What is Braille Literacy Month?
Braille Literacy Month, celebrated each January, honors the contributions of Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille system, and raises awareness about its importance in the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. This month is an opportunity to promote the value of Braille in education, employment, and daily living.
About Louis Braille
Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, in Coupvray, France. Blinded as a child, Louis Braille developed the tactile reading and writing system that bears his name at the age of 15. His work revolutionized accessibility for individuals with visual impairments worldwide.
How to Celebrate Braille Literacy Month
- Learn About Braille: Contact our team at Lighthouse of Pinellas to explore the basics of Braille, we’d love to share our knowledge with you and your community. Try writing your name using a Braille alphabet card. A great free resource for Braille training is UEB Online | UEB Literacy & Mathematics Braille Training
- Spread Awareness: Share information about Braille’s significance on social media or with your community. Follow Lighthouse of Pinellas on social media for more information about Braille throughout the month of January and share our posts.
- Support Accessibility: Donate to Lighthouse of Pinellas, as we provide Braille materials, adaptive technologies, and support services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, all at no cost.
- Host an Event: Organize a Braille workshop or storytelling session in your school, library, workplace, or community. Lighthouse of Pinellas’ youth programs will be participating in the 2025 Regional Braille Challenge on January 24th.
The Importance of Braille
- Empowerment Through Literacy: Braille enables people who are blind or visually impaired to read and write independently, fostering access to education, information, and cultural resources.
- Professional Opportunities: Braille literacy often correlates with higher employment rates among individuals with visual impairments.
- Enhanced Independence: Braille supports everyday tasks such as labeling items, reading recipes, or organizing documents.
Did You Know?
- Braille is read by feeling patterns of raised dots with the fingertips.
- It’s not a language; Braille can represent letters, numbers, and punctuation in almost any written language.
- There are different types of Braille, including Grade 1 (basic) and Grade 2 (contracted), which uses shortcuts to save space and time.
This January let’s honor Louis Braille’s legacy by promoting inclusivity and celebrating the life-changing impact of Braille literacy!