How To Learn English!

Here are some tips which may help you to master the English Language!

Speak without Fear

The biggest problem most people face in learning a new language is their own fear. They worry that they won’t say things correctly or that they will look stupid so they don’t talk at all. Don’t do this. The fastest way to learn anything is to do it – again and again until you get it right. Like anything, learning English requires practice. Don’t let a little fear stop you from getting what you want.

Use all of your Resources

Even if you study English at a language school it doesn’t mean you can’t learn outside of class. Using as many different sources, methods and tools as possible, will allow you to learn faster. There are many different ways you can improve your English, so don’t limit yourself to only one or two. The internet is a fantastic resource for virtually anything, but for the language learner it's perfect.

Surround Yourself with English

The absolute best way to learn English is to surround yourself with it. Take notes in English, put English books around your room, listen to English language radio broadcasts, watch English news, movies and television. Speak English with your friends whenever you can. The more English material that you have around you, the faster you will learn and the more likely it is that you will begin “thinking in English.” .

Listen to Native Speakers as Much as Possible

There are some good English teachers that have had to learn English as a second language before they could teach it. However, there are several reasons why many of the best schools prefer to hire native English speakers. One of the reasons is that native speakers have a natural flow to their speech that students of English should try to imitate. The closer ESL / EFL students can get to this rhythm or flow, the more convincing and comfortable they will become.

Watch English Films and Television

This is not only a fun way to learn but it is also very effective. By watching English films (especially those with English subtitles) you can expand your vocabulary and hear the flow of speech from the actors. If you listen to the news you can also hear different accents.

Listen to English Music

Music can be a very effective method of learning English. In fact, it is often used as a way of improving comprehension. The best way to learn though, is to get the lyrics (words) to the songs you are listening to and try to read them as the artist sings. There are several good internet sites where one can find the words for most songs. This way you can practice your listening and reading at the same time. And if you like to sing, fine.

Study As Often As Possible!

Only by studying things like grammar and vocabulary and doing exercises, can you really improve your knowledge of any language.

Do Exercises and Take Tests

Many people think that exercises and tests aren't much fun. However, by completing exercises and taking tests you can really improve your English. One of the best reasons for doing lots of exercises and tests is that they give you a benchmark to compare your future results with. Often, it is by comparing your score on a test you took yesterday with one you took a month or six months ago that you realize just how much you have learned. If you never test yourself, you will never know how much you are progressing. Start now by doing some of the many exercises and tests on this site, and return in a few days to see what you've learned. Keep doing this and you really will make some progress with English.

Record Yourself

Nobody likes to hear their own voice on tape but like tests, it is good to compare your tapes from time to time. You may be so impressed with the progress you are making that you may not mind the sound of your voice as much.

Listen to English

By this, we mean, speak on the phone or listen to radio broadcasts, audiobooks or CDs in English. This is different than watching the television or films because you can’t see the person that is speaking to you. Many learners of English say that speaking on the phone is one of the most difficult things that they do and the only way to improve is to practice.

Finally

Have fun

Source: www.world-english.com

I stumbled down on this article in the online edition of The Hindu...A very stimulating article.

This is a week of farewell parties on engineering college campuses. Talk to any final-year engineering student, and the most common refrain is likely to be on the lines of, “I am all set for the next phase in an IT company. I hope I am not sent back home after training.” Their seniors, working as engineers, have already passed on some time-tested advice — “Nothing you learnt in college is really going to help. Be ready to start from scratch.”

The fact that students of a professional course view their education through this lens is a deeply worrying trend. The IT industry may account for nearly 70 per cent of campus recruitments in Tamil Nadu, but there is a huge disconnect between what this industry wants and what the university trains the students for. Senior IT professionals, in fact, disagree with a report which found that only about 20 per cent of engineering graduates in Tamil Nadu were employable. Their contention: the numbers are even fewer.

“Most graduates fail to apply even basic logic to applications and programs when they come here, because nothing on debugging, testing or coding is taught in colleges,” a senior TCS Project manager tells me.

