Braille Challenge
What is the Braille Challenge?
It is a national reading and writing contest in Braille and is an awesome way to motivate students with vision loss to practice their Braille literacy skills.
The Braille Challenge is hosted by the Braille Institute in Los Angeles with over 700 students participating on a yearly basis. There are over 30 blind service agencies and schools for the blind and visually impaired throughout the United States hosting regional events between January and early March of each year.
With a strong belief in the importance of Braille literacy, ASVI Calgary was instrumental in forming an alliance with the Braille Institute and bringing the Braille Challenge to Calgary in 2005.
Since that time ASVI Calgary, The Vision Centre, Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic Board have all combined their services to become one of the only Canadian centres offering this Challenge. It has become extremely successful event with at least one Braille Challenge participant from Calgary earning a trip to Los Angeles to compete on a yearly basis. This is a true testament to the superior Braille instruction Calgary students receive from their vision team teachers!
NEWS UPDATE: Alberta Braille Challenge 2021 has been scheduled for:
TO BE DETERMINED IN FALL 2020!
The contest is divided into five academic levels:
- Grades 1 and 2 – Apprentice
- Grades 3 and 4 – Freshman
- Grades 5 and 6 – Sophomore
- Grades 7, 8, 9 – Junior Varsity
- Grades 10,11, 12 – Varsity
The contest covers five subject areas:
Braille Speed and Accuracy
(Sophomore, Junior Varsity, Varsity)
In this event, contestants listen to a recorded story and must transcribe it into Braille. Contestants are ranked from lowest to highest, based on the number of correct words (including punctuation) they transcribe from the page. A point is subtracted for each word that contains one or more mistakes, including missing or extra words.
Braille Spelling
(Apprentice, Freshman, Sophomore)
Contestants are asked to spell Braille vocabulary words correctly. Points are earned for each correctly spelled word. Extra points are given for additionally brailling the contracted version of the word correctly.
Chart and Graph Reading
(Junior Varsity and Varsity)
Contestants read raised-line images called tactile graphs and earn points by correctly answering a series of multiple-choice questions about the content. Contestants are ranked based on the most points earned.
Proofreading (All)
Contestants read a series of Braille sentences, some with grammar, punctuation or spelling errors. Contestant are asked to choose the multiple-choice option that is brailled correctly.
Reading Comprehension (All)
Contestants read a story in Braille to themselves and then answer 10 multiple-choice questions. Based on the content, contestants are ranked in order based on the number of questions they can answer correctly.
For more information please visit the Braille Institute website: http://brailleinstitute.org/Services/The_Braille_Challenge.aspx