kindergarten math workbook

[mczepyha]

I've checked Promising Practices, but I need more info. I've looked through the workbook and have no idea what to do with most pages. Everything is a picture. I could do many pages by changing to shapes and textures and place info on the Teacher Reference Materials page. I would need to write something for every pages. But the words the teacher used about pictures will be worthless. I've never done kindergarten before, here are some specific issues: directions ask to circle one that is different, can I use a shapes or just the TN Ask? What do I do with cartoons, write dialog as in formats and "ask" for picture details. When the directions are to count, or circle similar items, or circle certain colors, are those all just "ask"? I can't use words for descriptions because the only TN I can use seems to be "Ask" I'm not sure how much I can change to make graphics easy to identify (can't make 3 lion cubs standing and one sitting)Luckily this isn't needed until Jan, but they need an estimate and I have no idea how many pages I can actually provide to the student. THANKS

[joannavenneri]

It's a tough question. The lower grade material often requires the most creativity and personal investment from the transcriber.

First, I think your inclination to use simple shapes and textures to give the braille reader what information you can is spot on. Second, I would not suggest sticking too rigidly to Promising Practices. It is currently under revision, so it is not precisely and active set of guidelines. For this project, your common sense and ingenuity will be far more important than any formatting guidelines.

The advice I received from a couple of early education specialists is 1) keep it simple, and 2) "Only include the parts that are necessary to actually answer the question. Leave out extraneous information like the smiling bear and the giant trees if they aren’t directly needed to answer the question."

So, with all that in mind, here are some suggestions for the material you mentioned in your question:

[ul][li]Maybe two standing lion cubs are two tall, shaded rectangles; and the one sitting lion cub is a shorter, shaded square?[/li][/ul][ul][li]Perhaps three red circles are shaded with wavy lines, and one purple circle is shaded with tiny dots. (Sure, the student won't get the colors, but he/she will get to apply the concept of different.)[/li][/ul][ul][li]Maybe cartoons can be headed by a TN-enclosed heading "Picture" and their dialogue could be written out. If you do use any description, I would keep it verrrrry simple (e.g. "In the woods" or "With a ballon").[/li][/ul]

When you write up your estimate for the customer, I would suggest you explain that you'll use simple tactual shapes and textures to represent the concepts that are illustrated in print with complicated drawings and colors. I would include this explanation in the teacher's reference materials as well.

Does that help a bit? If not, please let me know.

Kudos to you for taking on the Kindergarten!
–Kyle

[susanM]

Thanks Kyle,
I'm good if I don't have to follow Promising Practices to the letter. I can be practical to get the point across. I'll just take one page at a time.
thanks,
Mary

[mczepyha]

Hello. I admire your determination to Braille this very challenging material accurately. As a retired TVI, however, may I add a word of caution? Unless you are working closely with the teacher, how can you be sure that the concepts you identify are what she is actually teaching? I've always been told that a braillist is a braillist, not an editor and not a teacher. It can be a fine line, but one we do have to watch carefully.

[mczepyha]

[quote=mczepyha]Thanks Kyle,
I'm good if I don't have to follow Promising Practices to the letter. I can be practical to get the point across. I'll just take one page at a time.
thanks,
Mary[/quote]
If I may, a gentle reminder that Promising Practices was withdrawn and discontinued by BANA some time ago. So there is nothing to follow there. It is no longer approved and shouldn't be followed.

--Joanna

[kdejute]

Mary,

Just a few more points:

Joanna is right. Promising Practices has been officially withdrawn.

It's true that the best situation is to work closely with the teacher or someone else trained in early elementary instruction in order to suss out what basic concept each exercise was designed to address. Armed with that knowledge, it's possible to design a braille presentation that addresses the same concept in an accessible manner. It is possible that this information is available in the form of references to Common Core standards printed on each page or with each exercise.

Even if your book does not include a reference to the Common Core standards, reading through the Kindergarten portion of the standards may help you to identify what the goal of an exercise is. The standards are available here: [url=http://www.corestandards.org/Math/]link[/url]

As you take on this book, in a very Zen-like manner, one page at a time, please feel welcome to share here an image of any pages that are giving you fits. We can team up on them and take them down, as it were.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Thanks to everyone that has offered info. Each page in the workbook has directions for each part of the exercise. Since I don't have access to the teacher, I'll use those directions to make each tactile. I'll include a teacher's page to explain what is shown and what I've had to omit and label with the TN "Ask"

thank you
Mary

[Author]

Posts