Companies have evolved different ways to deal with this situation. For instance, Cognizant and TCS partner universities such as VIT, Sastra and SRM. The companies have the first slot in the placement reserved for these colleges, and also give inputs to the syllabus for final-year students. Thus, students are relatively industry-ready by the time they pass out.

However, this practice remains restricted to a few institutions. The larger issue here is that academia has not revamped itself to suit contemporary needs. Those teaching computer science and scripting languages have never worked in the industry, and those in the industry rarely train students. Industry-oriented syllabi can provide one of the best ways forward for a struggling engineering education system. And it is not even a new trend. For instance, IIT- Madras offers as many as 600 industry-related courses, the oldest being a decade-old course on construction that is customised to L &T's requirements and the recent one on Metro rail.

What then of the issue of dilution in content and academic autonomy? A Madras Institute of Technology professor echoes the sentiments of many of his colleagues when he says “There is a world of engineering beyond IT and industry-oriented courses never permit students to get exposed to that. Companies can enter campuses, but not the classrooms.”

And the professor is not entirely wrong. Companies do end up making colleges their own training grounds.

However, the fact remains that they would not have to do so if curriculum offered by the university was adequate.

What colleges need is an industry-related curriculum, mandated by the university that gives the students a gist of processes most integral to the IT industry. This would not only help them bridge the college-company transit, but also preserve the academic autonomy of educational institutions.

The focus needs to be on the basics. Shreya Ramakrishnan, who graduated last year, has a story that best exemplifies this: “The first thing the programming lecturer did in college was give us a list of lines that go into every program, irrespective of the logic. He told us identifying the logic is not something everybody can do and we had better focus on the theory. Four months of training in Infosys however, taught me that engineering starts with basic thinking and is not that difficult. I would have loved to learn that in college though,” she muses.

As Anna University prepares to finalise a new curriculum for the next four years, these are perhaps words its professors should consider.

The variety of advanced braking systems can make a positive contribution to motorcycle road safety. There are a number of types of advanced braking systems developed by manufacturers:
i. Combined Braking Systems (CBS)
It fitted with independent controls for the front and rear brakes. Usually this is in the form of a foot pedal and a front brake lever. Most automatic machines (which do not require a clutch control) have the rear brake operated by a lever on the left hand side of the handlebars. Less skilled riders have a tendency to over-use the rear brake and under-use the front. In a CBS system, the application of one brake control will actuate both front and rear brakes.
ii. Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS)
Anti-lock braking systems are available either operating on both wheels, or on front or rear wheel, depending on the vehicle and its use. Advantages are self evident as electronic control eliminates the risk of wheel lock. ABS has no effectiveness.
iii. Rear wheel Lift-off Protection (RLP)
Certain architectures can benefit from RLP, which detects if the rear wheel lifts during braking operation. This initiates a momentary reduction of the pressure in the front braking circuit.
iv. Automatic brake force distribution
Due to dynamic shifts in weight during braking, efficient deceleration is strongly dependent on the optimal distribution of braking forces between the front and rear wheels. Even for an experienced rider it is difficult to accomplish this, particularly in emergency conditions, but it can be achieved electronically.
v. Amplified braking systems
These systems amplify the actuation input made by the rider, resulting in a more rapid deceleration. They enable a stronger braking pressure, since the start of the braking procedure.
vi. Brake by wire
The system consists of an electronically controlled combined brake by wire system with an innovative stroke simulator. Direct motor control ensures precise operation of the ABS, resulting in reduced pitching and smooth modulated ABS intervention
vii. New vehicle architectures
Some new vehicle concepts, such as a three-wheeled L category vehicle providing two braked wheels in the front, provide further examples of an advanced braking system having the additional benefit of higher grip, increased stability and reduced braking distance.
The advanced braking systems listed above offer a multitude of possible combinations, enabling manufacturers to develop the offer of a wide variety of solutions taking into account the main purpose of the products, their distinctive characteristics, e.g. balance, weight, dynamics, and general capacities, and the cost-effectiveness of the technical solutions.

