The Braillists Foundation

14/01/2025

Braillecast Live

In celebration of 200 years of the braille code, and following the immense success of our first ever World Braille Day conference, we're keeping the momentum going throughout January, which is observed in some countries as Braille Literacy Month.

In place of our regular Tuesday evening schedule, we are piloting a brand new format: Braillecast Live. Each Tuesday, we will be recording three interviews for publication on our Braillecast podcast, and giving you the audience the opportunity to ask some of the questions.

The interviews will centre around braille technology, giving you the opportunity to engage directly with manufacturers and distributors from the UK and further afield.
Each event will start at the slightly earlier time of 7:00 PM and will end at the much later time of 9:30 PM, ensuring we have enough time to interview each of our guests in our usual thorough but relaxed manner. You are welcome to either join us for the whole event, or drop in and out throughout the evening.

In our first event, taking place on Tuesday 14 January, we will hear from:

Sight and Sound Technology (7:00 PM)
Paige Braille (7:50 PM)
Bristol Braille Technology CIC (8:40PM) PM)

Registration link:

In celebration of 200 years of the braille code, and following the immense success of our first ever World Braille Day conference, we're keeping the momentum going throughout January, which is observed in some countries as Braille Literacy Month. In place of our regular Tuesday evening schedule, we....

04/01/2025

Happy World Braille Day 2025!

We are delighted to support the world’s first in-person conference for World Braille Day, taking place today at New College Worcester, organised by The Braillists Foundation.

Braille is a vital tool for literacy and independence for blind and partially sighted people. It is a tactile writing system used to read and write consisting of patterns of raised dots arranged in cells of up to six dots in a 3x2 configuration. Each pattern represents a letter, number, punctuation mark, or even a whole word in some cases and is read by moving the fingers over the raised dots, allowing individuals to interpret the text through touch. This event will highlight the transformative role of technology in making braille more accessible and versatile than ever before.

Cream text on a navy background reads: The Braillists Foundation, World Braille Day Conference, 4 January 2025. In the middle, to the left is a graphic of two hands upon a braille book. The bottom right of the post has the text ‘Supported by’ above the Thomas Pocklington Trust logo.

04/01/2025

04/01/2025

30/12/2024

A few places have become available for the World Braille Day conference, on Saturday 4 January between 11:00 and 4:00 at New College Worcester. Meet exhibitors showing the latest braille technology, connect with other braille users, attend workshops, and ask your questions to our panel of braille experts. There will also be a fantastic braille heritage display, where you can get hands-on with historical braille equipment.

Contact [email protected] as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Welcome to the Braillists Latest News Braille Bar on Tuesday Our popular Braille Bar returns this Tuesday at 7:30 PM. No question is too small, from kit to code – just ask and our experts will assist you! Register for the Braille Bar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdOyopjMiHdyOR...

30/12/2024

UK's first World Day conference takes place on Saturday 4 January at New College, Worcester. More details at https://www.braillists.org

Welcome to the Braillists Latest News Braille Bar on Tuesday Our popular Braille Bar returns this Tuesday at 7:30 PM. No question is too small, from kit to code – just ask and our experts will assist you! Register for the Braille Bar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdOyopjMiHdyOR...

16/12/2024

Great news, we are 500! We don't want to detract from celebrations of 200 years since Louis braille developed the reading system that was named after him. However, The Braillists Foundation has another landmark to celebrate. There are now 500 of you following all we do here on Facebook. Thanks for your support. Here's to another 200 years of tactile reading.

16/12/2024

Games Galore: Braille and Tactile Games for All the Family

You're invited to pull up a chair at the Braillists' Christmas party, where a friendly cast of characters will be talking about the games they play after Christmas dinner.

Card games, board games, dice games and everything in between, we've got you covered. We'll discuss where to buy specially adapted games and how to adapt your own.

And because it's Christmas, the whole cast will be in the same room!

We want to hear your ideas too, so grab a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine and celebrate Christmas with us.
It takes place at 7:30 PM UK time on Tuesday, 17th December, 2024.

Registration link:

You're invited to pull up a chair at the Braillists' Christmas party, where a friendly cast of characters will be talking about the games they play after Christmas dinner. Card games, board games, dice games and everything in between, we've got you covered. We'll discuss where to buy specially adapt...

12/12/2024

Great appreciation of Louis Braille from a Scottish local authority. Has anyone else got a street named after Louis Braille in their community?

12/10/2024

Helpful survey from RNIB as part of the Braille200 celebrations. It seeks to understand users relationship with Braille.

Hello braillists, would you be willing to give us five or ten minutes of your time? You'll help contribute to new, up-to-date braille research to celebrate 200 years of braille. rnib.in/BrailleSurvey



[Image description: "How and why did you learn braille? What impact has learning braille had on your life? What do you think would make braille more available and accessible? We'd love to hear from you in our new survey. " The Braille 200 logo is in the bottom right corner. it reads "Braille 200 powered by RNIB and EBU."]

12/10/2024

Read Aloud With Confidence

Reading aloud is a skill that is both terrifying and liberating. Adding braille to the mix presents unique challenges that can often get in the way of recognising significant progress. Along with reading speed and fluency, the one question we hear most often is: "How can I improve my ability to read aloud?"

Building on the topics from her popular masterclass, Revitalise Your Braille Reading Technique, Chantelle Griffiths returns to uncover some of the mystery and magic of reading aloud and to share some tips and tricks to help.

In this masterclass we will explore:
* How a six-year-old Chantelle connected the dots between elephants, cats and reading aloud, and the one word she learned that can help you, too.
* What reading aloud is not, and why "not" helps a lot!
* The surprising visual analogy that can improve your reading exponentially, if you choose to see it.
* The three infuriating words that everyone hates to hear but loves to experience.
* How moving on is not giving up, but levelling up.
* The capital B mindset that resets your brain and your reading practice every time.
* And so much more.

Why not bring along some familiar reading material, electronic or hardcopy, and try some of what you learn with us in real time.

Whether you're new to reading aloud or you just want a fresh perspective, there's something here for everyone.
It takes place at 7:30 PM UK time on Tuesday, 15th October, 2024.

Registration link:

Reading aloud is a skill that is both terrifying and liberating. Adding braille to the mix presents unique challenges that can often get in the way of recognising significant progress. Along with reading speed and fluency, the one question we hear most often is: "How can I improve my ability to read...

07/10/2024

Braille On Display Launch Event

We are excited to announce the launch of a new eBook!

Whether you’re new to braille or you’ve been using braille technology for decades, choosing your braille display can be daunting. They’re so expensive, there’s so much to consider, and just when you thought you’d investigated all your options, you come across another one you hadn’t heard of before!

Braille On Display has been helping prospective users choose the braille display which best meets their individual needs since 2016, and to celebrate National Braille Week and World Sight Day, we are delighted to unveil the third edition of this comprehensive compendium.

Join us on Thursday 10 October at 7:30 PM UK time, where we will hear first hand from its author, Jackie Brown, about what this publication has to offer and what has been added in this brand new edition. Jackie will be joined by esteemed ambassadors from the assistive technology industry including Ron Miller and Jonathan Mosen, who will add their own commentary on the book.

We will also reveal details of how you can obtain your own copy of the book, and there will be a question and answer session with Jackie towards the end of the event.

Registration link:

We are excited to announce the launch of a new eBook! Whether you’re new to braille or you’ve been using braille technology for decades, choosing your braille display can be daunting. They’re so expensive, there’s so much to consider, and just when you thought you’d investigated all your o...