VIDBE-Q Volume 66 Issue 4
to name and experiment with individual sounds in spoken words. Parents can
support the development of this skill orally, by adding and deleting sounds from
the beginning and end of words. A tactile element can be added by clapping out
syllables or tapping fingers on a surface while segmenting sounds in a word (such
as three taps for the word "c/a/t"). Phonics builds upon phonemic awareness by
connecting sounds to the letters with which they correspond. Parents of beginning
braille readers can support their learning by fostering these letter-sound
connections in simple ways, such as braille letters labeled on blocks that can be
arranged to create different combinations of words.
Applied Behavior Analysis
In building a child's early experiences with braille, parents can use several
principles from the field of applied behavior analysis. Positive reinforcement,
behavioral momentum, shaping, errorless learning, overlearning, and conditioning
can all promote learning (Cooper et al., 2020). Both learning to read and learning
braille take time and practice, so making the experience positive can set children
up for long term success. Discrimination training is another ABA method that can
support early braille learning. As little fingers start recognizing different symbols,
plenty of practice is necessary. Always starting with symbols that are very different
from one another makes it easy for children to be successful, and limiting the
number of choices until mastery and automaticity builds a strong foundation.
