Section 17
 Spelling Lists and Activities

Spelling texts, also referred to as spellers, include a variety of teaching methods (e.g., emphasis of certain letters, omission of letters, scrambled letters, deliberate misspellings, etc.) to reinforce the proper spelling of a word. This section applies only to these types of situations, in which the spelling or the formation of the word is the most important consideration.

A Braille Reader's Perspective. Uncontracted braille is a key element that aids the reader in using spellers. Care must be taken to ensure the appropriate use of uncontracted vs. contracted braille.

Word lists, appearing typically at the beginning of chapters or lessons, may be intended to teach how each word is spelled. These are called spelling word lists. Another kind of word list, called a vocabulary word list, may be included for the purpose of teaching their meanings. These are treated as simple lists in braille. (See Formats, §8, Lists.)

One of the difficulties in working with spelling word lists is determining if the words, or even just sets of letter combinations, should be contracted. A spelling list appears typically at the beginning of a chapter or lesson, identifying the words to be studied. It may be a simple list of words, or may be focused on a specific set of letter combinations. As the first word list in the lesson, it is considered the spelling word list.

a.  Ignore font attributes used for entire spelling word lists.

b.  List spelling words vertically using 1-3 margins.

c.  Contract the first writing of the spelling word or phrase.

d.  Repeat the words/phrases in uncontracted braille.

e.  Leave one blank cell between the contracted and uncontracted words. When the list consists of phrases, leave two blank cells between the phrases.

f.  A list of spelling words may appear again in the lesson, either as a partial or complete list, often as a boxed sidebar. Repeat such word lists as they appear in print using contracted braille only.

g.  Longer word lists, showing only the contracted form, may be changed to columns. This is not recommended for early grade material.

(See Sample 17-1: Spelling List on page 17-14.)

Spelling books are full of activities to support learning. The activity heading and/or directions are used to help determine if the word list needs to be contracted or uncontracted.

Uncontracted Activity Word Lists. The following words/phrases are typical terminology indicating the word list should be uncontracted.

Alphabetize
Letter order
Look it up in the dictionary
Match letters
Misspelled
Scrambled
Spelled differently
Start with the same letter
Write the base word
Word search puzzle

(See Sample 17-2: Activity Word List for Alphabetizing on page 17-15, Sample 17-3: Pronunciation Words in a List on page 17-16, and Sample 17-4: Scrambled Words on page 17-17.)

Contracted Activity Word Lists. Word lists with activities centered around the use of the words usually are contracted. Sample key phrases indicating the word list should be contracted include:

Write a word that means the same.
Write the missing word.
Write the word that belongs.
Write the word that rhymes.

(See Sample 17-5: Activity Word List on page 17-18.)

Word lists may focus on certain aspects of spelling by use of partial emphasis.

a.  Follow print for emphasis.

b.  Transcribe each word contracted, uncontracted, and uncontracted with partial emphasis.

c.  If required, insert the appropriate termination indicator to indicate the end of the emphasis in a partially emphasized word.

d.  Leave one blank cell between each spelling of single words. Leave two blank cells between phrases.

e.  List all words and/or phrases vertically using 1-3 margins.

(See Sample 17-6: Word List with Partial Emphasis on page 17-19.)

When items in a list are marked with a special shape or icon, follow print for the symbol used. If a print symbol does not have a corresponding symbol in braille, devise a symbol using a shape indicator or a transcriber-defined symbol indicator. (See UEB, §3.26, Transcriber-defined Symbols.)

a.  Begin the symbol or icon in cell 1 followed by at least one space.

b.  Align the beginning character of all items. Begin runovers two cells to the right of the beginning of the items.

c.  Transcribe multi-column lists with marked items vertically.

d.  List all symbols/icons on the Special Symbols page, or in a transcriber's note before the text. Exception: The bullet symbol (dots 456, 256) is not required to be listed on the Special Symbols page.

(See Sample 17-7: Word List with Two Different Print Symbols on page 17-20.)

Entry words are contracted only, and are not repeated in uncontracted form.

a.  Ignore entry word font attributes, except when distinction is required, e.g., foreign words.

b.  Leave one blank cell between an entry word and its definition when the entry word is followed by punctuation, or if the definition starts with an uppercase letter.

c.  Leave two blank cells between entries and definitions when the entry words are phrases instead of individual words, if they are not followed by punctuation, or if the definition begins with a lowercase letter.

