🌟 What is Braille?
Braille is a system of raised dots arranged in small cells that people feel with their fingertips to read. It was invented by Louis Braille in the 1800s.
Each braille cell has 6 dots, arranged like this:
1 4
2 5
3 6
By combining these dots in different patterns, you can represent letters, numbers, punctuation, or symbols.
✍️ How Braille Is Written
1. By Hand:
-
A person uses a stylus (a sharp tool) and a slate (a guide with slots).
-
The paper goes into the slate.
-
Dots are pressed from the back of the paper, creating raised bumps on the front.
-
This means braille is written backwards, so when you flip it over, it reads correctly.
2. Braille Typewriter:
-
Called a Perkins Brailler.
-
It has 6 main keys, each corresponding to one of the 6 dots.
-
To write a letter, you press the combination of keys that makes the right dots.
-
This is much faster than using a stylus.
3. Digital Embossers:
-
A computer file is sent to a braille embosser, which prints raised dots onto special thick paper.
-
This is how books and documents are mass-produced in braille.
👆 How Braille Is Read
-
The reader moves their fingertips lightly over the dots, usually from left to right.
-
Sensitive touch helps detect which dots are raised.
-
Experienced braille readers can read quite fast, sometimes over 100 words per minute.
-
For learning, people often use both hands:
-
One hand reads.
-
The other helps track the line and prepare for the next.
-
✅ How to read this:
-
For B (dots 1-2):
-
Dot 1 (top left) and dot 2 (middle left) are raised.
-
-
For G (dots 1-2-4-5):
-
Dots 1, 2 on the left and 4, 5 on the right are raised.
-
- 💡 Note
This is Grade 1 Braille, where each letter is spelled out fully.
In Grade 2 Braille, common words and letter groups are shortened using contractions to make reading faster.