Skip to content
Resource

Using a Peg Slate to Practice Braille Skills

Develop beginning braille literacy skills using a peg slate and other braille toys by practicing reading and writing braille letters, words, and sentences!

My son Liam is a happy first grader in a mainstream classroom.  He is a braille reader  (he LOVES braille!) and happens to be deafblind.  Liam brought home a “Peg Slate”  from APH the other day from school.  He was so excited about this tool.  I thought that I would share how we use it at home.

Peg slate from APH
Peg slate from APH
  • Peg slate from APH

Procedure

  • Liam loves when I form words on the Peg Slate and he gets to read them (keeps me on my toes with my braille skills!).
  • His favorite is when I write simple sentences and he gets to read them back to me.
  • I wanted to share that the Peg Slate is a great learning tool to use in the classroom, but I also see it as something that was very engaging for my son in the home setting as well!
  • I have been planning to try to take Liam and his brother to a “sit down” restaruant (so far, we have only mastered buffets and fast food;) and I thought that the Peg Slate would be a good tool to bring to a restaurant to ‘”entertain” and use together while we waited for our food.
Boy signing word from peg slate
Using ASL to read sentence from peg slate

Variations

  • Other options for the Peg Slate are that you could practice letters, contractions, words, sentences etc… so many options!
  • Your child could also work on writing letters and words themselves!
  • Below I have listed a few other fun “toys” to create a braille cell/word that we have at home that Liam loves!  They are reasonably priced. smiley
Pocket braille cube
Pocket braille cube
Pocket braille block
Pocket braille block
Collage of using a peg slate to practice braille skills
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Page of experience book about popcorn
Tips and guides

Experience Stories for Functionally Blind Pre-Readers

Slate and stylus
Tips and guides

Tips for Teaching Slate and Stylus

Alphabox showing an apple in the position of dot 1 in a braille cell
Activity and strategy

AlphaBoxes