What is the first skill a teacher should assess for a 7-year-old student who is blind when determining their readiness to learn braille?

The rationale for assessing a 7-year-old student who is blind for their readiness to learn braille often starts with the ability to discriminate among shapes in various positions. This skill is crucial because braille reading involves recognizing tactile symbols that are similar to identifying shapes. A child’s ability to differentiate between various shapes enables them to better understand the distinct formations of the braille dots, which are arranged to represent letters and numbers.

Having a foundational skill in shape discrimination indicates that the child can observe differences in tactile experiences, an essential precursor to learning to read braille effectively. This skill prepares them for the transition from visual recognition of letters to tactile recognition of braille characters.

In contrast, while reading large printed texts, discriminating among sounds, and counting objects accurately can be valuable skills for overall learning and development, they do not directly relate to the specific tactile skills needed for braille literacy as effectively as shape discrimination does.