BrailleBlazer
Beginning Braille Reading Activity Book
BrailleBlazer was designed for any person who is learning to read braille, at any age.
Teachers have said that the change in their student's reading abilities and confidence levels is like night and day.
Students ask to work on BrailleBlazer in class, and even ask to take the braille home.
One teacher has ordered a second set of worksheets so that the student could
work on them at home.
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New curriculum/Activity book for teaching students who are just beginning to read braille.
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An activity book that will help engage your students in the process of learning to read and will make lessons fun.
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Contains tactile discrimination, tracking, reading practice and various types of activities to help develop skills needed by a new tactile reader.
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Words are ONLY taught in contracted form.
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Very systematic and introduces only one contraction, or up to two words, at a time.
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Very flexible! There is a lot of reading practice. You can decide how much to use, depending on the students needs.
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Introduced words are used throughout the book. No words are ever used until they have been introduced.
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There is much repetition to help students become familiar with the basic words and become confident readers.
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Repetition is especially necessary since blind students do not get repeated exposure to words, as sighted students do.
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Designed for most beginning braille readers-even those having some difficulty learning to read braille.
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It is flexible and will meet the needs of many different students, with varying abilities.
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Pages are unbound and can be sent home for additional practice.
Some feedback that BrailleBlazer has received:
from T- "Have been using this with my 5th grade student. Sometimes use it as a quiz or with a board trivia game. He loves it and has improved with leaps and bounds!! An absolute must have resource!!"
from JP- I am loving BrailleBlazer. My 8th grader is enjoying it and is flying through lessons.
I like the format. Straightforward and consistent. I appreciate that.
from NP- "I would like her new goals for reading and writing Braille to work around your books. She is making amazing progress using the BrailleBlazer and even asks to practice extra on writing the sentences." "I cannot say thank you enough for this wonderful teaching guide. It has made such a huge difference in my student's reading and writing.
from TR- He's a dual media learner and even though we used a specific program, and he knows most of the contractions and was reading the braille, it wasn't as fluent as it needed to be, and he was hesitant when reading books. He was just making guesses based on the first 1-2 letters of words.
I decided to try Braille Blazer with him to reinforce some skills.
Well, the structure, routine and sequence of Braille Blazer with the repetition of words and sentences, word families, tracking, sentence jumbles and paragraphs have made a huge difference in making him a confident braille reader.
He asks to do pages from the book every day as part of our lesson.
He's become a different braille reader in a positive way.
So, thank you and I look forward to volume 2 coming out.
from JK- I am currently using the Braille Blazer and the UEB Sentences and absolutely love them both. Very well laid out and easy to use!
from LS- I am using your books with 2 students and I really like them.
from JK- I started the UEB sentences with a student this week. She really enjoyed it and so did I. Honestly. To have the material reaily prepared is wonderful.
Re: BrailleBlazer-There’s lots of resources available but this one is so simply laid out. Thank you!
from LR- Love your innovation!
from KH- When I introduced BrailleBlazer, I think it has filled that void for her. She is reading WORDS! She is liking it so far.
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BrailleBlazer is available now!
Email address: ActualTactuals@gmail.com
Phone: 1-516-434-1506
W-9 Form and Sole Source Letter are near the bottom of this "page,"
listed under "Purchase Order Information."
UEB Practice Sentences-in Braille and Print
"This is why I fell in love with your book... It's such an easy to use braille curriculum, and I've had so much success with it with all of my students of various braille levels and abilities."
-Unsolicited comment from a TVI-
For ALL TVIs-This book will SAVE you SO much TIME! ALL of the lessons are ready-to-go in both print and braille. Sequential planning for teaching braille contractions is done for you. The braille book is ready to use so that students can read along with you, to you, or self-check their work. This book is extremely "helpful and fun to use."
CONTRACTION PROGRESS CHART
(the pictures are not so great, but the chart is terrific!)
Good for children and adults who are new to braille-once they can identify the letters. The reading level goes from first or second grade and can be used for high school and beyond. You can easily begin at any level that you feel is appropriate for your students. Sentences in every lesson begin at a lower age level and become progressively more "challenging."
These books are excellent for previous print readers.
What makes it EASY to use and Successful-for you and your student?
How to Maximize Braille Learning!
1. Saves the TVI so much time! Lessons are totally planned. Book is ready to go-no brailling! No embossing.
2. Systematic and very well organized.
3. Easy to follow directions, throughout the book.
4. Contains simple vocabulary for new readers, of any age.
(Also, contains new words for a blind child to learn.
Some sentences contain concepts. “Dimes and quarters have ridges."
Promotes discussion.)
5. Double-spaced braille book makes it easier for the students to track along lines, and from line to line.
6. Double-spaced braille book eliminates confusion, since the student cannot feel the words in the lines above or below. The Double-Space book is PREFERRED by teachers, for this reason.
7. Rules are explained in simple terms.
8. Each contraction, throughout the book is introduced individually. Sentences specifically focus on the current contraction being taught.
9. In Print book-Sentences progress from easier to more challenging. Easy for teacher to decide where to start.
10. No contraction is used until it has been presented. No confusion! Only previously learned contractions are used in every lesson.
11. New contraction is used numerous times in one sentence.
(“Mark will park the car at the barn.”)