Preparing for an interview can be a daunting prospect, but a lot of people overlook one important aspect - verbal reasoning tests. These tests often comprise a vital part of the interview process and can be whole other challenge that you've got to face, yet far too few people are prepared for them. This can be a big mistake.

Why verbal reasoning matters?
In most jobs, verbal skills and the ability to communicate effectively will comprise a huge part of the position. Employers need to know that you have these verbal reasoning skills before they'll give you the job, so it's important you know what you're doing. This means that standardised verbal reasoning tests are often an important part of the selection process, and if you don't want to be overlooked it's important that your verbal reasoning skills are up to scratch.
But, it's the tests themselves that can often cause the most difficulty. Even if you've got exceptional verbal reasoning skills the test environment could easily set you back - the nerves of the day combined with the shock of seeing such a test for the first time could conspire against you, and you might find that your score is less than you were expecting. This can be disastrous because you wouldn't want your attempt at getting that job to be thwarted because you simply weren't ready for your verbal reasoning test, and that's why it's incredibly important that you practice beforehand. That's where verbal reasoning practice tests come in.

What will my verbal reasoning test be like?
By far the most common form of verbal reasoning test is one in which you are presented with a passage of text, then asked whether certain statements relating to that text are true, false, or impossible to say without more information. In older verbal tests, rarely used for recruitment nowadays, you would be asked to identify from a list of statements which one is true, given the information in the passage. Some employers also test things such as word meaning, for example "which word is the odd one out". But again, these are rarely used anymore.

What will my verbal reasoning test be testing?
Verbal reasoning tests are designed to test your powers of comprehension and logic. You will be tested on whether you jump to conclusions or you appreciate the limitations of a statement. If a passage says "it has been reported..." it does not follow that the fact is necessarily true, only that it has been reported. Another classic example is: if the lights in a house come on, does that mean there is someone inside the building? Not necessarily. If A is bigger than B, does that mean B is small? Not necessarily. You will be tested to sort fact from inference, a lot like what's required in a real work environment. You can see why lawyers almost always have to pass a verbal reasoning test, or a critical thinking test.
Something which will not be tested by the verbal reasoning tests used by employers is spelling. The employer is trying to gauge your reasoning ability, not your vocabulary or spelling. Recruitment tests are nothing to do with old-fashioned tests such as word association or missing words.

Do I need to be a fast reader?
It helps, but more important than speed is how well you understand what you are reading, and recognising the difference between fact and inference.
Verbal reasoning tests are normally strictly timed. The assessor will get to see how many questions you attempted and how many of those you got right. So you will need to strike a balance between attempting lots of questions and getting them right. For most verbal reasoning tests you will find it difficult to answer all the questions within the time limit. However some tests allow a lot longer and they are all about your analysis and reasoning ability.
If you think you have a condition which requires adjustment to be made to your verbal reasoning test, such as for dyslexia, tell your assessor in good time before your test and they will help make the verbal reasoning tests fair for all candidates. Some test publishers allow extra time, and some give everyone the same time limit but make a judgement on whether to adjust the raw score.

Ref: www.mindtools.com

Most of the students either do not have an organized study plan or do not follow it sincerely. Consequently their performance suffers and a common refrain is ‘oh we do study but do not know why our efforts fail to yield results’.

Study Plan isn’t only a timetable

• A timetable merely mentions the time duration assigned to a particular subject whereas a study plan is more comprehensive. It also defines a methodology to deal with the preparation, planning and problems faced in each subject by an individual.
  
• A target should be set, items should be prioritized and an effective timetable should be drawn. Effective refers to a schedule that should be followed religiously with a determination to achieve progress and results. This should be based on an analytical approach:-
  
• How many free hours are available?
  
• How much time should be devoted to each subject in view of the individual requirement?
  
• How to prepare and procure the course material?
  
• How to create an environment conductive for a fruitful study? For example one can switch off the mobile phone for a designated period.
  
