lsmithso said on 2013/02/01 at 8:31 pm
Hi:
I'm new to being blind. I'm teaching myself Braille using the
Dot-to-Dot books. I was wondering which is best - Braille or Audio
books, and what the pros & cons of each were.
I imagine that listening to audio books isolates you from your
surrouningsd , whereas braille would be closer to reading a printed
book. Is this true?
Which has the better choice of books for modern fiction?
I understand that the way to get better at reading braille is to
practice practice and practice. Are their any recommended publications
that will help me do this and yet be interesting in their own right?
Tanks in advance for your opinions.
Martin Rowe said on 01/02/2013 at 8:31 pm
Over the last year i have been learning grade 1 braille by using the Dot-to-dot course. I found the course extreamly useful and went at a nice pace. The only downside with the course is the lack of actual grade 1 reading material that comes with the course. To improve my reading ability I have borrowed some braille books from RNIB.
The RNIB offers a range of books in grade 1 and grade 2 braille as well as grade 1 for people who are learning to read this format.
I have also borrowed audio books. I have found that audiobooks do make you more issolated if others in the house want to do something lese or are not interested in the book. I have a completely different taste in books so I usually listen to them through headphones as the wife does not like them.
Audio books are much easier to post as braille books are large and take up a lot of space and you have to get them back to the post office unlike a CD that you can put in any post box.
I have read some braille books that are not available in audio format from RNIB, so this is extending the range of material I am able to read and borrow from RNIB.
By reading braille books helps to improve your reading skills and refreshes your memory of many print symbols.
sleepwalk said on 06/12/2012 at 10:46 am
hi everyone. I've been reading Braille since the age of seven. I love it but the standard of production has sadly deteriorated over the years. I agree that it is a dying craft which is a real pity because I've had hours of enjoyment from reading. Audio books are all right but it is subject to reader interpretation whereas reading for yourself allows your mind to do with the words what it wants to. It's fantastic to hear that people are still trying to learn. Keep it up.
Rose
lsmithso said on 28/10/2012 at 2:19 pm
Thanks for your input. I've certainly enjoyed learning Braille .Its
an interesting mix of physical and mental challenges. I will stick
with it, but I do get the feeling its a dying craft.
BTW, are Braille books published as contracted or uncontracted? Or are
both available?
Dora said on 28/10/2012 at 9:56 am
When I I was younger, I used to read a lot of braille. Now I almost never use it. I either read ebooks or audiobooks. I do do prefer audiobooks. They are a pleasure to listen to if the narrator is pleasant. No, they don't necessarily isolate you, you can also listen to a book on cd or on your pc together with your family if they like it as well. Furthermore, you have to sit down to read, whereas while listening, you can even do physical exercise, clean your room or whatever you want.
Ken Reid said on 24/10/2012 at 10:43 am
Hi, I reckon you have summarised it pretty well. Braille is more like reading with eyes as you are free to make all your own interpretations. Audio is much more convenient and portable, but the headphones do cut you off from family and circumstances.
The RNIB Talking Book library has about 20k titles and is larger than the Braille collection. It is also growing faster. Having said that, a lot of new titles keep appearing on Braille too, and as you will be slow to start you should be able to find enough to keep you busy.
I was an adult Braille learner, and used reading for pleasure to aid my improvement. I select new books, because the dots are sharper, and tend to go for relatively short books, maximum of 5 volumes, so I can get through them relatively quickly.
Well done for having a go at Braille, it is a valuable skill and I hope you enjoy it.