Nordic conference 8. og 9. juni 2017

1. «Writing for reading by applying braille on a pc with screen display.Experiences from a developmentwork«Bente Corneliussen and Torill Skjærseth, senior advicers Statped Nordic conference 8. og 9. juni 2017

2. Preetext • 3 children, three to fiveyears, taking part in thiswork • This is basedoncreativewritingwith peers • The equipment is a computer, software, screen display, braille keyboard and a printer • The printer printingblacktext and braille and tactile images • The software has sound support • The sigthedchild have itsownkeyboard • We must saythatwehaven`tgotmuchexperienceyet, butwewant to tell yousomeofthe metodes weapply and thetheory basis 2

3. Writing is easierthanreading • Writing for reading is a quitenewmethod in Norvay • Trageton is thepioneer for thisinovativemethod, in scool as well as in kindergarden • Vygotsky, Piaget, Bruner, Bente Hagtvedt mf is Trageton`steoretical support • This knowlegde is widespreed in nordiccontries • Bente Hagtvedt has beenconcernedabouttalkinglanguage, language skills, languageconciousness and terms • She has beenawareofearlywritinglanguagedevelopment (emergent litteracy) • Hagtvedt hadbeeninfueced by Montessori whowas a pedagog for the blind and developedlearningekvipment. Manyofthis is not suiteable to day, but in thethinking is something to concider

4. Cooperatingwithparents • Parental cooperating is essential • The children have gotthelearningequipment at scool and at home. due to thistheparents most learn to support thechild • Parentsaremostlyinteressted and theyoften ask for digital learning for blind children • Parentsareconcernedthattheir blind childrengetopportunity to take part in inovationesofthetechnologylearning. Learning should be uncomplicated as well for the blind child • Theywanttheirchildren to partcipate in the peer relations as much as poosible

5. Our ambitiones or why do wethinkthis is important • All blind childrenwillmeetthe braille letters at oncethey start in kindergarden • Kindergardens have braillebooks, Perkings brailler and legoboardwith braille letters • Time changes and evensmallsigthedchildren play and learn by technology • Blind children must have the same opportunities • Orginallyweconsideredthatthechildrensoud have onecommonkeyboard. Each and everykeyshould be marked bay a pasted transparent letter. This makes it possible for thechildren to rattlewrigtwithsounsupport. Inclution and equallityaimeswill be clouserwiththisway 5

6. Inclution and equallity • Braill will be more easilyaccessable for the blind, and even for thesigted peers • Becausethe printer is printingboth letters, black and braille, thechildrenswritingwill be interesting for both blind and sigted • In a communitythechildrenwill support and motivatingeachother to be activ and participating. Theywillwonder and findsolutionestogether • In thepreescool-group it will be easier to make commonactivitieswhenthe blind childalsowritesonthe computer • We belive thatthe blind childshouldstaywith her friendsalsowhenwriting braille

7. Method • Arne Tragetons method is calledCreative writing for reading. Learnedon a computer. • First the blind child must learn to knowtheequipment and becomecertainaboutwritingsome letters and look for familar letters • Sigtedchildrenlieahead, theyareonkeyboardimedlerty and theyareexperienced • Childrenwrite letters a creativeway • Thenthepaper is printed and thechildren start to look for familier letters, for ex mama, letters for petsand friends and ofcoursetheirown letters • Afterseveral trials, theywill be interested en whattheywillwrite • Theywritewords. Words theyarefamiliarwith and canuse in theroleplay, sutch as mamma, theirownname, office and surgery • Childrensownproducedtextgivesmening and motivation

8. As they play withwritingthechildrenhelpeachotherand can be assited by an adult iftheywant • According to Trageton thewriting is graduallyimproved by writingmessages, notes offrames, posters, letters and theirownreadingbooks, sigtedfiveyear`soldchildrencanlearn to wrigtwiththismethod • The printer canprintouttactilecolourful images, in a way it can support thewriting. But not in the same way as for thesigtedchild. • Perhapsthetactiledrawingequipmentcan be used Wewillemphasizethatthiswork must go hand in hand withplaytime in kindergarden and not be timetabled The yearbeforeschoolstart, thewritingwill be part ofthepreeschoolgroup

9. Playing and language • Playingand languagearecentral terms in kindergarden • Bente Hagtvedt`sconsern is roleplay for thechildren`slanguagedevelop and howthisinfluecesthecreativeearlywriting • Sheassertsthatroleplayhelpschildren to improvetheirlanguage skills • Spokenlanguage is essential for blind childrensunderstanding • Whenroleplayingchildrenapplyplayreading and playwriting and in thiswayofactingthey prove themselves to exercice Spokenlanguage and writingdevelopsknowlege and interests side by side, and thechildwillprofit from informallearning and from interactionbetweenspeacing, writing and readindg from early age.

10. Playing and languagecontinue • Earlydevelopmentofwrittenlanguage – emergent litteracy – is a common term withintheteoryofchildren`searlywriting • This philosofi has its basis on Maria Montessory`semphasizeonwriting and Lev Vygotsky`sviewonrole-play, drawing and play writing, as a premise for alphabeticwritingbeforestarting to read • Emergent litteracy shows howchildrendetect and constructwrittenlanguage, whentheenviormentis made for it • This alsooccurs blind children • Sigtedchildrenalreadypracticethis

11. Obviously, childrenlearnlanguage by applying. The beginning is dialogue, thengraduallytheywill start experimenting • Hagtvedt assertsthatchildren`splayingwithlanguagecanstrengthentheirself-esteem and theiridentity • Blind childrenexperimentswiththeir oral language like sigtedchildren, buttheylacktheopportunity to experimentwiththeirwrittenlanguage in a newway

12. Bibliography • Arne Trageton www.arnetrageton.no Trageton, A. (2011) Lærer og skrive og lese i barnehagen. Aftenposten Trageton, A. (2007) Å skrive seg til lesing. Adlibris http://www.arnetrageton.no//Tekstskaping/Barnehage/Artikler/Forste%20steg.doc Trageton har videoer på hjemmesiden som viser godt hvordan barna skriver seg til lesing • Hagtvedt, B. (2004) Språkstimulering. Tale og skrift i førskolealder. Cappelen akademiske • Hagtvedt, B. (1988) Skriftspråkutvikling gjennom lek. Universitetsforlaget • Åsen G., Språk og aktivitet hos barn og ungdom som er blinde (2015) OiU

13. The equipment • Laptop PC Lenovo Thinkpad withwindows 10 Pro, 8 GB 64 bit • ScreenreaderDolpinScreenreaderver 15.05 • Printer EmprintSpotDot, conversion program for punktprinter Tiger Softvare Suite • Leselist Focus 40 Blue med braille keyboard