This activity from NIVH (National Institute for the Visually Handicapped) in Dehra Dun, India illustrates how functional activities can provide a framework of understanding that can motivate students when they see the purpose behind what they are doing.  10 year old Tilak struggled with learning braille for years, and spent several years working to recognize dot 1 and the braille letter "a".  One day his teacher decided to help him to write a letter to his family (he lived at a residential school and often went months without seeing his family).  He got a quizzical expression on his face and then asked his teacher, "You mean that when my father receives this letter he will know it is from me?  And he will know what I have been doing if I write it on this card?"  From that day forward he learned braille and it was the context of writing in a meaningful activity that was the key for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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