The Louis Braille Bulletin
No 13
May 2014
Compiled and distributed by
The South African Library for the Blind on behalf of The South African Braille Authority
Letter from the Editor
Dear Readers
How time flies. It is hard to believe that we are approaching the halfway mark of the year and it is again time for me to write the Louis Braille bulletin.
Despite good work being done with regard to development of braille code, it can be said that a great deal of work still awaits us, in particular work regarding the promotion of braille and continued assurance of quality in the teaching of braille.
As a powerful tool of communication braille remains the only way for children who are blind to learn to read and become literate.
In this issue of the Louis braille Bulletin we will inform you of the latest Duxbury braille translation software and tables and give the results of the top candidates in the elementary and braille examinations for 2013.
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We trust you will find this issue of the Louis Braille bulletin informative.
Keep reading and writing braille.
To receive a copy of the Louis Braille Bulletin contact:
Pasha Alden (national braille consultant)
The South African Library for the Blind
PO Box 115
GRAHAMSTOWN
6140
Tel.: 046 6227 226
E-mail: pasha.alden@salb.org.za
Elementary Braille Examinations 2014
We wish to advise that the elementary braille examinations were written on 6 and 7 March 2014. This year 87 candidates participated. Candidates wrote in Afrikaans, English, IsiXhosa and Sepedi.
We advise educators that the higher braille examination will be written during July 2014.
Braille Examination Results 2013
Pioneer School took the lion’s share of the honours.
The results for Afrikaans
Our congratulations to First place and prize winner Carel Roos of the Pioneer School who achieved a distinction; John Salie in second place, who also achieved a distinction and in third place for Afrikaans candidates Nazain Van Den Heever of the Pioneer School.
For the English examinations the results were as follows:
In first place, prize winner ,Caitlyn Le Grange, Arthur Blaxall, pass with distinction
In second place, Tayla R kuilders of the Pioneer School, and in third Place Ntokozo Xaba, of Sibonile School.
Candidates who wrote the higher braille Examination Results 2013 achieved the following results in English and Afrikaans.
In first place Chante Adams of the Pioneer school,
In second place Karin Van Wyk, also of the Pioneer school, and in third place Jay-Lee Ephraim of Pioneer school.
Candidates who wrote the higher braille examinations in English achieved the following results:
In first place Tsholofelo Petronela Mashumu, of Siloé School, who achieved a distinction. (prize winner)
In second place Sisipho Khubukele, of Pioneer School, and in third place for the English candidates
Jo-Lize Bronkhorst of Pioneer School.
We congratulate all learners and the educators on the fine results and encourage them to continue the good work. We look forward to follow learners writing braille and to see which school will grab the lion’s share of the honours in 2014
Duxbury 11.2 available now
We advise all educators and producers that Duxbury 11.2 is available.
The updated translation tables are available from the Braille Consultancy.
For further details contact:
Susan van Wyk
Braille Services
Tel.: 011 8391 793
E-mail: susan@blindsa.org.za
SABA MEETING
To all stakeholders we advise that the next meeting of SABA will take place in October 2014.
The South African Braille Authority welcomes wider participation. Producers and schools and other stakeholders involved with the teaching and promotion of braille are urged to join.
To register as a member of SABA contact the Secretary:
Mr Derick Greef
E-mail: 1ders@cybersmart.co.za