Good Sensory Learning Blog

I just wanted to announce my phonics-based reading assessment: The Phonic Assessment for Reading and Targeted Support. This comprehensive reading evaluation was created for teachers, reading specialists, learning specialists, and parents who need a simple but comprehensive reading evaluation instrument that can direct instruction so specific reading needs can be targeted. Instead of putting a student through a whole reading program, remediation can be tailored to address areas of weakness so that the student can quickly experience success. Can I Use This Assessment with a Reading Program? This assessment works seamlessly with any phonics or Orton-Gillingham-based reading program. Moreover, the evaluation...

Main ideas and details are fundamental, core concepts every elementary student needs to master. It is the foundation of reading comprehension, writing and the organization of ideas. In fact, mastery of these abstract concepts can even help students improve memory, note taking skills and enhance their understanding of lessons. What are Main Ideas and Details? Main ideas are the most important central concept or claim that can be expressed visually in writing (often as a thesis or topic sentence) or orally in conversation. Details are single ideas that illustrate a point, explain a concept, or otherwise support the central idea....

Most people know the saying: Two heads are better than one.  Similarly, one brain with two integrated hemispheres can be equally as powerful.  It is common knowledge that the brain has two hemispheres that are bridged by a bundle of nerves that travel across the corpus callosum. Although this overpass exists, it doesn’t mean that it is always used. In fact, you will often hear of people claiming to be right or left brain dominant, and many people function quite well using predominantly “half a brain.” However uniting the power of both hemispheres and assimilating experiences, students can create an internal...

Phonemes are the smallest units of language based sounds that can be paired with graphemes or symbols that represent those sounds. These sound/symbol associations are the foundations to writing and reading text, and teaching them to young learners can help boost learning potential. Why are There 44 Phonemes When the Alphabet has only 26 Letters? There are 44 unique phoneme sounds in the English language for two reasons.  On the one hand,  some letters make more than one sound, while on the other hand, certain letter combinations, such as the vowel teams, make their own unique sounds.   So even though...

Visual processing is an important cognitive skill for students to master. It assists with the encoding of information into the brain, and it helps students make sense of the learning content. This skill often needs to be developed and exercised, and there are many engaging activities that can help. What is Visual Processing? Visual processing is a cognitive skill that allows us to process, interpret and find meaning from visual images. In other words, it is how we make sense of what we see. Why is Visual Processing Important? Visual processing is vital because it plays a key role in...