• These and many such points should be included while drawing up a study plan.
  

Importance and Benefits of a Study Plan

• Helps eliminate confusion as a clear action plan emerges with a little thinking and planning. It also imparts a sense of direction.
• One feels organized and in command because a proper plan will involve thorough understanding of one’s course or syllabus.
• Set targets are like milestones to be crossed. The achievement of each target provides motivation to achieve another. Very soon one starts enjoying the process because the concepts become clearer and understanding improves.
• Regular studies reduce the level of stress.
• One’s priorities become clear and the requisite level of importance and effort can be directed to the learning of each subject.
• Work does not get accumulated and hence there is no need to study at unearthly hours. This also safeguards one’s physical and mental health.
• Studying at regular hours increases concentration and inculcates a sense of discipline.
• No panic buttons need to be pressed any more.
• One can find time for leisure activities and recreation to refresh one’s mind and still achieve the set targets.

Please Remember:-

• One should set realistic targets as overambitious targets can cause disappointment and demoralize a student.
• Once a plan is place, stick to it. Initial difficulties such as various temptations and lack of concentration etc. should be conquered with determination.
• Join the winners, i.e. those who have successfully made and followed a study plan.
• Avoid the company of those who have a careless attitude.
• Seek advice and help wherever required.
• Last but not the least no study plan can be successful if it is not followed and executed sincerely.
• Initially the effort may look Herculean, but the rewards of having a study plan are rich, varied and really long lasting.
   

You know that it's essential to be professional if you want to be a success. But what does "being professional" actually mean?

For some, being professional might mean dressing smartly at work, or doing a good job. For others, being professional means having advanced degrees or other certifications, framed and hung on the office wall.

Professionalism encompasses all of these definitions. But, it also covers much more. So, what is professionalism, and why does it matter? And how can you be completely professional in your day-to-day role?

In this article we'll explore all of these questions, so that you can present a really professional image in the workplace.

Defining Professionalism

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as "the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person"; and it defines a profession as "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation."

These definitions imply that professionalism encompasses a number of different attributes, and, together, these attributes identify and define a professional.

So, what are these attributes?

Specialized Knowledge

First and foremost, professionals are known for their specialized knowledge. They've made a deep personal commitment to develop and improve their skills, and, where appropriate, they have the degrees and certifications that serve as the foundation of this knowledge.

Not all business areas have a stable core of knowledge (and the academic qualifications that go with this); not all areas demand extensive knowledge to practice successfully; and not all professionals have top degrees in their field.

What matters, though, is that these professionals have worked in a serious, thoughtful, and sustained way to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their fields; and that they keep this knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible.

Competency

Professionals get the job done. They're reliable, and they keep their promises. If circumstances arise that prevent them from delivering on their promises, they manage expectations up front, and they do their best to make the situation right.

Professionals don't make excuses, but focus on finding solutions.

Honesty and Integrity

Professionals exhibit qualities such as honesty and integrity. They keep their word, and they can be trusted implicitly because of this. They never compromise their values, and will do the right thing, even when it means taking a harder road.

More than this, true professionals are humble - if a project or job falls outside their scope of expertise, they're not afraid to admit this. They immediately ask for help when they need it, and they're willing to learn from others.

Accountability

Professionals hold themselves accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions, especially when they've made a mistake. This personal accountability is closely tied to honesty and integrity, and it's a vital element in professionalism.

Self-Regulation

They also stay professional under pressure.

For instance, imagine a customer service employee who's faced with an irate customer. Instead of getting upset or angry in return, the employee exhibits true professionalism by maintaining a calm, business-like demeanor, and by doing everything that she can to make the situation right.

Genuine professionals show respect for the people around them, no matter what their role or situation. They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI) by considering the emotions and needs of others, and they don't let a bad day impact how they interact with colleagues or clients.

Image

Professionals look the part - they don't show up to work sloppily dressed, with unkempt hair. They're polished, and they dress appropriately for the situation. Because if this, they exude an air of confidence, and they gain respect for this.

