Reading Assessment for Orton Gillingham and Phonics Based Reading Programs

I just wanted to announce my newest publication: Good Sensory Learning Reading Assessment.  It 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.   It works seamlessly with any phonics or Orton-Gillingham based reading program.   Moreover, the evaluation can also be utilized post remedial intervention to define cognitive growth as well as areas that require continued attention and support. Twenty three, quick subtests are administered to a single student, and the test can be administered in one or more sitting(s). 

If you are interested in seeing a free, full length preview.  Feel free to click on the following link, where you can download it for free, and if you like it, you can purchase the item too.

http://goodsensorylearning.com/reading-assessment.html

Cheers, 

 

Help for Struggling Readers

Many students struggle with the cognitive skills needed to be good readers.  With weak abilities in the areas of visualization, tracking, visual processing, auditory processing and/or memory, the practice of reading can soon become, frustrating, tiresome and laborious.  When kids pair negative associations and feelings with books, they may avoid picking up a book altogether.   For the same reason that you would not build a sky scraper on a weak foundation, for these kids, it is important to strengthen the individual areas of cognition first.   Many of these skills can be developed through game like activities that kids enjoy.    Here are a few ideas that you might like to try:

1)        When reading to your children have fun sharing your visualizations with one another by imagining what the settings and characters look like.  You can even encourage your children to come up with their own illustrations for stories.   

2)        Pull out a newspaper and encourage your child to find a specific word, such as the word the, on the page.  Encourage them to follow the words from left to right so that they are strengthening their tracking skills.  They can use their finger, a thin strip of paper or even a highlighter to keep their place.

3)        Play games such as the memory game - where students flip cards to find pairs, or get a free app like the old game Simon which strengthens visual and auditory memory.

In addition, I also offer four publications that might be helpful.  I have two visualization training PowerPoints, and I also have two workbooks titled Reversing Reversals and Reversing Reversals 2 that work on these foundational skills.  Click on the images below to learn more and download a free image of the 10 visualization skills as well as free samplings of both of my workbooks. 

Cheers, Erica

Alphabet Cookies - Practical and Delicious

Now you can take your favorite cookie recipe and cut the dough into the alphabet!  You can use it for learning the letters, spelling names, and even making words and sentences.  If you don't want to use them for cookies, you could use it to cut up a pan of jello!  Finally, if you want to make it into something that is not edible, you could use the cutters to make the letters out of clay or play-dough   See below for a link where you can buy them!

Have fun!

5 Strategies that Make Learning the Alphabet a lot of Fun

Learning the letters can be a lot of fun! Here are 5 Strategies that your children will be sure to love.  

1) Fill a tray with a light coating of sand, ground coffee, flour, or rice.  Make sure that the tray is a contrasting color so that when the kids make the letters, they can see the surface of the tray underneath.
2) Form the individual letters out of food that starts with that letter.  For example, make the letter B out of sliced bananas, carve the letter O in the rind of an orange, or make the letter M out of mustard.
3) Have the children find the letters in the environment.  For example, they might see that two intersecting branches make the letter T, a portion of a ladder makes the letter H, or an Allen wrench or hex key makes the letter L.
4) Boil spaghetti and cool it.  While it is still pliable let the children form the different letters.  Then let the letters dry and paint them. 
5) Take pictures of the letters that the children made in the prior activities.  Print them out and let them spell simple words with the letters or even make their own name.

If you try these activities, I'd love to hear your thoughts!  

Cheers,  

Inference Activities Ideas, Freebie and Workbook Link

Inferences are often tricky to teach and challenging for students to learn.  They are abstract notions or concepts that are implied through language or images.  Therefore, concrete ways of learning have to be placed aside and students have to learn to uncover hidden messages.  Personally, I like to use advertisements for my lessons.

Here are a number of strategies that can help you to teach this skill:

    1)   Magazine advertisements often have hidden messages to help entice buyers.  Look at magazine ads and discuss the inferences.  Consider the colors, backgrounds, expressions, layouts and more.

    2)   Likewise, billboards offer inferences.   Look at all the details in the image and discuss what the billboards are trying to sell and what in the images makes you want to buy that product. 

    3)   Similarly, television commercials can offer some wonderful opportunities for students to practice their inference skills.  Again, ask yourself what they are wanting you to buy and what strategies they use to tempt possible customers.

If you would like to purchase a product that has already compiled images for you as well as other inference activities and a game, you can come learn more about my product, Making Inferences: The Fun and Easy Way.  You can even download a freebie sampling of the activities!  http://goodsensorylearning.com/making-inferences.html

Cheers,

Come Check Out a Christmas Linky Party

I just contributed to a Christmas linking party for both free and paid items.  If you are looking for some holiday materials come check it out!!  http://theconstantkindergartener.blogspot.gr/
Cheers,

Alphabetizing Exercises Help to Develop Memory and Organizational Skills

Alphabetizing is an important skill to master.  It helps develop organizational skills, executive functioning abilities and it even improves memory.  Furthermore, if we sequence materials that we are encoding into our brains, it makes it easier to access at a later date.  In addition, when we apply these principles to everyday life, it can help us to access our personal materials quicker and more efficiently.  Moreover, it is a skill that is needed in many employment positions.  The problem is that most alphabetizing activities are dull and boring.  Alphabet Roundup is my newest product, and it makes the process both fun and memorable.  Four different decks from beginners to advanced can be sorted and also played in a card game.  Amusing images and names will keep all the players chuckling.

Come Check it out!!

http://goodsensorylearning.com/alphabetizing-games.html

Compound Word Game, Making Connections, Also Develops Critical Reasoning, Mental Flexibility and Sequencing Skills

Developing language processing skills, critical thinking, mental flexibility, verbal reasoning and sequential processing abilities, is foundational in any elementary education.  What's more, these lessons need to make the learning process engaging and fun.  I created Making Connections Compound Word Games to address these areas.  Learning specialists, homeschoolers, teachers and parents can now help students develop these skills!  Your students will love these brain teasers!  They can be quite challenging, so this product will offer a lot of fun for students of all ages.  I now even offer a free sampling, so come download it today!

http://goodsensorylearning.com/making-connections.html

Cheers,