(See Sample 17-8: Definition List with Two Spaces After Entry Word on page 17-21 and Sample 17-9: Word Usage List on page 17-22.)

Vocabulary lists or word lists are often found at the beginning or end of individual chapters or lessons in foreign language materials. Follow print for placement.

Transcribe vocabulary or word lists that consist of only foreign words or short phrases as follows:

a.  Ignore special typeface used for the listed words.

b.  In a word list with translations, insert a colon following the entry word and continue the translation on the same braille line. Do not use columnar format.

Example 17-1: Vocabulary/Word List in a Foreign Language Text

c.  If a single phrase with its translation is too long to fit across the width of the braille page, begin the foreign language item in cell 1 and the translation in cell 3. All runovers begin in cell 5.

Use the following format when articles, reflexive pronouns, special print signs, or specially marked items are shown before foreign language words in a vocabulary list.

a.  Begin the longest article, reflexive pronoun, etc. in cell 1.

b.  Align the initial letters of the foreign language words.

c.  The left margin is the braille cell in which the initial letter of the entry words appears.

d.  Adjust each braille page to align the main entry words on that page.

e.  All runovers are two cells to the right of the main entry left margin. If the main entry begins in cell 4, runovers are in cell 6; if the main entry begins in cell 5, runovers are in cell 7.

f.  Begin subentries two cells to the right of the main entry margin and adjust the runovers accordingly. If the main entry begins in cell 5, all subentries begin in cell 7 and all runovers begin in cell 9.

Example 17-2: Foreign Language Vocabulary List with Articles

Do not contract syllabified single and compound words in spelling lists. Note: this only applies to spelling lists or activities.

a.  Do not divide a syllabified word between lines unless it is too long to fit on a single line. If a word is divided between lines, it must be at a syllable break. (See Sample 17-10: Syllabified Words in a Spelling Activity on page 17-23.)

b.  Follow print when print uses spaces, dots, hyphens, etc. to separate syllables.

Example 17-3: Syllabified Words in a Spelling List

Lines Indicating Omitted Parts of Words. When text refers to spelling or word structure:

a.  Follow print for whatever symbol is used to represent a blank to be filled in.

b.  If applicable, use contractions in the portions of the word attached to the low line or other symbol.

Example 17-4: Partial Word Blanks

Omitted Letters. Do not contract words showing omitted letters in spelling lists.

a.  Follow print for symbols used to show omission. A substitution may be made if accurate representation of the print symbol in braille would hinder the reader's recognition of the concept under discussion. Explain the choice of the substituted symbol in a transcriber's note.

Example 17-5: Omitted Letters Represented by Symbols

b.  Follow print when hyphens indicate a specific number of missing letters.

Example 17-6: Omitted Letters Represented by Hyphens

(See Sample 17-11: Omitted Letters Identified in Directions on page 17-24.)

It is important to avoid providing answer choices or solutions when intentional errors appear in an exercise.

Unmarked Errors. When entire passages have unmarked intentional spelling errors that are to be identified and/or corrected by the reader, transcribe them in uncontracted braille.

Example 17-7: Unmarked Errors to be Identified

(See Sample 17-12: Unmarked Intentional Spelling Errors on page 17-25.)

Marked Spelling Errors. When print calls attention to errors by means of a font attribute (e.g., underline, italics, color, highlighting, etc.) the designated words are uncontracted, and the remainder of the passage is contracted.

(See Sample 17-13: Marked Intentional Spelling Errors on page 17-26 and Sample 17-14: Errors to Be Identified in Exercise on page 17-27.)

When listed or displayed words relating to spelling or word structure are shown with crossed-out letters:

a.  Transcribe words with crossed-out letters in uncontracted braille.

b.  Show the word as spelled, without indicating the crossed-out letters.

c.  Then repeat the word, substituting a hyphen - (36) for each crossed-out letter.

d.  Explain the use of the hyphen in a transcriber's note. Sample:

Words with crossed-out letters are uncontracted, then repeated with a hyphen substituted for each crossed-out letter.

Example 17-8: Crossed-Out Letters in Word List

When words are shown with crossed-out letters within sentences:

a.  Follow points in Formats, §17.11.1 a–c.

b.  Enclose the repeated word in an embedded transcriber's note to distinguish it from surrounding text.

c.  Explain this usage in a transcriber's note. Sample:

Words with crossed-out letters are uncontracted, then repeated with a hyphen substituted for each crossed-out letter. The repeated word is enclosed within transcriber's note indicators.

