Good Sensory Learning Blog

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,...

Did you know that audiobooks or books on tape can improve word recognition, the proper pronunciation of words and also develop visualization abilities?  Passive learners may not obtain these perks, but with guided instruction on active and mindful reading, these benefits can be easily attainable. How Can Students Reap The Benefits of Audiobooks? For young learners to get the most out of audiobooks, they must learn to be active participants in the reading process.  They can take one of two roles. 1) Students should follow along with the text as they listen to the book: If students read the text...

Getting prepared for the upcoming school year can be a complicated task that involves gathering school supplies, connecting with new teachers and administrators, establishing individual needs, creating house rules and routines, coordinating nutritious meals and snacks, and arranging any needed accommodations. To help with the process, I have created the following checklist: Stock Up on School Supplies Check the school website or call to inquire about of list of required supplies. Find out whether students will store supplies at school or bring them home each day. See if the school will allow you to get an extra copy of all...

What if you could teach struggling readers the trickiest vowel combinations through playful, creative activities instead of drills or memorization? Imagine your students mastering vowel teams while completing coloring pages, word searches, and mazes—all designed to build decoding skills while keeping learning joyful and interactive. Why Vowel Combinations Are So Challenging Vowel combinations—or vowel teams—such as ai, ea, oa, ou, and ee, can be confusing for many young readers. These sounds don’t always follow predictable rules, and students often struggle to remember which combination makes which sound. Without the right support, even bright learners can feel frustrated and lose confidence A...