How to Exhibit Professionalism

As you can see from these characteristics, professionals are the kind of people that others respect and value. They are a genuine credit to their organizations!

This is why it's so important that we work to earn a professional reputation in the workplace. True professionals are the first to be considered for promotions, they are awarded valuable projects or clients, and they are routinely successful in their careers.

Now that you have a clear view of what constitutes professionalism, are you demonstrating these characteristics to the people around you? It's likely you're already showing some characteristics, but you may find yourself lacking in others: to build your own professionalism, focus on improving each of these characteristics. (Focus on one at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed.)

Additionally, here are some further strategies that will help you be more professional in the workplace:

Build Expertise

Don't let your knowledge and skills get outdated. Make a commitment to build expertise and stay up-to-date with your industry.

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence

Professionals can sense the emotional needs of others. They're able to give clients and coworkers what they need, because they know how to listen actively and observe what's happening.

So, if you want to improve your professionalism, focus on developing emotional intelligence.

Honor Your Commitments

Whenever you make a promise to your boss, colleagues, or clients, keep it. If it looks as if you won't be able to meet a deadline, let your boss, team, or client know as soon as sensibly possible. However, do what you can to avoid ending up in this situation!

Don't make excuses - instead, focus on meeting expectations as best you can, and on making the situation right.

Be Polite

Be kind and polite and use good manners to everyone you come into contact with, no matter what their role is, and no matter how you're feeling. This might sound unimportant, but it makes a significant impact.

Have the Tools You Need

Do you show up to a client meeting lacking important samples? Or arrive at work, only to realize that you left a vital file at home? Or do you find yourself operating in situations where you don't have the skills needed to do a good job?

True professionals are always prepared. This requires advance planning, timeliness, and attention. Focus on improving your time management and planning skills, so that you're always in control.

Note:
Although professionalism means keeping commitments, doing high quality work, and having expert status, occasionally the pursuit of these attributes might tempt you not to volunteer for projects that fall outside your "comfort zone."

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you shouldn't try! Analyze risks beforehand to minimize the consequences of getting things wrong, be honest about any skills gaps that you have, and work to fill them. Then do the best you possibly can!

Key Points

Professionalism is a trait that's highly valued in the workforce. It has many attributes, including:

Specialized knowledge.
Competency.
Honesty and integrity.
Respect.
Accountability.
Self-regulation.
Image.

To improve your own professionalism, focus on improving in each of these areas.

You can also exude professionalism by being kind and polite to everyone, presenting a professional image in your attitude and dress, and showing up for work or meetings fully prepared.

How To Maintain A Cool & Composed Body Language ?

It is all in the attitude. The body defies us by revealing what the mind thinks.

Actually, this is not a big secret at all. As long as your calm and composed at mind, you will never have to worry specially about your body language. Your physical behaviour is mostly a reflection of how you feel at heart. For example, if you are nervous at mind, you will surely begin to sweat and would be sitting in the tip of the chair instead of showing a relaxed presence to the panel. Below are few mental cause and physical effects that can decide your body language.

Important Aspects Where Your Body Language Plays A Role

Below are three important aspects in any interview that would directly speak of your body language.

1. Handshaking before and/or after the interview.

Tip : Think of the person as your favourite teacher whom you are meeting after a while. Now, your handshake would carry a lot of friendly attitude and sincerity which is what any panel wants.

2. Sitting Posture

Tip : Before even you are questioned, don't start thinking about your future if you are not going to perform the interview well. Be confident that you will be able to answer most of the questions and be equally confident that you can impress your employer even if you do not have a direct answer for two or three questions. This thinking will naturally make you more relaxed which will reflect in your sitting posture.

