ESL Holiday Lessons.com: World Braille Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

World Braille Day is on the 4th of January every year. That’s the date of birth of Louis Braille, the man who invented the system that helps blind people read and write. Braille was a Frenchman who lived between 1809 and 1852. He became blind at the age of three. He was a very talented boy. At school he learnt the cello and organ and toured France to play in churches. He was just 15 when he invented his reading and writing system. It was a stroke of genius. He used just six raised dots on paper so people could feel each letter of the alphabet with their fingertip. Braille changed the lives of blind people forever. He had no idea how important his invention was because he died aged 43. Two years after his death, France officially recognized his system.

International (World) Braille Day is celebrated all over the world. It recognizes how Louis Braille has revolutionized the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. Braille is a key to improving social and economic opportunities to millions. It has given the blind a means to be more independent and to educate themselves. Without it, many people would be illiterate. People used to use a special typewriter called a Brailler to write. Nowadays, computers make it very easy for people to read and write using Braille. A worker with America’s blind, Des Kenny, said: “Braille is to the blind person what the printed word is to the sighted individual - access to information and contact with the outside world”. So, January 4th celebrates the magic of six small dots.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	That’s the date of	a.	dots on paper
2	the system that helps blind	b.	of genius
3.	Braille was a Frenchman who lived	c.	invention was
4.	It was a stroke	d.	between 1809 and 1852
5.	He used just six raised	e.	birth of Louis Braille
6.	He had no idea how important his	f.	people read

Paragraph 2

1.	Braille Day is celebrated	a.	lives of people
2	Braille has revolutionized the	b.	of six small dots
3.	Braille is a key to improving social and	c.	all over the world
4.	It has given the blind a means	d.	outside world
5.	contact with the	e.	economic opportunities
6.	January 4th celebrates the magic	f.	to be more independent

LISTENING GAP FILL

World Braille Day ______________ January every year. That’s the date of birth of Louis Braille, the man who invented ______________ helps blind people read and write. Braille was a Frenchman who lived between 1809 and 1852. He became blind ______________. He was a very talented boy. At school he learnt the cello and organ and toured France to play in churches. ______________ when he invented his reading and writing system. It was a stroke of genius. He used just six ______________ paper so people could feel each letter of the alphabet with their fingertip. Braille changed the lives of blind people forever. ______________ how important his invention was because he died aged 43. Two years after his death, France officially recognized his system.

International (World) Braille Day is celebrated ______________ world. It recognizes how Louis Braille has revolutionized ______________ who are blind or visually impaired. Braille is a key to improving social and economic opportunities to millions. It has given ______________ to be more independent and to educate themselves. Without it, many people would be illiterate. People ______________ special typewriter called a Brailler to write. Nowadays, computers make it very easy for people to read and write using Braille. A worker with America’s blind, Des Kenny, said: “Braille is to the blind person ______________ word is to the sighted individual - access to information and contact with the outside world”. So, January 4th celebrates ______________ small dots.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

World Braille Day is on the 4th of January every year. That’s the __________ of birth of Louis Braille, the man who invented the __________ that helps blind people read and write. Braille was a Frenchman who lived between 1809 and 1852. He __________ blind at the age of three. He was a very talented boy. At school he learnt the cello and organ and __________ France to play in churches. He was just 15 when he invented his reading and writing system. It was a stroke of __________. He used just six raised __________ on paper so people could feel each letter of the alphabet with their fingertip. Braille changed the lives of blind people __________. He had no __________ how important his invention was because he died aged 43. Two years after his death, France officially recognized his system.

became
forever
date
genius
system
idea
dots
toured

International (World) Braille Day is __________ all over the world. It recognizes how Louis Braille has revolutionized the __________ of people who are blind or visually impaired. Braille is a __________ to improving social and economic opportunities to millions. It has given the blind a means to be more independent and to __________ themselves. Without it, many people would be illiterate. People used to use a __________ typewriter called a Brailler to write. Nowadays, computers make it very easy for people to read and write using Braille. A worker with America’s blind, Des Kenny, said: “Braille is to the blind person what the __________ word is to the sighted individual - access to information and __________ with the outside world”. So, January 4th celebrates the __________ of six small dots.

printed
special
lives
educate
magic
celebrated
contact
key

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

World Braille Day is in / on the 4th of January every year. That’s the date of birthday / birth of Louis Braille, the man who invented the system that helps blind people read and writing / write. Braille was a Frenchman who lived between 1809 and 1852. He became blind at / on the age of three. He was a very talented boy. At school he learnt the cello and organ and toured France to play in churches. He was just 15 when he invention / invented his reading and writing system. It was a stroke of genius. He used just six raised dots on paper so people could feel each / all letter of the alphabet with their fingertip. Braille changed the lives / live of blind people forever. He had no idea how important his invention was because he died aged 43. Two years after his death, France officially recognize / recognized his system.

