Good Sensory Learning Blog

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 functioning refers to a set of cognitive processes that act as the brain's conductor, orchestrating various mental tasks to achieve goals and manage behavior. It includes foundational skills such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, which work together to guide behavior, problem-solving, and decision-making. These core functions lay the groundwork for more advanced, higher level executive...

For many struggling readers, sight words can seem like an impossible hurdle. Sight words are high-frequency words that are commonly seen when reading and used when writing.  Students are encouraged to memorize these words by sight because most do not follow standard decoding rules and can not be "sounded out." What if a Student Struggles with Visual Memory? Over the years, I have tried a multitude of strategies to help my struggling students master sight words.  Repetitive, multisensory lessons were a bore, games were a great improvement, but the best technique, to begin with, is creating a multisensory memory book.  Instead of...

Dear Friends: The next two weeks I will be writing about processing speed. This week I will focus on how processing speed can be evaluated, the causes of a slow processing speed, and the 5 ways that a slow processing speed can impact learning. Next week, I will be sharing 7 powerful strategies for student success as well as reasonable accommodations in the classroom. Have you ever noticed that it takes some students longer to make sense of questions, generate an answer, copy from the board, complete a project, or get everyday tasks done? While some learners can quickly absorb...

Resilience and grit are two popular terms in education that are associated with student happiness, motivation, and academic success. These are learnable behaviors, thoughts, and actions that help learners cope with stress, face adversity or trauma, and bounce back from challenging experiences. Angela Duckworth proposes that the development of grit is an important skill to teach our students. In fact, Duckworth shows in her research that grit is a better gauge of academic achievement and success than one's IQ! What is Resilience? Resilience is an attribute or skill that helps us recover from negative events or feelings, cope with challenges and adversity,...