Example 17-9: Crossed-Out Letters in Sentences

Inserted Letters. Spellers often indicate replacement letters within a word to show other spellings.

a.  Transcribe words with inserted letters in uncontracted braille.

b.  Follow print for use of enclosure symbols.

Example 17-10: Inserted Letters

c.  Words that are followed by a space and a word part that is to be inserted or combined should be transcribed without contractions.

d.  Transcribe words that are to be combined with other words or word parts in uncontracted braille.

e.  Follow print spacing of the text that is to be inserted.

Example 17-11: Words Spaced from Inserted Letters

Text may show crossed-out letters, words, or passages, along with substitutions in enclosure symbols.

a.  Follow the guidelines in Formats, §17.11 for transcribing crossed-out letters.

b.  Follow print for use and spacing of enclosure symbols.

Example 17-12: Crossed-Out Letters and Insertions

Mathematical Symbols. Spellers often use mathematical symbols to teach word formation.

a.  Transcribe all text in word formation "equations" in uncontracted braille.

b.  If the result of the equation is a complete word, add the contracted form of the word at the end of the equation, enclosed in transcriber's note indicators. Ignore any print emphasis.

c.  Use the appropriate symbols when mathematical indicators are used in discussions of word formation. List the symbols on the Special Symbols page. See UEB, §3.17, Mathematical Signs.)

(See Sample 17-15: Word Equation Using Mathematical Symbols on page 17-28 and Sample 17-16: Crossed-Out Letters and Equals Sign on page 17-29.)

Example 17-13: Partial Emphasis Using Mathematical Symbols

(See Sample 17-17: Word Formation Using Mathematical Symbols on page 17-30.)

Arrows. Use spaced arrow symbols when print arrows show progression in word formation. List all arrow symbols on the Special Symbols page, or in a transcriber's note before the text. (See UEB, §11.6, Arrows and Sample 17-18: Word Formation Using Arrows on page 17-31.)

Sample 17-1: Spelling List, page 17-14
Sample 17-2: Activity Word List for Alphabetizing, page
17-15
Sample 17-3: Pronunciation Words in a List, page 17-16
Sample 17-4: Scrambled Words, page 17-17
Sample 17-5: Activity Word List, page 17-18
Sample 17-6: Word List with Partial Emphasis, page 17-19
Sample 17-7: Word List with Two Different Print Symbols, page 17-20
Sample 17-8: Definition List with Two Spaces after Entry Word, page 17-21
Sample 17-9: Word Usage List, page 17-22
Sample 17-10: Syllabified Words in a Spelling Activity, page 17-23
Sample 17-11: Omitted Letters Identified in Directions, page 17-24
Sample 17-12: Unmarked Intentional Spelling Errors, page 17-25
Sample 17-13: Marked Intentional Spelling Errors, page
17-26
Sample 17-14: Errors to Be Identified in Exercise, page
17-27
Sample 17-15: Word Equation Using Mathematical Symbols, page 17-28
Sample 17-16: Crossed-Out Letters and Equals Sign, page
17-29
Sample 17-17: Word Formation Using Mathematical Symbols, page 17-30
Sample 17-18: Word Formation Using Arrows, page 17-31

Sample 17-1: Spelling List

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Sample 17-2: Activity Word List for Alphabetizing

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Sample 17-3: Pronunciation Words in a List

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Sample 17-4: Scrambled Words

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Sample 17-5: Activity Word List

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Sample 17-6: Word List with Partial Emphasis

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Sample 17-7: Word List with Two Different Print Symbols

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Sample 17-8: Definition List with Two Spaces After Entry Word

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Sample 17-9: Word Usage List

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Sample 17-10: Syllabified Words in a Spelling Activity

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Sample 17-11: Omitted Letters Identified in Directions

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Sample 17-12: Unmarked Intentional Spelling Errors

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Sample 17-13: Marked Intentional Spelling Errors

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Sample 17-14: Errors to be Identified in Exercise

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Sample 17-15: Word Equation Using Mathematical Symbols

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Sample 17-16: Crossed-Out Letters and Equals Sign

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Sample 17-17: Word Formation Using Mathematical Symbols

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Sample 17-18: Word Formation Using Arrows

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