This braille slate consists of two pieces, a hinged metal guide and a flat wooden board. The bottom portion of the metal guide has four rows of indented braille cells. The top portion has four rows of cutouts that fit exactly over the indented cells and serve as a template for the stylus. Two pegs on the underside of the guide fit into regularly spaced holes at the left and right sides of the wooden board.

Insert the guide into the set of holes nearest the top of the board, with the hinged side at your left. Before inserting the paper, open the metal guide as you would a book. At the top of the board there is a metal clasp with two prongs on the lower piece. Place the paper well up over the prongs, with its left edge against the hinge of the guide and the 11½-inch dimension of the paper running from left to right. To make sure that the paper is inserted straight, keep the bottom of the paper exactly parallel to the lower edge of the board. Snap the clasp shut and close the metal guide over the paper. The prongs of the clasp hold the paper in place, and the holes made by the prongs make it possible to replace the paper in exactly the same position when necessary.

The point of the stylus is used to press the paper into the indented cells, thus forming the desired dots. In doing so, hold the stylus in a vertical position, rather than at a slant, in order to ensure a clear, firm dot. Four lines of braille can be written with the guide in the first position. When these lines have been written, move the guide down into the next set of holes without removing the paper. Continue in this manner until the entire page has been completed.

Source: NLS: Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing