Can Braille Readers Have APD? A Conversation About Phonological Awareness, Literacy, and Real-Life Listening

I found myself in a thoughtful disagreement this week with an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) specialist who questioned the relevance of auditory processing disorder (APD) and phonological awareness in blind children learning to read Braille.

She pointed out that the EY braille curriculum includes phonics instruction, which is true, and I respect the structure and purpose of these programs. But here is where our views diverge.

Phonics instruction only works when the brain can clearly access and process the sounds. That becomes difficult for children with APD, even if they are blind. If a child’s auditory input has been distorted because of repeated ear infections, neurological processing issues, or brain-based auditory differences, their ability to form accurate internal sound maps can be impaired. And that affects decoding and spelling, whether the child reads print or Braille.

Some research suggests that congenital blindness can lead to cortical rewiring that enhances auditory perception. In fact, that is one of the reasons I am starting to look at O&M skills as a powerful tool for real-life auditory training, using spatial sound, echolocation, and environmental listening as part of how we strengthen the auditory system. But even with that potential advantage, it is important not to overlook the impact of disordered or underdeveloped auditory processing pathways.

It is also worth saying this clearly. Phonics instruction does not teach meaning. It teaches how to connect what you hear, or internally process as sound, to what you see or feel in print. That link improves decoding. And when decoding becomes automatic, it frees up working memory and makes comprehension easier. Without that link, each new word has to be memorized from scratch, and that gets exhausting fast, especially for kids with attention or memory challenges.

The ABC Braille Study showed that many braille readers initially score well on early phonics tasks, yet by second to fourth grade, many struggle with decoding, fluency, and comprehension, especially those with additional disabilities. This suggests that exposure to phonics is not enough if the phonological signal itself is weak, distorted, or incomplete.

Children who are blind can still have APD. They may not always show it the same way, but if we dismiss auditory clarity as a foundational part of literacy, we risk missing one of the most fixable access points.

That said, some people absolutely do find their way using whole-word memorization, especially if they are highly verbal or have excellent memory skills. It is not that phonological access is the only way. It is that for many kids, especially those with additional challenges, it may be the only sustainable way to build reading fluency and vocabulary without overloading memory.

Curious if others have seen similar patterns or are also exploring the overlap between O&M and auditory training. Let’s talk about it.

References:

Emerson, R. W., Holbrook, M. C., and D’Andrea, F. M. (2009). The ABC Braille Study: Results and implications for teachers. Retrieved from www.pathstoliteracy.org

McWeeny, S., and Norton, E. S. (2024). Auditory processing and reading disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Studies of Reading, 28(2), 167–189

Merabet, L. B., and Pascual-Leone, A. (2010). Neural reorganization following sensory loss: The opportunity of change. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11, 44–52