Good Sensory Learning Blog

Order of Operations is a difficult concept for young learners, and many teachers use strategies to help students learn the sequence of mathematical steps. The acronyms, such as "PEMDAS" or "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally," are common memory strategies that teachers use to help students remember the order of operations.  Order of Operations Can Be Confusing However, this mnemonic suggests a specific sequence which can cause confusion. Mistakes may result if the student is unaware that multiplication and division as well as addition and subtraction is of equal ranking order. When one has operations of the same rank, the...

Making lessons both memorable and fun brings magic into any classroom. Instead of looking to a room of passive, bored faces, you can transform your learners into active, engaged participants. I work with students one-on-one, and this is what makes my practice a success. I often tell my students, if you don’t love coming to our sessions, I’m not doing my job. 16 Strategies that Can Transform Your Classroom or One-to-One Sessions: Don't call home assignments, homework, but come up with a name that is more appealing and motivating such as home fun. Also, when introducing a new lesson or...

For many students writing can be an overwhelming, taxing chore.   In order to be proficient, students must be able to manage multiple tasks at one time, and to juggle these responsibilities, the following skill must be developed to near automaticity: 1.     Conjuring up and organizing ideas. 2.     Understanding and being able to implement basic grammar and sentence structure. 3.     Recording words through legible penmanship or proficient typing. 4.     Comprehending and utilizing various literacy devices. 5.     Knowing how to spell. If a student struggles with any of the above tasks, their writing will likely suffer. How Can Students Develop the Needed Skills...

For some students the act of writing notes can help to encode classroom lessons, but for others it can present an obstacle that prevents them from learning the content in the moment.  What should we do with students that have such trouble taking notes that it impedes learning? What Types of Students Should Avoid Taking Notes? There are those students that are auditory learners, and they often do best when they can listen to the content without the distraction of taking notes. If these auditory learners also have dysgraphia or dyslexia (weaknesses in fine motor dexterity, language processing, and memory),...

Although there is no specific diagnosis for executive function disorder, or executive function deficits (executive functioning issues), the term is often used to describe the impairment in one's ability to manage their own cognition or executive functions. What are Executive Functions?  Executive function is a term that has become more and more popular in the educational realm as it can have a profound impact on learning. Executive functions (EFs) collect sensory inputs as well as memories and processes from different parts of the brain.  It also has its own virtual whiteboard where one can utilize the inner voice and visualizations...