BRS Braille Literacy & Instruction 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Unified English Braille (UEB) was officially adopted for use in the United States in which year?
- 2007
- 2012
- 2016 (Correct answer)
- 2019
Correct answer: 2016
The US officially transitioned to Unified English Braille (UEB) in 2016, replacing the earlier English Braille American Edition (EBAE).
Question 2: A BRS is working with a deafblind student who uses braille. Which communication method involves the student placing their hands over the instructor's hands to read braille being produced?
- Tactile Sign Language
- Hand-over-hand braille reading
- Co-active braille (Correct answer)
- Tracking braille
Correct answer: Co-active braille
Co-active braille involves the student placing their hands over the instructor's hands as braille is produced, allowing the student to feel the process simultaneously.
Question 3: What does the 'number indicator' in braille signal to the reader?
- That the following symbol is a punctuation mark
- That the following cells represent numerals, not letters (Correct answer)
- That the text is in Nemeth Code
- That a superscript follows
Correct answer: That the following cells represent numerals, not letters
The number indicator (dots 3-4-5-6) signals that the following braille cells represent numbers rather than letters, since letters and numbers share the same basic dot patterns.
Question 4: When a braille reader reaches the end of a line, best practice dictates that the hands return to the next line using which technique?
- Both index fingers slide down together from the right margin
- The left hand finds the next line while the right hand remains at the right margin (Correct answer)
- Both hands return to the left margin together before reading begins
- The right hand drops down while the left hand continues reading
Correct answer: The left hand finds the next line while the right hand remains at the right margin
In efficient braille reading, the left hand moves down to locate the beginning of the next line while the right hand finishes the current line, allowing seamless transition.
Question 5: Which of the following best defines 'braille literacy' in a comprehensive sense?
- The ability to decode braille symbols at a basic level
- The ability to read and write braille fluently for functional communication across contexts (Correct answer)
- Knowing all Grade 2 contractions by memory
- Reading braille at or above a 5th-grade level
Correct answer: The ability to read and write braille fluently for functional communication across contexts
Braille literacy encompasses both reading and writing fluency across functional real-world contexts, not merely decoding ability or memorization of contractions.
Question 6: A BRS wants to assess a student's braille writing skills. Which tool would be most appropriate for a student who has just begun braille instruction?
- Perkins Brailler (Correct answer)
- Refreshable braille display
- Slate and stylus
- Braille embosser connected to a computer
Correct answer: Perkins Brailler
The Perkins Brailler is most appropriate for beginning braille writers because it simultaneously embosses all dots in a cell and provides immediate tactile feedback.
Question 7: In braille instruction for adults who lost vision later in life, which factor most significantly impacts the rate of braille acquisition?
- Age at onset of blindness only
- Prior literacy skills, tactile sensitivity, and motivation (Correct answer)
- The number of years of formal education completed
- The specific cause of vision loss
Correct answer: Prior literacy skills, tactile sensitivity, and motivation
Adult braille acquisition rate is most significantly impacted by a combination of prior literacy skills, residual tactile sensitivity, and the individual's motivation to learn.
BRS Braille Literacy & Instruction 5
Unified English Braille (UEB) was officially adopted for use in the United States in which year?