Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• How did Louis Braille’s education influence his success as an inventor? (Skill: Summarizing)
After going blind, Louis was encouraged by his family to continue learning and to be as independent as possible. He became one of the best students at school and earned a scholarship to a school for blind students. There, Louis was challenged by the existing ways of reading and writing for the blind. He was inspired to improve the methods blind people could use to read and write. Without his dedication to learning, Louis might never have invented braille, which so many people rely on today.
• What is the purpose of the section titled “Night Writing”? (Skill: Author’s Purpose)
The purpose of the section “Night Writing” is to explain the details of a language system that inspired Louis to create braille. Developed by Charles Barbier, “night writing” used raised dots to represent letters or sounds and help soldiers read messages in the dark. Louis eventually improved Barbier’s system and created braille.
• Why is braille considered “one of the world’s greatest inventions”? Support your response with evidence from the text. (Skill: Cite Text Evidence)
Braille is considered “one of the world’s greatest inventions” because of its impact on the world. The text states, “The raised-dot system is everywhere—in museums and offices and on elevator buttons, ATMs, and more.”