Braille (disambiguation) facts for kids

Braille is a special system of writing that helps people who are blind or have very low vision to read and write. Instead of seeing letters on a page, they use their fingertips to feel patterns of raised dots. This amazing system allows them to read books, signs, and even use computers and phones.

What is Braille?

Braille is a tactile (touch-based) way of writing and reading. It was created so that people who cannot see can still access written information. Imagine reading with your fingers! That's exactly what Braille readers do. They run their fingertips across lines of tiny bumps on a page. Each pattern of bumps represents a letter, number, or punctuation mark.

How Does Braille Work?

The basic unit of Braille is called a Braille cell. Each cell is like a small block that contains six possible dot positions, arranged in two columns of three dots each. Think of it like a domino with six spots. These dots can either be raised or not. By raising different combinations of these six dots, you can create 63 different patterns. These patterns stand for all the letters of the alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks, and even some common words or letter groups.

For example, the letter "A" is just one dot in the top-left position. The letter "B" is two dots, one on top of the other in the left column. Readers move their fingers from left to right across the lines of cells, feeling each pattern to understand the words.

Who Invented Braille?

The Braille system was invented by a brilliant young Frenchman named Louis Braille. He was born in 1809 in a small town near Paris, France. When he was just three years old, Louis had an accident that caused him to lose his eyesight.

Even though he couldn't see, Louis was very smart and eager to learn. He went to the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. At the school, students learned to read using a system of raised letters, but it was very slow and difficult to write with. Louis wanted a better way.

How Louis Braille Created the System

When Louis was only 12 years old, he learned about a system called "night writing." This system was used by the French army to send messages in the dark. It used a code of 12 raised dots to represent sounds, not letters. Soldiers could read these messages by touch without needing light.

Louis realized that this idea could be adapted for blind people. He spent years working on his own system, making it simpler and easier to use. By the time he was 15, he had developed his own 6-dot system, which is the basis of the Braille we use today. It was much faster to read and write than any other system available at the time.

Why is Braille Important?

Braille changed the lives of millions of blind people around the world. Before Braille, it was very hard for blind individuals to get an education or find many jobs. Braille opened up a whole new world of learning and communication.

• Education: Children who are blind can learn to read and write just like their sighted friends. They can read textbooks, stories, and even music.
• Independence: Braille allows people to read labels on food, signs in public places, and instructions. This helps them be more independent in their daily lives.
• Work: Many jobs require reading and writing. Braille helps blind people work in many different fields, from computer programming to teaching.
• Access to Information: Braille is used in libraries, on ATMs, in elevators, and on medicine bottles, making information accessible to everyone.

Braille is not just a writing system; it's a tool for freedom and equality. It helps blind people participate fully in society and achieve their dreams.

Braille Around the World

While the basic 6-dot Braille cell is universal, there are different versions of Braille for various languages. For example, there's English Braille, French Braille, Spanish Braille, and many others. Each language uses the 6-dot patterns to represent its specific letters and sounds.

There are also different "grades" of Braille:

• Uncontracted Braille (Grade 1): This is like basic spelling, where every letter is written out. It's often used by beginners.
• Contracted Braille (Grade 2): This is a more advanced version that uses shortcuts and contractions for common words or groups of letters. For example, the word "and" might be represented by a single Braille cell. This makes reading and writing faster and takes up less space.

Braille continues to be an essential tool in the digital age, with Braille displays and printers allowing blind people to interact with computers and smartphones.

See also

• Braille Patterns, a special set of characters used in computers to show Braille dots.
• Braille Scale, a name for a specific size (1/72 or 1/76) used in making models, like model airplanes or tanks.