Elena Gaston

Elena Gastón, teacher at the National organisation of the Spanish blind

Inclusive literacy  

A new method for braille literacy

 

After decades of experience in the field of education and support to students with visual impairments, the Spanish Braille Commission (CBE) of has taken an important step with the development of a new methodology.

In this practical session Elena will present an inclusive method for teaching Braille. This presentation should be specially interesting for participants from countries where children with visual impairments are integrated in sighted classes. You will learn about the method and the material that compose the method, including three-dimensional materials, children's stories and worksheets in Braille and a computer program to play and learn Braille with a digitalised tablet.

Currently, almost all students with visual disabilities from Spain are enrolled in mainstream schools where literacy methodologies and didactics are increasingly visually attractive and technologically interactive. This is a challenge when it comes to teach Braille in an enjoyable and motivating way.

The new method that has been developed is an inclusive approach, appealing to both the blind students and sighted, which promotes motivation and self-esteem, enhances their capabilities and minimizes errors, combines traditional learning with technology, promotes autonomy and cooperative learning, and encourages the expansion of interests and knowledge through reading and writing. The four modules that comprise the method is: pre-literacy skills; preBraille; formal Braille and effectiveness of reading and writing. All of them together meet the needs of children from birth until completion of primary education.

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