[NFBWATlk] [EXT] Looking for some Input on Teaching Braille to a Low Vision Student

[Robby Nichols]

Umberto, I  have had the experience of raising a  14 year old daughter and also have gone blind in the mid portion of my life "39" I  believe you are likely combating the mix of the insecurity  of a  14 year old that is not liking the idea of being different and standing out along with the emotions of losing her sight. I  do not envy your position for sure. I  found in raising my daughter that emersion in situations that made her not stick out helped when she was down on life and herself. If it is possible I  would suggest seeing if she can attend some NFB or other Blind organization that will have a  group of people she can relate to. If there is anyway to allow her to see the places she is more advanced in than other similarly challenged people  that can be beneficial as well.  

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBWATlk <nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Humberto Avila via NFBWATlk
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2024 1:32 PM
To: Corey Grandstaff via NFBWATlk <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Humberto Avila <humberto_avila.it104 at outlook.com>; Mike Jolls via NFB-Braille-Discussion <nfb-braille-discussion at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [EXT][NFBWATlk] Looking for some Input on Teaching Braille to a Low Vision Student


    Hello All,


I hope all is well for you. Happy Thursday.


I am reaching out to see if anyone can offer some input and assistance.


I am recently teaching a student in my local school where I work at. She is learning uncontradicted Braille. In fact, she has mastered the whole uncontradicted Braille and we're moving on to contracted. She has low vision and is very new to blindness and vision loss.

She does enjoy learning about the Braille code, however, more recently, she has been becoming more and more resistant to learning. I work closely with another TVI and we've determined that this resistance may be stemming from her struggles with losing her vision, which is quite apparent when she says things like not wanting to learn to navigate with a cane or other blindness skills because she thinks she will not use them ever. I knew she was struggling, but I also know she really likes her class period where she is with me learning Braille. She in particularly likes Braille art, and I have tried to incorporate this type of art / concept as much as possible in my lessons. She also likes watching motivational videos about successful blind people.

It is more recently that she has begun doubting the skills that we have bee teaching her, and going out of her way to boldly and unapologetically say so. We have tried referring her to a counselor or therapy, but the student's belief system does not encourage her to go that rout. I, as a successful Blind person myself, have tried countless and numerous times to model the high expectation for her, with my use of my Braille display, and embossing the Braille lesson to read along with her, as well as traveling through the school proudly with my white cane.
I even labeled the classroom number(s) and stuck the labels on classroom doors, because the school I currently work at was built pre-ADA and sadly, has no Braille.

It is her recent struggles with mounting resisting to learn the alternative skills of blindness and the Braille that perplexes me and I am new to this, perhaps due to the lack of relativity with me being legally blind since birth and never experiencing sightedness, and her being fully sighted for the 14 bright years of her life and losing her vision. And, while she does enjoy inspiration videos of all sorts, I can not simply just flash out and shove NFB philosophy and blind culture in general without overwhelming her even more.


I am therefore looking for suggestions. In what ways can I ground her interests and create expectations without making her say she utterly dislikes Braille? What other strategies have proved useful to you, specifically for those who are either totally blind or legally blind since birth, and encountering this situation? How can I further relate to and understand her perspective of this person losing their vision and struggling in this way, while I have not had such an experience as a blind person? I'm not sure if i"m making sense here. But, anyways, your input is valuable and immeasurably appreciated. I think my student has a lot going for her and a lot she still has to live through. And I need to be able to supplant her with the seeds she needs to be a blind person because even though it sounds kind of hard and sad, this will now be her new life. So any way that I can say these things without really saying them in a realist, tough, or in a more positive and optimistic fashion will be appreciated as well.


Thank you! Have a blessed day!

- Humberto

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