In my most recent post, I described what a Braille character (cell) is made of. In this post, I will describe just how your fingers can read the bumps.
If you would like to read my earlier posts, they are How do Blind People Learn Braille? Part 1: What is Braille? And How do Blind People Learn Braille? Part 2: The Anatomy of Braille.
What is the Two-Hand Technique for Reading Braille?
The Braille reading technique that is the most effective is called the Two-Hand-Technique. When I say most effective, I am referring to the speed in which the information flows from the page into your brain. There are lots of different techniques and I have found this one to be the most effective.
Imagine a Braille page open before you on your lap or resting on the top of a desk. Like English, Braille goes from left-to-right and down the page. Nothing special there.
Like reading with your eyes, you would track from the upper left side of the page till you reached the end of the line. Then, you would jump down one line and start over again at the beginning of the line. That is what you would do with your eyes. And, that is exactly what you would do with your fingers.
Starting at the top of the left side of the page, you take both index fingers and gently place them at the left side of the page. Moving your fingers together, character-by-character, you move across the line. That is till you reach the middle of the page.
It is at the middle that you take your left-hand index finger and move TO the next line locating the first character of that line.
The index finger of your right hand continues across the line till it reaches the end. Once you are done with the line, your right hand quickly jumps down to where your left hand is. And then you start the reading process all over again for this line.
The two-hand-technique is faster because when your right hand is done reading the current line, it doesn’t have to waste any time searching for the beginning of the next line. Your left hand is already there and ready to go.
How to Supercharge Your Braille Reading Speed
To put your Braille reading into overdrive, when your left-hand index finger locates the start of the next line, it doesn’t stop and wait. Rather, while the right hand is still reading the line above, the left hand begins reading. Basically, you are reading two lines of text at the same time. Take that Evelyn Wood! Those who have perfected this technique are able to keep the incoming information straight while dramatically increasing their reading speed.
It is not Important to be the Fastest Braille Reader in the World
I talked about the two-hand-technique for reading Braille and talked about how efficient it can be. However, you don’t have to use this technique. No matter what technique you use or what speed you achieve, the goal is to use Braille to its advantage in your life.
Whether you want to read thousands of Braille pages a year or if you just want to read your own notes, Braille can do that for you. All you need to do is use it.
John Bailey is the “Guy Who Sees Options”. He is an international speaker, author, and Tedx presenter. And, he happens to be blind. John has over 20 years expertise coaching young people and adults with physical challenges on how they can have the lives and education they want just by seeing the opportunities they are missing.
Hire John for your next event. He delivers easy-to-use techniques for success illustrated from real-life stories that will make you laugh while you learn. To see John’s TEDX Talk, go to his website ReadingInTheDark.biz and click on the video.
Today we in the National Federation of the Blind do much to help make Braille available to blind students and to encourage the teaching of Braille to both children and adults who are blind. But this is not how it has always been. At one time Braille was regarded as inferior, and all too often today it does not get the attention it deserves. I could not have done much of my work as a lawyer without Braille. When my children were small, I read to them most evenings. They enjoyed the stories, and I enjoyed reading to them as much or more. How different my life would have been without the ability to read Braille. How different it can be for the children of this generation if we give them the chance to learn. The message should not be that blind people are different and unable to take part. Even though I was not able to draw, my mother felt certain that I could keep within the lines. We in the National Federation of the Blind are doing what we can to make this promise and challenge come true.