Are You a Parent Wondering If You Should Learn Braille?

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Since learning about your child’s eye condition, you may be overwhelmed with countless questions. How will my child play? How will they learn to walk? How will they succeed in school? Will they be able to live independently? Who will teach them braille? And should I learn braille, too? 

The answer to that last question is a resounding yes! Learning braille as a caregiver can open doors to connection, communication, and literacy for your child with vision loss. 

How Can Braille Be Used in Everyday Life? 

Think back to your childhood and try to recall experiences reading your name or a note from someone. Was it a birthday card, gift tag, reminder note, a message in your lunch box, an encouraging letter from a friend, or silly jokes from a funny grandparent? Your child, who may be a braille reader, can have the same experiences through braille.  

• Personalized Notes: Leave braille notes in lunchboxes or the kitchen counter to brighten your child’s day. 

• Celebrations: Add braille to birthday cards or create braille cards so your child can independently enjoy special moments. Add braille holiday gift tags.  

• Daily Communication: Leave braille notes on the refrigerator to inform your child of your whereabouts, fostering independence. 

• Memory Keeping: Braille their baby books or scrapbooks, allowing them to relive and share memories with others. 

Why Surround Your Child with Braille? 

Our world is filled with opportunities to read print. It is just as important to immerse a braille reader in a literacy-rich environment.  

• Language-Rich Environment: Label appliances, rooms, toys, games, and puzzles with braille to immerse your child in a world of words. 

• Early Literacy Development: Adapt books by adding braille to the pages, helping your child understand that braille represents stories and information. Add textures or bump dots to board books.  

How Does Modeling Braille Influence Your Child? 

You can model good reading habits and foundational reading behaviors to foster a love of reading and give your child the tools to develop their literacy skills. For some of us, reading and sharing our thoughts as we read comes naturally. For others, thinking about our actions and verbalizing what good readers do takes conscious effort.  

Reading habits include making predictions, sharing inner thoughts and feelings, laughing at humorous moments, and adding narrative commentary. 

Demonstrating foundational reading behaviors includes how to hold a book correctly, turn its pages, and enjoy rereading beloved stories that become cherished favorites. 

• Imitation Learning: Children learn by mimicking. By incorporating braille into your daily routines, your child becomes aware of its importance and is encouraged to learn. 

• Shared Activities: Read braille books together, leave braille notes, and label household items to demonstrate the practical use of braille. 

How Does Learning Braille Foster Bonding? 

As a parent or caregiver, learning braille probably wasn’t something you expected to add to your skill set. It might feel overwhelming or challenging at first. However, learning braille is an opportunity to demonstrate to your child how to face challenges with resilience and laugh at mistakes. By learning alongside your child, you can make the process enjoyable and turn it into a shared journey of discovery and growth. 

• Shared Learning Experience: Learning braille alongside your child shows them braille literacy’s importance and value. 

• Family Inclusion: Encourage siblings, friends, and extended family to learn braille, promoting inclusive participation in daily activities and special events. 

Additional Tips and Insights for Parents 

• Start Early: Introducing braille to your child early can enhance cognitive development, language skills, and academic achievement. Learn where to get free braille books and ways to enhance your home library.  

• Utilize Technology: Incorporate braille access technology, such as smart braillewriters and braille notetakers, to motivate and engage your child.  

FAQ: Learning Braille as a Sighted Individual