Braille Reading Efficiency and Achievement Amongst Primary Five Congenitally and Adventitiously Blind Children in School for the Blind, Gindiri

Abstract

The study investigated braille reading efficiency of the congenital and adventitious blind children in school for the Blind, Gindiri. Braille reading status of congenital and adventitious blind children in the school for the Blind, Gindiri and the extent to which Braille reading efficiency of blind children relate to their reading achievement, constituted the main focus of the study. Twenty (20) children made up of ten (10) congenital and adventitious blind were used for study. The researcher orally interviewed the children in order to classify the selected eligible ones into congenital and adventitious blind. A close reading passage and test administered on the children's reading achievement, that is reading and comprehension rates, were determined by computing each child's reading rate and comprehension per minute. Chi-square (X²) statistics was used in testing the formulated research hypothesis. The study found that: Blind children were not efficient readers; reading errors such as omission, substitution, mispronunciation and repetition of words markedly characterized their reading. While the adventitious blind children comprehended the close passage at a very low rate; the congenital blind ones did not comprehend it at all. Again, braille reading rates of the children affected their reading comprehension and achievement. Thus, the reading achievement of the adventitious blind children (4.92wpm) was better than those of their congenital blind counterparts (0.77wpm. The implication of these findings, therefore, is that qualitative training should be given to primary school teachers, especially braille instructors. Also, children should be given enough opportunity to practice reading using re-creative, interesting and enjoyable children's literature.