Good Sensory Learning Blog

Foreign language courses are mandatory for graduation in many high schools and colleges, however, for some students with language-based learning disabilities such as dyslexia, this requirement may feel insurmountable. Luckily, schools and even Ivy League colleges, such as Dartmouth, are now granting students with well-documented learning disabilities waivers of foreign language requirements. Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 have now paved the way to reasonable accommodations and substitution courses that have widened the route to graduation. 5 Reasons Dyslexic Students Should Avoid Traditional Foreign Languages Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability, and learning a foreign language presents...

Long multiplication is often one of the most challenging math skills for elementary and middle school students to learn and remember. Many children struggle to keep steps in order, line up numbers correctly, and stay focused throughout the process. That is why I created Monster Multiplication, a multisensory, engaging, and mindful approach that helps students understand and master long multiplication with confidence and ease. This resource is designed to support all types of learners, including those with learning differences, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, executive functioning weaknesses, visual-spatial challenges, and fine motor difficulties. Rather than relying on rote memorization, Monster Multiplication guides...

Dyslexia is consistently found to be associated with academic difficulties. As a result, many of these learners require additional help at school or in their community by a qualified professional. Alternative reading instruction is a common approach, but many of these struggling learners require a more comprehensive method. Remedial help needs to focus on strengthening areas of weaknesses, while nurturing abilities and developing compensatory learning strategies. What's more, many of these learners possess both physical and emotional concerns that also require attention. Cognitive Problems for Students with Dyslexia: There are a number of common cognitive processing areas that require remediation: Visual...

Many parents and professionals ask me about the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading and spelling. It is a well-researched and multisensory way of teaching struggling readers.  In fact,  popular programs such as Lindamood-Bell, Wilson, Barton, Fast Forward, and Spire are all based on this incremental approach. What is at the Heart of the Orton-Gillingham Approach? I created the following infographic above helps provide an overview of the process. When was the Orton-Gillingham Approach Created, and Who Designed it? The Orton-Gillingham approach has been around since the 1930's. It was designed by a Samuel T. Orton, neurologist and pathologist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and...

Although there is a common formula to writing a five-paragraph essay, students soon learn that each teacher has their own unique preferences. I can remember a teacher that didn’t allow students to use the transition, “on the other hand,” unless they had already used, “on the one hand.” Some insist on transitional sentences, others do not. Some want a student’s thesis statement in the middle of the introduction, while others want it at the beginning or even at the end. As a result, students have to adjust their writing to accommodate each new teacher. How can this be done? Help...