BLENNZ is excited to be an official partner of the LEGO Foundation and the LEGO® Braille Bricks toolkit. The LEGO® Braille Bricks concept is a play-based methodology that teaches braille to children who are blind or have a visual impairment aged 4-21. The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen. Its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which means “Play Well”. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 140 countries worldwide. They have collaborated with educators to develop the concept of the LEGO® Braille Brick.
Each brick in the LEGO® Braille Bricks toolkit retains its iconic form, but unlike a regular LEGO brick, the studs are arranged to correspond to numbers and letters in the Braille alphabet. Each brick shows the printed version of the symbol or letter, allowing sighted and blind children to play and learn together on equal terms. This ingenious combination of features opens up a whole new world of playful learning that teaches children Braille in an enjoyable and tactile environment.
BLENNZ is delighted to announce the launch of this programme across New Zealand with students who are focusing on the development of early braille literacy. Resource Teachers: Vision will under go training provided by the LEGO foundation and undertake direct teaching to this cohort of BLENNZ ākonga. This programme will be rolled out to identified ākonga from mid-June.
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