Storywalk - My City Speaks

In our story, you’ll get a glimpse at a fictional city – in some ways it is different from Lexington, in some ways it is the same.  As you read each page, think about our town – does Lexington share any of the characteristics of this city?

Go for a Walk and Listen to What Lexington is saying

Like the city in our story, Lexington speaks too!  What is Lexington saying to you as you walk around Lexington?  What do you feel? What do you see? What do you smell? What can you taste?

Learn About It: The White Cane

The girl in our story is blind or has low vision and uses an assistive mobility tool called a white cane.

White canes allow people who are blind, low vision, and DeafBlind to navigate the world around them safely and independently.  They rely on their other senses, such as hearing and touch, to explore and understand the world around them.  The white cane essentially makes their hands and arms longer, so they can assess the situation and allows them to move quickly and confidently because it provides information to the user about the surface they are walking on, including obstacles in their path, steps and curbs they may encounter, cracks or uneven places in the sidewalk, doorways, and much more before they encounter them.

Important Etiquette:

If you see a white cane user, there is no need to shout warnings or try to physically steer them so their canes won’t bump into things – they are using their canes to explore what is around them.  If you think someone might need help, ask them before intervening and respect their answer.  Unwanted or unexpected assistance can be a safety hazard.

Learn About It: Braille 

More information about how Braille works is available from Perkins School for the Blind.

Braille is a code (not a language) used by people who are blind or low vision for reading and writing. There are different “grades” and versions of braille, the most basic is “grade one braille” in which every letter is transcribed. Every letter in the English alphabet has a braille character which is made of a combination of raised dots in the braille cell. 

Braille numbers are similar to letters but have a special number sign character in front to tell readers that the characters that follow are intended to be numbers.  There are also special codes for math, music notation, and many languages have their own braille codes.