International (World) Braille Day is celebrated all / every over the world. It recognizes how Louis Braille has revolutionized / revolution the lives of people who are blind or visual / visually impaired. Braille is a key to improving social / socially and economic opportunities to millions. It has given the blind a means to be more / many independent and to educate themselves. Without it, many people would be illiterate. People use / used to use a special typewriter called a Brailler to write. Nowadays, computers make it very easy for people to read and write using Braille. A worker with America’s blind, Des Kenny, said: “Braille is to the blind person what the prints / printed word is to the sighted individual - access to information and contact with the outside world”. So, January 4th celebrates the magician / magic of six small dots.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

World Braille Day is on the 4th of January every year. (1) ____ the date of birth of Louis Braille, the man who (2) ____ the system that helps blind people read and write. Braille was a Frenchman who lived between 1809 and 1852. He became blind at the age of three. He was a very (3) ____ boy. At school he learnt the cello and organ and toured France to play in churches. He was just 15 when he invented his reading and writing system. It was a (4) ____ of genius. He used just six raised dots on paper so people could feel each letter of the alphabet with their (5) ____. Braille changed the lives of blind people forever. He had no (6) ____ how important his invention was because he died aged 43. Two years after his death, France officially recognized his system.

International (World) Braille Day is celebrated all (7) ____ the world. It recognizes how Louis Braille has revolutionized the lives of people who are blind or (8) ____ impaired. Braille is a key to improving social and economic opportunities to millions. It has given the blind a (9) ____ to be more independent and to educate themselves. Without it, many people would be illiterate. People used to use a special typewriter called a Brailler to write. Nowadays, computers make it very easy (10) ____ people to read and write using Braille. A worker with America’s blind, Des Kenny, said: “Braille is to the blind person (11) ____ the printed word is to the sighted individual - access to information and contact with the outside world”. So, January 4th celebrates the (12) ____ of six small dots.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	This	(b)	Then is	(c)	That’s	(d)	When is
2.	(a)	invented	(b)	inventive	(c)	inventor	(d)	invent
3.	(a)	talent	(b)	talented	(c)	talentless	(d)	talents
4.	(a)	stroked	(b)	stroking	(c)	stroke	(d)	strokes
5.	(a)	thumbs	(b)	palm	(c)	knuckles	(d)	fingertip
6.	(a)	idea	(b)	ideas	(c)	ideal	(d)	ideally
7.	(a)	under	(b)	over	(c)	on	(d)	in
8.	(a)	visual	(b)	visualize	(c)	visor	(d)	visually
9.	(a)	meant	(b)	meanie	(c)	mean	(d)	means
10.	(a)	with	(b)	for	(c)	by	(d)	to
11.	(a)	that	(b)	which	(c)	what	(d)	while
12.	(a)	magic	(b)	magically	(c)	magician	(d)	magical

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	the man who invented the essymt
2.	a very teladtne boy
3.	It was a stroke of ungise
4.	with their irftngpei
5.	Braille changed the lives of blind people efrvreo
6.	France lffoliyica recognized his system
Paragraph 2
7.	blind or iysvlaul impaired
8.	a eanms to be more independent
9.	many people would be iettellair
10.	a special typewriter decall a Brailler
11.	the edtpirn word
12.	the magic of six small osdt

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	of people who are blind or visually impaired. Braille is a key to improving social and economic opportunities
( )	with their fingertip. Braille changed the lives of blind people forever. He had no idea how important his invention
( )	to millions. It has given the blind a means to be more independent and to educate themselves. Without it, many
( )	make it very easy for people to read and write using Braille. A worker with America’s blind, Des Kenny, said:
( )	people would be illiterate. People used to use a special typewriter called a Brailler to write. Nowadays, computers
( )	“Braille is to the blind person what the printed word is to the sighted individual - access to information and contact
( )	with the outside world”. So, January 4th celebrates the magic of six small dots.
( )	International (World) Braille Day is celebrated all over the world. It recognizes how Louis Braille has revolutionized the lives
( )	1852. He became blind at the age of three. He was a very talented boy. At school he learnt the cello and
( )	invented the system that helps blind people read and write. Braille was a Frenchman who lived between 1809 and
( )	organ and toured France to play in churches. He was just 15 when he invented his reading and writing
( 1 )	World Braille Day is on the 4th of January every year. That’s the date of birth of Louis Braille, the man who
( )	was because he died aged 43. Two years after his death, France officially recognized his system.
( )	system. It was a stroke of genius. He used just six raised dots on paper so people could feel each letter of the alphabet

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	Louis of birth of date the That’s Braille
2.	blind the people system read that and helps write
3.	boy talented very a was He
4.	was It genius of stroke a
5.	important had his no invention idea was how He
6.	are has lives who Braille the people blind revolutionized of
7.	given the blind a means to be more independent It has
8.	people it to very read easy computers for make
9.	outside and world contact access with to the information
10.	celebrates small the dots magic January of 4th six

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE WORLD BRAILLE DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about World Braille Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about World Braille Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about World Braille Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about World Braille Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about World Braille Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.