Celebrating the bicentenary of Louis Braille's birth
Reading Braille
Braille is read by moving the hands from left to right along each line. Both hands are usually used in the reading process, and reading is generally done with the index fingers.
Index finger moving over braille
For example, the right hand may lead and the left hand follows, and as the right hand gets towards the end of the line, the left hand moves back over the text to find the beginning of the next line, so the right index finger can find it easily. This method maintains fluency and accuracy in reading, reducing the chance of loosing your place. This may vary between braille readers, right handers and left handers and so on.
Braille Reading Speed
The average braille reading speed is about 125 words per minute, but greater speeds of up to 200 words per minute are possible. (source: American Council for the Blind).
Did you know the average reading rate for english text in print is between 200 – 250 words per minute?
This video (43 seconds duration; no captions)shows one of our RIDBC colleagues, Nicola, reading an extract from the Harry Potter series of novels, using braille.
Reading Braille
Braille is read by moving the hands from left to right along each line. Both hands are usually used in the reading process, and reading is generally done with the index fingers.
Index finger moving over braille
For example, the right hand may lead and the left hand follows, and as the right hand gets towards the end of the line, the left hand moves back over the text to find the beginning of the next line, so the right index finger can find it easily. This method maintains fluency and accuracy in reading, reducing the chance of loosing your place. This may vary between braille readers, right handers and left handers and so on.
Braille Reading Speed
The average braille reading speed is about 125 words per minute, but greater speeds of up to 200 words per minute are possible. (source: American Council for the Blind).
Did you know the average reading rate for english text in print is between 200 – 250 words per minute?
Do you know what your text reading speed is? Calculate your text reading speed.
Braille Reading Example
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