Good Sensory Learning Blog

It's easy to forget how challenging it can be to learn the complexities of linguistic skills. Following oral directives, interpreting the needed steps to complete assignments, understanding multiple choice questions, and discerning a teacher's written instructions are just a few instances of how young learners need to know how to navigate the subtleties embedded within our language. For many children, learning to follow directions is a complex task that requires explicit instruction, and the mastery of this skill involves vocabulary development, mental flexibility, attention to details, listening skills, receptive language skills, verbal reasoning, and expressive language skills. What Happens When...

When concepts first move from concrete ideas to abstract ways of thinking, some students start to struggle for the first time. This can happen because they have weaknesses in higher order language skills. Higher order language skills, also called higher level language or metalinguistic skills, refers to advanced language processing. It requires abstract and deductive verbal reasoning skills and the understanding of advanced vocabulary and word relationships. But what are the common signs? You Might Have Higher Order Language Problems if: You have problems predicting outcomes. You have difficulties with implied meaning or inferences. You have problems with pragmatic or...

The English language is packed with confusing rules that can make decoding and reading difficult tasks to master. What's more, many of the workbooks and activities are boring, and even if students complete the lesson, it doesn't mean that they can apply the content in a different learning situation. However, presenting the same content in a game-like format can make a lesson memorable and engaging even for struggling learners. Here is a fun game that my students love to play. It's great for literacy centers or reading centers, and it will also assist students with spelling. Game Materials:  1.5 -2.0...

Although many educators and parents know about the correlation between learning and movement, many disregard the connection once children get beyond kindergarten. But did you know that encouraging students to sit still while learning and even completing homework could do more damage than good? Sitting is Bad for the Body and the Brain The human body was not designed to sit for long periods of time, and research is now suggesting that a sedentary life is as detrimental to one’s health as smoking cigarettes. Sadly, many school-age children are now sitting in excess of 8 to 12 hours a day,...

One of the most common issues teachers struggle with is how to accommodate the multiple intelligences and diverse learning needs of their students. With as many as 12 different ways of processing information, teachers can get overwhelmed developing a multisensory approach that accommodates the unique learning needs of each student.   Luckily, there is a solution. Multisensory learning that uses multiple senses can engage students and struggling learners. A classroom teacher, educational therapist, or parent can employ multisensory instruction to help children grasp foundational reading skills, reading strategies, letter sounds, spelling patterns, alphabet letters, math concepts, and subject-based learning to name a few....