About Braille

In 1824, 15-year-old Louis Braille adapted a 12-dot cell system developed by a French captain in Napoleon’s army. Invented to allow soldiers to compose and read messages at night without illumination, the basic technique was the first raised-dot reading and writing system.

Louis Braille devised a six-dot cell with the dots arranged in two columns of three. The dots are numbered 1 through 6.

The first 10 cells stand for a–j. With the number sign (it looks like a backwards L) before them, these same cells represent the numerals 1–0.

The second row adds dot 3 to make the letters k–t. (For you Kindy teachers out there, it even makes a cute rhyme: "K through t, add dot three!")

The third row adds dots 3 and 6 to make the uv xyz. Since there was no w in the French alphabet at that time, it was only added later. To remember it, keep in mind, it's the reverse image of 'r.' With its dot 5, 'r' points to the right; with its dot 2, 'w' points west!

Aren't you having fun, now?!

The capital sign, dot 6, is placed before a letter to capitalize it.

If you want to get really crazy, the most frequently used words in English - and, for, of, the, and with all follow suit after z, falling under the letters, 'p, q, r, s, and t.' 

So now that you've learned what I like to call, "Sixty-second elevator braille," there's no excuse not to write your daughter, mother, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend, student a lovely little braille note!