12. Mnemonics to help remember commonly confused contractions (and, with, st, among others).
13. Contractions that are used in different ways are introduced in separate sections. (Ex. ch/child)
14. Teachers love the Challenges that have students read sentences that have 2 “confusing” contractions in them. (en/in) (ea/ar) (of/ff)
15. Can return to a particular contraction at any point for practice, if you see the child is having difficulty with a particular contraction.
16. Sentences are usually only one line long.
17. Repeated contractions give plenty of practice in a short amount of time.
It gives so much practice that it becomes second nature to use the contractions.
Also, can be used for braille reading or writing assessment, and selecting appropriate IEP goals.
This book includes:
Suggestions on ways to use this book to enhance learning and make it fun.
Contraction Chart-lists all contractions by type of contraction.
Symbols Chart-new symbols arranged by lesson number.
Symbols Chart II-symbols arranged alphabetically by name of symbol
Contraction Progress Chart (see above)-to help you track your student's progress
Comments from the Program Administrator of Columbia Regional-Blind/Visually Impaired Program: "Our team of TVI's have used the UEB Practice Sentences and are excited to add more to our collection. Very positive reviews from everyone and we are so glad you have created this interesting and engaging practice book."
For more detailed information about contraction order and symbols that are covered in this book, please see the "Home" page or the "Specific Details" page.
Recommended book combinations:
Print Teacher's Edition and Braille Student's Edition-for teachers who read print
Suggestion: the Double Spaced Braille Student's Edition is best for new braille readers (see below ** for explanation)
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Braille Teacher's Edition and Braille Student's Edition-
for teachers who read hard copy braille
Simulated Braille on left, Print on right,
on ALL facing pages.
YES! We DO accept Purchase Orders-on orders above $200.
See below for information on W-9, Sole Source, email address, Teacher's information.
*Reasons to order the Braille Student’s Edition of UEB Practice Sentences:
These two books (Print or Braille Teacher's Edition and Student Braille versions) work especially well when used together, increases literacy. Having the ability to read the sentences in braille, gives the student much more exposure to the code, and of course, reading. This extra reinforcement will help children with both reading and writing, in a way that the print-only book cannot do. In addition, it makes teaching easy, because the preparation is done for you.
For those who are thinking of purchasing only the print version of this book, you are encouraged to consider ordering the Braille Student’s Edition, as well. These are some of the benefits of using the Braille Student's Edition:
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For students who are learning to read braille
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Entire braille book is ready to use. No embossing necessary.
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Contains the practice sentences ONLY. No directions or explanations are included, making this easier for the new braille reader to navigate the book.
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Every lesson includes ONLY the contractions that have been PREVIOUSLY TAUGHT.
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Students can self-check their answers after writing the sentences.
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Problematic contractions can be isolated for additional reading/writing practice.
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Students can work independently to practice braille writing skills, at school or at home.
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Use for computer keyboarding (typing) skills.
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Keyboarding practice will address spelling of the contractions.
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Interpoint braille
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Can be ordered with blank lines between each sentence. Please order the DOUBLE SPACED** book
**The DOUBLE SPACED braille book was specially requested by a TVI who felt that blank lines between sentences would make the braille easier for a beginning braille reader to read, and would facilitate learning.
Should I get the single-spaced or double-spaced books?
A number of teachers have asked which books would be better for their students. In answer to this question, I tell them about the TVI mentioned above. Apparently, she was right because
most teachers prefer the double-spaced books for any student who is beginning braille. One teacher mentioned that sighted students' books have large spaces between the lines. She felt that it made sense to begin braille reading with a double-spaced book.
Recently, an adult who is learning to read braille tactilely told me that she had no idea how much easier having a double spaced book would be, for learning to read braille.
The double-spaced book is PREFERRED by teachers who are teaching new braille readers, of ANY age.
Double-spacing is recommend by the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) for use in Kindergarten and First Grade Books. This is because double-spacing is helpful in developing tracking skills, it makes tracking easier, and it facilitates reading, as it eliminates the confusion of reading two lines that are very close together.
For those more advanced readers, it might be helpful to use the single spaced book, in order to learn tracking skills that they will need as adults.
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW DETAILS ABOUT THAT BOOK.
Purchase Order Information
Teachers-to facilitate your order, please print out the W-9 Form below, and provide it to your school district, along with your book requests. Click on the button to find the W-9 form.
ActualTactuals Braille is the Sole Provider of this book.
YES-we do accept Purchase Orders on orders above $200.
Please email them to ActualTactuals@gmail.com.
Please include the teachers name and email address.
Email address: ActualTactuals@gmail.com.
Mail address:
2116 Vine Drive
Merrick, NY 11566
USA
Phone: 516-434-1506
Although your receipt indicated a "Shipping" charge, the books are sent as Free Matter for the Blind,
and the charge is actually for Processing and Handling.
Processing and Handling ONLY to the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, China, Haiti:
Please contact us if your country is not listed above.
Please count BrailleBlazer as 3 books.
All prices are in U.S. Dollars.
$12.95 USD for 1-2 books
$24.95 USD for 3-4 books
$34.95 USD for 5-6 books
$44.95 USD for 7-8 books
$59.95 USD for 9-10 books
Please contact us for charges on orders above 10 books.