Visually Impaired Resource Guide Writing Kindergarten and Grade One

Children learn basic writing skills. They are encouraged to use drawing, scribbling and combinations of letters to try writing.

The student is encouraged to use the braille writer and the slate and stylus for scribbling and use the combinations of braille keys to make configurations that become increasingly meaningful for the child. The vision resource teacher provides a model by using the braille writer to record the stories that the child dictates. Braille readiness programs (e.g.- Mangold) also provide many different activities that can be used to stimulate and develop beginning writing skills.

Why We Write

• explore ways of representing thought on paper (most attempts of writing are intended for the students themselves rather than others)
• share words and experiences that are important to them

The tape recorder can be used to record stories and students should be encouraged to use the Braille Writer (Perkins), computer and/or Braille Lite to write their own stories. Encourage students to read their stories to their teacher, peers and family members. Use of written story starters (key cue words) can be helpful.

What We Write About

• recognize that print has meaning and explore ways of representing the letters, names and words they see in books or other places
• read parts of what they have written if asked immediately after they finish writing
• show interest in letters, sounds and words

Continue use of braille writer, tape recorder and computer to explore different ways of representing their thoughts and ideas. Encourage creative expression through the use of journal writing. Real objects (eg. candy wrappers, mandarin peel, bottle caps etc.) can be used as tangible souvenirs of past experiences and enhance early writing. Music, nonsense verses, poems and a wide of variety of literary media help to illustrate how thoughts and ideas can be put into many different written forms

Style

• explore the form of writing by attempting to represent sounds, words and ideas (see previous section)

How Letters Make Words (Form)

• write from left to right
• represent sounds, words and ideas on paper using scribbles, drawling and some recognizable letters
• write familiar words that are important to them, such as names

Provide tracing and tracking activities in order that the student can trace a continuous line from left to right and trace two and three dimensional shapes. Use two hands cooperatively in tracing. Many activities for beginning writing can be found in braille readiness programs ( eg. Mangold Reading Readiness Program). Once a braille readiness program has been completed the student moves on to a beginning braille reading and writing program (eg. Patterns) Concurrently Increasing competency in the independent use of the Braille Writer (Perkins) is developed.

Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

• begin to spell phonetically
• recognize letters, names of letters and sounds
• print letters, but often use capital letters at first and reverse some of them
• focus on beginning sounds, then ending sounds (e.g. md for mud) then middle consonants (eg. wgn for wagon) and finally vowels

While elements of grammar and punctuation are the same the reader is referred to the Reading & Writing Overview for information concerning spelling and some of the inherent problems for an individual who uses braille. Specific modifications and adaptions are the responsiblity of the vision resource teacher.

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