Good Sensory Learning Blog

Do you ever have to bribe your students with candy or stickers to entice them to read through long lists of words or complete workbook activities? There are a multitude of phonics and Orton-Gillingham based reading programs available on the market, but so many of them place struggling readers through boring drills and activities. I experienced the same problem. What could I do? I Created Games to Bring the Fun Factor into My Lessons: Over the past few years, I created a system to make any reading program fun and motivating. I designed and published board and card games to...

Wouldn't you like to be the teacher that inspires a sense of excitement and wonder in the classroom and creates lessons that put students in a state of awe? While research on awe is quite new, studies conducted by Dacher Keltner at the Greater Good Science Center have shown that experiences that generate a state of awe foster enthusiasm, exuberance and even an overall sense of wellbeing! How Can We Reach a State of Awe? When people experience an inspiring video, image or mind-expanding idea or theory, they often feel a sense of "wow" that motivates and opens them up to new...

 Over the last 20 plus years as a learning specialist and educational therapist, changing demands have inspired new directions in my continuing education and practice at large. During this period of time, I have witnessed increasing academic expectations, competitive classrooms, and both real and virtual bullying. In addition, with handheld devices at their fingertips and growing class sizes, competing diversions are constantly challenging learners at all times of the day and in all locations. For many, this can offer a distraction from the present lesson or assignment. It can also create a state of overwhelm that triggers the amygdala into...

Listening to books on tape or to someone reading aloud can improve reading comprehension because the brain does not have to work on decoding the words but can simply focus on the content. But merely laying back and passively listening is not always the best approach, because it is easy for personal thoughts to interrupt the text content. Therefore, for this mode of learning to be most effective, it is best for the listener to do one of two things: Scan the text: Scanning the text while listening will not only help maintain attention, but it will assist with sight...

Many learners struggle to master the five paragraph essay. When I work with students on an individualized basis, I'm continually teaching this concept. To help, I created a free Prezi for my students and other professionals, parents and teachers that want to help students master the formula behind writing a 5 paragraph essay. Students can also use this as a reference each time they are assigned a new essay. In addition, because many teachers have their own variations or tweak to the 5 paragraph essay, students can show the Prezi to the teachers and make any needed alterations. I'd love...