My braille journey

By Eliza Humphrey

Hello, I am Eliza, a VICTA Changemaker and life-long braille user. I have been blind since birth and have always used braille to read and write. For me, it has allowed me to access so many different parts of my life, from schoolwork to music, enabling me to pursue my interests and enjoy activities with family and friends.

With 2025 celebrating 200 years of braille, I would like to celebrate the tactile code and explain how I use it every day.

What is braille and its different types

Braille is a system for reading and writing, made up of six raised dots arranged in two vertical columns of three, read using your fingers. Different combinations of these dots show specific letters, numbers or symbols. It was created by a French boy called Louis Braille in 1824, after he lost his eyesight due to an accident in his father’s workshop.

There are many types of braille, which all have their unique codes. In many countries, including those that use English, there are two types of braille, grade 1 and grade 2. Grade 1 is similar to standard print, with letters, numbers and punctuation, whereas grade 2 also has short forms for some words and common sounds, which is similar to shorthand in print. Every language has its own braille code. Music also has its own code, with certain arrangements indicating notes and their octaves, articulation markings, dynamics and other information that is present in standard sheet music. Finally, there are also mathematical and scientific codes, allowing these subjects to be available to access through the medium of braille.

How I use braille every day

I use braille in many different ways. In the kitchen, I have brailled the buttons on our microwave as well as adding labels to the lids of the spices in the cupboard. We have braille board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly and Cluedo, so we can enjoy playing against each other as a family. Uno and packs of cards also have braille on, which I take away with me to play with friends. I read books in braille, either as a hard-copy or electronically using a braille display, although I also enjoy listening to audiobooks as well. Throughout school I accessed materials in braille, either as embossed sheets or electronically on a flexible display.

An open spiral bound book with white pages with braille

Learning braille

I learnt braille when I started school, however, everyone’s journey is different. If you are a visually impaired person who would benefit from learning braille, my advice would be to give it a try. Technology has improved so much, so less people are learning braille, but I believe that learning it gives you the speed and independence that technology doesn’t always provide. It may take time to be a proficient braillist – it wasn’t until the end of primary school that I was fully competent, and I am still learning new codes to this day – but it is never too late to learn. Practising reading and writing braille regularly is a good way to continue learning, or just to refresh existing braille knowledge.

For those who are sighted and are interested in learning braille, there are online courses that is easy to follow. Many people think braille is difficult to learn, however, once you start, you will learn very quickly.