This study was designed to address three hypotheses: (1) The reading speed of both readers of French braille and readers of French print will be faster in the silent condition; however, this gain in speed will be larger for print readers; (2) Individuals who acquired braille before age 10 will display faster reading speeds at lower error rates than will those who acquired braille after age 10; and (3) As with the results of previous studies, braille readers who use a two-handed scissors pattern will demonstrate faster reading rates than those who do not, specifically under the silent reading condition. Among the French braille-reading participants in the study the authors observed that the acquisition of braille before age 10 facilitated faster reading speeds. In addition, readers who used the scissors pattern to read braille were generally able to read faster. The instruction of braille, whether in French or in any other language, may best be served by focusing on teaching young readers (and writers) the most efficient techniques while inspiring a desire for reading. Braille should continuously be seen as a written form of communication that needs to be cultivated, even though it takes time and effort. Its importance for linguistic development should not be underestimated; it remains an essential learning tool. (Contains 4 figures.)