Early Braille Trade Books

This microsite from APH (American Printing House for the Blind) is designed to help teachers to select and use trade books for early and emergent braille readers.  It features a database that includes detailed information about each book, and it is possible to search for available books by genre, core curriculum, and expanded core.  Each entry also includes information about the number of contractions, connections to the core curriculum and expanded core curriculum, corresponding units in Building with Patterns, and before-reading and follow-up activities.  It is also possible to keep track of individual students and which braille contractions they have learned, and which books match those contractions.

Another feature of the site is detailed information about the level of teacher intervention required, especially regarding illustrations and how they support the text.  Finally, there are general guidelines about follow-up activities and strategies to increase comprehension and fluency.