[Faith-talk] request for advice from ministers or Sunday school teachers

[Linda Mentink]

Hi Tonia.  I'm neither a minister or a Sunday School teacher; I'm just the 
list moderator.  I would suggest to you that you tell this student that, if 
he doesn't learn Braille, and become proficient in its use, he will have 
many struggles.  These will include headaches from too much print reading, 
hiding face in paper while in front of congregations, and slowness in 
reading--just to name a few.

He can get a portable note taker which he can carry with him wherever he 
goes.  In it, and on Cf cards and the like, he can have the Bible in as 
many versions as he wants, books, commentaries, hymnal texts, and much 
more, in electronic braille files.  He must not listen to those who tell 
him he doesn't need braille.  That, in my opinion, is balderdash!!

Thanks for your post.

Blessings, Linda Mentink

At 01:40 PM 3/14/2007, you wrote:
>Hi all!  my name is tonia gatton and I am a rehab teacher in Kentucky.  I 
>have a braille student who has just recently started learning 
>contractions, but is now wanting to quit braille.  He can see to read 
>large print but is very slow at it; not only due to his limited vision but 
>also because of getting a late start in learning to read and write.  He 
>graduated from high school a year ago and plans to attend college this 
>fall.  He wants to be a minister.  I've encouraged him to stick it out 
>with braille and stressed how beneficial it will be when taking notes, 
>preaching sermons and looking up Bible passages, etc.  Unfortunately, his 
>roommate who was such a good influence on him has graduated and now he has 
>other students discouraging him from learning braille, since they don't 
>understand the importance of it.
>
>So, I'm hoping to locate some ministers or even Sunday school teachers who 
>possibly have some vision and can read print but have still found braille 
>to be helpful at times.  Or perhaps someone who now realizes the 
>importance of braille and wishes they had learned it a long time ago.
>
>I'd love for these individuals to talk with my student but I'd also 
>appreciate it, if you'd just write about your experiences and how braille 
>has came in handy while preaching or teaching.  I can then share what you 
>wrote with my student in hopes that it will help him to reconsider his 
>decision.
>
>You can either write me off list at tonia.gatton at ky.gov or give me a call 
>at 800-346-2115.
>
>Thanks so much and God bless!
>
>Tonia
>
>
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