Due to ongoing problems experienced regarding payments from clients from the USA, I am unable to supply books to that country unless clients are prepared to pay by EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer).
INTRODUCTION
The "I read with my hands" series of tactile books and activities for visually impaired/blind children started in 2004 when I enrolled a blind 3 year old girl, Colette, in my preschool. She loved to page through books in the reading corner and pretend that she was reading a story. She often asked her sighted peers to tell her what picture was on the page. This led me to hunt for tactile books that she could appreciate. After much searching in bookstores and on the Internet, I soon realized that there were no suitable tactile books available for sale. I then started making her simple tactile matching cards and games and this ultimately led to this large series of books that I make for young visually impaired/blind children.
I have designed three series of tactile graphics books. The first series is a set of 10 educational books. The second series consists of 3 nature storybooks and the third series is a large series of robust fabric books suitable for blind children and children with neurological disorders.
These "I read with my hands" books have helped teachers and parents to introduce reading in a fun way to young visually impaired/blind children. Schools for the blind, as well as parents of visually impaired/blind children in South Africa have given me a lot of positive feedback regarding these books.
Each board or fabric book is individually handmade and is based on sound educational principles. Each book has been designed by myself, an experienced pre-school and foundation phase teacher. These books are carefully handmade in my workshop by myself, with the help of Margaret and Mavis as part of a job creation project.
These books are ideal for introducing the blind or visually impaired child to the tactile graphics world once the concrete world has been mastered. Large bold print is included on each page for the child who is learning to read large print and the uncontracted Braille version of the word can be found under each word.
The beginner fabric books are suitable for very young blind children as well as children of any age with neurological disorders. These fabric books are hardwearing, child friendly, cuddly, fully interactive, colourful and lots of fun. They teach basic concepts like matching, counting to 5, listening, shape recognition, textures and lots more.
I have given the age ratings of each product but this is simply a guide. This may vary according to the child's abilities and experience.
I have recently designed a series of cloth books which are suitable for very young blind children as well as children of any age with neurological disorders. These cloth books are hard wearing, child friendly, cuddly, fully interactive, colourful and lots of fun. They teach basic concepts like matching, counting to 5, listening, shapes, textures and lots more.
I am able to custom make books according to your needs. For example, I can leave spaces below each English word for you to add your own language and Braille. In other cases, it can be arranged that I can leave out the English text completely and only put the tactile graphics in the books. Once you receive your books you could translate the text into your own language and add your Braille.
I hope you enjoy browsing through the catalogue and that you find something suitable for your child.
The order form which includes prices is on the "contact me" page along with a link to a currency converter.
Lynette Rudman
Although there are tactile books available internationally, many of which are great products individually, this particular range focuses exclusively on the pre-braille and the beginner-reader phase with the particular learning needs of pre-schoolers in mind. They enable more than the introduction of the pre-schooler to tactile media. They aim to meet a variety of learning needs, from skills useful to the acquisition of braille-reading skills and techniques to the learning of key mathematical and language concepts to an exposure of the child to graphic story books. They are useful to pre-school teachers, to parents who would like to read together with their children, to children who wish to "read" and enjoy pictoral representations on their own.
They facilitate not only the specialised education of blind pre-schoolers, but they are also (if required), an all-inclusive strategy towards the achievement of equality by promoting full inclusion at the pre-school level, at the level of family reading and at the level of play. They represent an achievement as pre-braille learning tool, and as an ongoing experience of books in the life of a blind child and an experience of children's literature similar to the experience of a sighted child.
Johan Roos
Designation: former Director of the South African Library for the Blind
Chair of the Libraries for the Blind Section of the International Federation of Library Associations.
Copyright (c) Lynette Rudman 2007
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
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