Braille Writing Contest
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What’s it all about?
Funded by the Canadian Braille Literacy Foundation, this annual contest encourages and rewards creativity and braille accuracy. Primary and secondary school students who are eligible for CNIB service compete to win prizes for their original stories and poems.
Everyone who sends in a story or poem receives a certificate (print with braille overlay).
Each entry is assigned a mark out of 50 for braille accuracy by expert transcribers at the CNIB Library. Entries are marked according to each student’s level of braille proficiency. Stories and poems are then reverse-transcribed into print and passed along to our guest judge.
Prizes
| Grades: |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
| 1, 2 & 3 |
$75 |
$50 |
$25 |
| 4, 5 & 6 |
$125 |
$75 |
$50 |
| 7, 8 & 9 |
$150 |
$100 |
$75 |
| 10, 11 & 12 |
$200 |
$150 |
$100 |
Rules
- This competition is open to primary and secondary students who are eligible for CNIB service.
- The competition has two categories - short story and poetry. There are four grade levels: 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12.
- Braille accuracy and creativity are given equal weighting.
- All braille contractions included in the story or poem must represent the work of the student, not braille translation software.
- Entries may be submitted in uncontracted, partially contracted or fully contracted braille.
- If an entry is submitted in partially contracted braille, the student should also send a teacher’s letter explaining which contractions have been taught to date; the teacher’s letter may also explain any special circumstances.
- Entries must be accompanied by a signed entry form
- The deadline for the contest is the end of May each year
- Winners will be notified in September.
- The awarding of any and all prizes is at the discretion of the judges, and all decisions are final.
- CNIB may, at its discretion, publish the stories/poems submitted by the award winners of each category.
Entry form
Accessible MS Word format
MS Word format
Send to:
Karen Brophey
CNIB Library
Braille Writing Contest
1929 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON Canada M4G 3E8
Want braille?
If you would like a braille copy of the contest rules, entry form or writing tips, please contact Kids Line:
Email: kids@cnib.ca
Phone: 1-800-268-8818
Next step:
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To find out more about braille, please visit our braille section.