Marie Oddoux, Occupational Therapist
In April 2017, we were in Stockholm for the first Tactile Reading Conference and are sharing our presentation here.
Why a prebraille project?
Report:
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Young blind children are not well prepared for school. Regular French schools are not well prepared for blind children.
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Tactile books are rare and expensive.
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Toys, games, and school activities need too much adaptation.
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No special school curriculum
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Regular class teachers don’t really know what to do with students who are blind.
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We only get to see the students once or twice a week, and of course it is not enough.
OT & TVI Goals:
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Increase desire for reading
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Develop tactile and compensatory skills
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Develop fine and gross motor skills
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Develop cognitive skills
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As a matter of fact: Prebraille Skills
French national preschool curriculum:
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Preschool starts at 4 years old and lasts for 3 years
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A new curriculum started in September 2016
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A new way to introduce concepts using discovery, manipulation, sensory, body and language developments
Unique Collaborative Curriculum:
347 GOALS
4 categories:
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Green: No particular adaptation
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Blue: Not applicable
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Orange: Literacy
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Red: With the 6 Dots Cell Method
“Let’s play with the 6 dots cell”
Who is this method for?
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Adults in charge of blind children:
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Parents
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Day care staff
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Regular teachers
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Teachers of the visually impaired
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Occupational therapists
What’s in it?
Material aspect:
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List of tools and materials
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Manufacturing instructions
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List of small equipment to carry out the proposed activities
Pedagogical aspect:
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Pre-braille skills
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Preschool and kindergarten skills
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Activities
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Evaluation form
5 Categories:
Decreasing size of the cell = Progression by age
Body Braille:
Large Cell:
Medium Cell:
Small Cell:
Regular Braille:
Peg Cell:
Adapted activities according to FNCP goals:
Examples of goals:
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Place an element knowing its position and respect the direction of the course.
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Use spatial expressions, especially those based on opposites: on / under, in / out, next to / away from …
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Make a construction by having a reference model that the child can manipulate or observe.
Using different materials and textures
Using one or several cells
Using different spatial planes with a box, a wall…
Using various types of representation of cells: 3D, 2D, raised cell on paper
Using writing and reading modes going from one to the other (swing cell)
Conclusion
Visually impaired child can do 95.4% of the preschool skills!
PBresults reach
Inclusion is facilitated!
Thanks to:
In France:
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Nathalie Lewi-Dumont and Michele Collat
In Canada:
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Louis Comtois and Lise Semard (Fondation des Aveugles du Quebec)
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Eve Bedard and Helene Berthiaume (Ecole Jacques-Ouellette)
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Stephanie Desjardins (MAC-Mackay)
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Maude Demers-Bonin (INLB)
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Isabelle Grant (Commission scolaire des premieres-seigneuries)
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Danielle Bouchard (IRDPQ)
In the USA:
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Mary McCarthy (Perkins School for the Blind)
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Karen Frank and Deb Nikkila (Maryland School for the Blind)
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Jennifer Eaton (Vision Corps)
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Sister Lisa, Christine Geiger, and Kathy Cleaver (St. Lucy Day School)
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Mary Daubenspeck and Marianne Smith (CAIU)
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Edie Goldman and Dawn Bridget (The New York Institute for Special Education)
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Nancy Doyle (Lighthouse Guild)
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Teresa Doan (Arkansas School for the Blind)
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Suzette Wright, Dawn Wilkinson, Kathie Senft-Graves (APH)
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Kathy Mullen (VIPS)
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Cyral Miller, Laura Miller (Texas School for the Blind)
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Marielena Rivas (TLC4Blind)
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Fernanda Armenta-Schmitt (Blind Children’s Center)
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The Braille Institute
And a special thank you to Sue Dwyer.