Should Blind Kids Learn Braille?

Written by Amber Bobnar
Updated on February 13, 2017
Braille touch

You’ve no doubt heard that braille literacy is slipping world wide and that literacy has been statistically tied to employment. It’s always seemed to me that whenever possible blind kids should certainly learn braille.

But this article in the New York Times quotes some people who actually think of braille as a methodology of the past. Laura J. Sloate, a blind adult, considers braille to be “an arcane means of communication, which for the most part should be abolished…. It’s just not needed today.”

I’m still a proponent of braille literacy, but I had never even thought of this other side of the argument. What do you think?

Click here to read more.

Written by Amber Bobnar
Updated on February 13, 2017

Related Posts

Golden print letters and Braille dots flow together in a wave pattern across a green background, with musical notes accenting the design to represent the harmony between Braille and print literacy.

Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment

Should Blind Children Learn Print Letters?

Discover why teaching both print and braille can enrich literacy for children who are blind, helping them connect with the wider world.

Whimsical digital illustration of three colorful birds flying among floating music notes and Braille dots on a blue-and-yellow sky background. Curved musical staff lines weave across the scene, blending sound and touch in a dreamlike way.

Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment

When Music Becomes Braille: Creative Paths in Education for Blind Kids

Discover how Prof. M.A. Christi is reimagining music education for blind children with Braille, stories, and tactile art in this inspiring interview.

Br'eye device with dominoes.

Braille and Literacy

Making Braille Fun: Introducing Handi Exceller’s Innovative Learning Tools for Blind Students

Handi Exceller was born from a simple idea: learning braille should be both fun and accessible. The company creates interactive and gamified ways to teach braille.