to see if they conform to what they are supposed to be, and if not help correct the child. This is a great way for parent and child to learn, and kids will love the glitter pen anyway. You can also use these for craft projects, but they're a great tool for blind parents teaching writing to their kids. Like most things, there is a way for blind people to overcome almost any obstacle, and reading and writing print, whether for themselves or their children is no exception. You can find most of these products in almost any store. On 1/17/15, Uma phago <[email protected]> wrote: > Amazing! This is a lesson for me too. > > On 1/17/15, payal jethra <[email protected]> wrote: >> "I want you to read what I have written. I want you to see" is what my >> seven year old son insisted as I sat him on my lap completing his >> Hindi assignment. >> >> >> As a visually challenged single parent, one of the hitches I face >> while taking up my son's studies is figuring out how to establish >> written communication between parent & child: A visually challenged >> parent would leave a messege or Braille or audio note for a child who >> returns from school to read... "Hope you had a Terrific Tuesday, >> Sweetheart. When Mommy returns we shall pick up reading the Science >> lesson on Light and Shadows. Till then...take care and be good! (And >> draw a smiley face at the end)" >> >> My residual vision allows me to scribble a line or two with a chalk on >> a blackboard or using a marker on a white board, but what adaptations >> would help him write to me? >> >> At school, he is doing very well with oral, elocutions and >> recitations....however, when it comes to written work whether it is at >> home or at school, he does it with lack of interest and the only area >> where he requires improvement is his handwriting. Technology and >> accessibility has been a boon in enabling me scan his text books, type >> out and save his class work and set tests and practice papers thus >> doing my bit in complimenting the effort of my friend who takes up his >> studies volentarily as a tuition teacher. >> >> When a subject is covered in class, and after we have read through the >> text and note books, we Google "our solar system" or long "division" >> or watch a you tube of the subject together. This activity helps me >> gauge his understanding of the subject and answer any questions which >> may pop up. >> >> It is my strong belief that visual limitations must not be allowed to >> come in the way of a parent taking up a child's studies or motivating >> him academically. >> The only gap is in the different tools my son and I use to read and >> write. His lack of interest in writing may or may not be linked to my >> visual impairment or inability to help with his written work. It could >> be a mere phase of childishness, however, the question of establishing >> written communication with him still remains he and I being on >> different wavelengths and me not wanting him to use a phone or >> computer as a tool to write to me? >> >> Friends, your thoughts and ideas on how to bridge if not eliminate >> this gap in written communication between a visually challenged Mon >> and a young child & rekindle his desire and love for writing would be >> appreciated. >> >> Regards, >> Payal >> >> Celebrating Louis Braille birthday Jan4th >> >> >> >> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility >> of >> mobile phones / Tabs on: >> http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessin dia.org.in >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> [email protected] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please >> visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> Disclaimer: >> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of >> the >> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >> >> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >> mails >> sent through this mailing list.. >> > > Celebrating Louis Braille birthday Jan4th > > > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessin dia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > -- Regards, Mukesh jain Email: [email protected] [email protected] Skype: mukeshjain211 Mob: 09977165123 "Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight. " Helen Keller Celebrating Louis Braille birthday Jan4th Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessin dia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Celebrating Louis Braille birthday Jan4th Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
