Good Sensory Learning Blog

What is the Difference Between a Tutor and a Learning Specialist? A tutor is a teacher who assists students outside of school. They provide support and review concepts with difficult subject matter or classes. Oftentimes, they help with homework completion and may address some study strategies. Tutors usually hold a degree in the subject(s) instructed, and many have an undergraduate degree or higher. Also you can check out our article on the difference between a tutor and a teacher. A learning specialist is an instructor who is skilled and experienced in providing learning strategies to struggling students. These professionals work one-on-one...

Due to high classroom expectations and an increase in testing, I find that more and more of my students are coming to my after school sessions spent and weary from a long day at school and many are plagued with social and/or academic anxiety. Additionally, I’m seeing this concerning profile in a younger and younger student population. How Can I Address Low Stamina and Student Anxiety? At first, I offered my students the opportunity to dip their hands into what I call my, “zen table.” The zen table is a hollow coffee table that I filled with lentils, mung beans,...

Integrating fun activities that help students to improve their language processing skills can be a great way to ignite a love for learning and strengthen cognition. In fact, strong language processing skills are vital for interpreting and interacting with the environment. What is Language Processing? Language processing is how people use sensory stimuli to process and understand incoming information as well as how they use words to verbally express ideas and feelings. Therefore, it is how the brain understands (receptive language) and creates language (expressive language). What are Some Signs of Language Processing Difficulties? Problems following oral directions. Difficulty expressing...

Having to complete homework after a full day of school is really challenging for some learners. The thought of having to pull out books and get back to work after sitting at a desk for most of the day can be an overwhelming and daunting undertaking. In fact, many students would rather do just about anything than school work. So what can we do to help them get through their assignments in a focused and mindful manner? A Consistent Beat Can Help Improve Mood, Attention, Processing Speed and Stamina Metronomes have been used to enhance abilities in sports and music for...

Frixion pens, highlighters and markers are currently my favorite tool for making my sessions both fun and memorable. From colorcoding, to erasing mishaps, to sending secret messages, these magical writing utensils will engage students of all ages. Just this past week, one of my students, that is a senior in high school, had a blast breaking down the steps required to complete mathematical logarithms. What Are My Favorite Frixion Options? Most recently, I found a set of 24, different, vibrant markers that can bring a rainbow of colors to assignments and projects. Best of all, with the swipe of the attached rubber eraser, the ink disappears. I’m...