3. Answering Questions

Tip. Have you ever seen Rahul Dravid's reply to even the toughest of media questions? He listens carefully, takes a pause, answers in an extremely calm and composed manner that will never hurt anyone. He will never try to dominate or be dominated but will try to maintain a perfect balance of mood between him and the person raising the questions. In your scenario, listen well to the question, take a pause, answer in a specific and convincing manner. If the panel feels your answer is wrong, don't try to push your answer, but try to give other supporting facts to emphasize your answer. This is what is meant by "never try to dominate or be dominated"

The human body is the best picture of the human soul. - Ludwig Wittgenstein

There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it. - Dale Carnegie

 Ref : wwwcareersvalley.com

The 11th Sports and College day celebration was held on 12th February, 2012 at the college premises. The College had much to cherish and thank for the successful completion of 11 years from the time of its inception in the year 2001. The Chairman, Mr. M.K.S Sreenivasan declared the sports meet open, which was followed by the track and field events. Joint-Secretary - Mr. M.S Vikram, distributed the prizes to the students for their achievements in the field of sports and games.

      The Annual Day celebrations started in the evening with the welcome address delivered by Dr. Askarunisha, Head of the Department of CSE. The Chief-Guest for the function was Thiru Solomon Papaiya. The Principal- Dr. S. Kathirrvelu read the Annual Report for the academic year 2011-2012. The placements of the students in this academic year was the highlight of the report. The Inplant Training and the Industrial Visits organised by various departments were praiseworthy. He also read out the research studies taken up by the faculty members of the college. In his address, the Chairman of the College- Mr. M.K.S Sreenivasan stressed upon the importance of education and said that the college gives utmost importance to 'Structured Behaviour' which draws the attention of the students to take admission in the college from all parts of the city. He further said that the College is known for its placement activities. He also mentioned about the free education given to the financially backward students at the college and this practice is followed in this institution to encourage this set of students to come up in their lives.

      Thiru Solomon Papaiya gave a motivtional talk to the students with the flurry of real life illustrations. He further said that 'All round development of the students, especially in the field of Sports, Arts and Culture is must and Vickram College of Engineering is the forerunner in offering this to the students'. He advised the students to never give up and always have high self-esteem. He further said,"Inner beauty of the heart is reflected in the outward appearances". Therefore the students must not run after the material life, rather look forward for the eternal beauty of life. His talk was followed by the prize distribution ceremony. The Director Mr. SR. Vijay Shrenivas and the Secretary of the college Mr. M.SR. Rajsanthosh along with the other dignitaries awarded the prize winners for their academic excellence . It was followed by the cultural programmes. The whole show, was a wonderful fusion of Indian & Western culture complemented with a harmonious blend of music, rhythm & dance. The programme came to the end with a vote of thanks proposed by the Head of the Department of ECE- Dr. Venkatakrishnan. The team work of the staff members under the able guidance of the Principal and the Administrative Officer, Prof. S. Nagarajan made the event a successful one.

The college in association with Anna University of Technology, Madurai organised Science Day Celebration “SCINO –12” sponsored by Tamilnadu Science and Technology Centre, Chennai on 29th February, 2012 in the college conference hall. It was a one day State Level Skill Exhibiting Competition exclusively for the First year Engineering Students to promote innovative ideas in the field of Science and Education. The objective of organising this competition was to give a superior platform for the young Engineering Buddies to exhibit their skills and talents. Dr. G. Ilangovan, COE, Anna University of Technology, Madurai inaugurated the Scino-2012, Science Day Competitions. Dr. V. Malathi, Dean and Director, Academics, Anna University of Technology, Madurai was the Co-Ordinator for the programme. 102 students from 12 colleges of the neighbouring districts participated in this programme. Three competitions viz. Poster Presentation, Essay Writing Competition, and Short Film Competition were held to test the knowledge of the students in the field of Science and Education. A short film about Sir C.V. Raman was shown to the students in the afternoon. Saraswathi and Selva Siva Santhiya of National Engineering College, bagged first prize in the Poster Presentation Competition. Shiny Angel and Vibina Ann Suresh of Christian College of Engineering and Technology bagged 2nd position. Vignesh and Shameer Ahamed of Syed Ammal Engineeing College stood 3rd in the competition. Shakti Sun Pandi and his team from our College won First Prize for the Short Film. 2Nd prize was bagged by Murugan and his team of Anna University of Madurai, Dindigul Campus and Dharma Rajan and his team of Latha Mathavan Engineering college stood 3rd in this particular competition. In the Essay Writing Competition Jaffrina antony of Christian College of Engineering and Technology bagged 1st Prize , Manulal of our college secured 2nd and Ann Reba of Christian College of Engineering and Technology secured 3rd position. The event came to a successful end which witnessed the perfect team work of the Management, Principal, Administrative Officer and First year staff in collaboration with Anna University of Technology, Madurai.

In the French town of Coupvray, near Paris, there stands a little stone house that, in 1809, was the home of a local harness maker, Simon Rene Braille, his wife Monique and their growing family. On January 4th of that year, the house grew a little livelier with the birth of their fourth child, Louis Braille.

Louis was a bright and inquisitive child, the very characteristics that were to play role both in the tragic accident that caused his blindness and in his triumph over limitations to reading that were normal consequences of blindness at that time. At the age of 3, while playing in his father's shop, Louis injured his eye on a sharp tool. Despite the best care available at the time, infection set in and soon spread to other eye as well, leaving Louis Braille totally blind.
Fortunately, Louis's parents, together with the local priest and school teacher, were alert to his superior learning abilities and eager to provide with him the opportunity to develop them to the fullest extent possible. So, when Louis attained his school-going age, he was allowed to sit in the classroom to learn what he could by listening.
Despite an initial assumption that his handicap would keep him well back of other pupils, he was soon leading the class. At the extraordinarily young age of ten, Louis was sent on scholarship to Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris. The Institution was one of the first of its kind in the world. However, the conditions in the school were not notably better. Louis was served with stale bread and water. There too, most of the instructions were oral, although there were some books in raised-prints developed by the school's founder Valentin. Once again, the diligent Louis did well at his studies, and moreover developed a considerable talent for music, first at the piano and then at the organ. In his time at the school, he was playing organ for churches all over France. The general idea of a tactile alphabet that would allow blind persons to read and write also began to take shape in his mind at this time.
It was, in 1821, a French army captain, Charles Barbier de la Serre, who actually invented the basic technique of using raised dots for tactile writing and reading. His original objective was to allow soldiers to compose and read the top secret information at night times without illumination. It was known as Night Writing. Barbier later adapted the system and presented it to the Institution for Blind Youth, hoping that it would be officially adopted there. He called the system Sonography, because it represented words on the basis of sound rather than spelling. While the Institution accepted Sonography only tentatively, Louis set about using and studying it with his customary intensity. Soon he had discovered both the potential of the basic idea and the shortcomings in some of Barbier's specific provisions, such as a clumsy 12-dot cell and the phonetic basis. Within three years, by age 15, Louis had developed the system that we know today as Braille, employing a 6-dot cell and based upon the normal spelling. Louis was so impressed with the wooden dice which, his father gave to him, had 6-dots notched on it by stitching awl that blinded him finally spurred him to design the Braille letters. He also went on to lay the foundations of Braille representation of music, and in 1829 published the Method of Writing Words, Music and Plain Song by Neans of Dots, for Use by Blind and Arranged by Them.
Although Louis Braille went on to become a loved and respected teacher, was encouraged in his research, and remained secure in his own mind as to the value of his work, his system of touch reading and writing was nevertheless not very widely accepted in his own time. Louis Braille died of tuberculosis on January 6, 1852. In the years that followed, the practicality as well as the simple elegance of his Braille system was increasingly recognized, and today, in virtually every language throughout the world, it's the standard form of writing and reading used by blind persons. If a blind child is taught Braille skills with the same sense of importance that's rightly attached to the teaching of print skills to sighted children, he or she will grow up being able to read at speeds comparable to print readers, a life-skill of inestimable value. Over nearly 200 years after Louis Braille worked out his basic 6-dot system, its specific benefits remain unmatched by any latest technology though, some computers being prime example, both complement and contribute to Braille system.