Cognitive Exercises Solve Reading and Math Difficulties

Many young learners struggle with basic reading and math because the cognitive skills required to do these tasks are weak.  Therefore, these children need to strengthen these processing areas before they attempt to learn how to decode words and execute basic computations. 

What are the Core Areas of Cognition Required for Basic Reading and Math?

1.   Sequential processing and memory: The ability to scan, make sense of, and remember information in a sequence or series.

2.   Auditory processing and memory: The ability to listen, make sense of, and remember information that is heard.

3.   Visual processing and memory: The ability to scan, make sense of, and remember visual information and symbols.

4.   Attention to detail: The ability to thoroughly and accurately perceive and consider all the details and then determine the most important piece or pieces of information.

5.   Speed of processing: The ability to perform simple repetitive cognitive tasks quickly and fluently.

6.   Spatial skills: The ability to mentally manipulate 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional figures.

7.   Tracking: The ability to scan text from left to right.

 

Basic Exercises can Help to Remediate Weak Cognitive Areas

Each of the cognitive areas listed above can be strengthened.  However, what is most important is the activities need to be focused and engaging enough to enchant young learners.  From my work with children over the past 15 years, I have recently created two publications that offer fun activities and games that your primary students will be sure to love.  These activities can also be used with older students as a form of cognitive remediation.

Following Directions Primary:

My newest publication, Following Directions Primary, offers a comprehensive, 49 page, digital download that includes process of elimination and coloring activities.  It develops abilities with the use of cute animals and aliens as well as letters, numbers, shapes and arrows. As students develop listening skills, they also enhance linguistic abilities and core cognitive skills.  If you are interested in learning more about this publication you can come to my product page.  You can even download free samples.

Reversing Reversals Primary:

This past summer, I created Reversing Reversals Primary.  This two focuses on strengthening the cognitive foundation needed for reading and math.  It also works on the cognitive areas that impact students with dyslexia such as perception.  This publication, which is available as a digital download, offers 72 pages of activities and a game and teaches all of the cognitive skills with the use of colorful animal images.  If you are interested in learning more about this publication you can come to my product page. You can even download a free samples.

By helping young learners to develop their core, cognitive foundation before commencing with reading and math instruction, you can assure that these students will have the abilities necessary to succeed. Furthermore, you can avoid learning difficulties and allow your young learners to progress with confidence.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com, www.dyslexiamaterials.com & www.learningtolearn.biz  

Mathemagic: Multisensory and Mindful Math Strategies Tailored for the Individual

Many students struggle with the steps required to complete mathematical problems.  They may forget the concept, miss a step, mis-sequence the steps, misread a sign, or struggle with writing out or lining up the numbers.  In fact, even if a student has understood and executed a problem with precision, it doesn’t mean that they will retain that information at a later time.  So what can we do to help these students to encode, into long-term memory, the steps required to complete math computations? 

The 3 Key Components for Effective Math Instruction

1.     Go multisensory: Integrate as many of the 12 Ways of processing as you can into your instructional plan: Visual, Auditory, Tactile, Kinesthetic, Sequential, Simultaneous, Reflective, Verbal, Interactive, Indirect Experience, Direct Experience, and Rythmic Melodic.  To learn more about this click here 

2.    Teach metacognitive and mindful strategies: Metacognition refers to the act of thinking about thinking, or the cognition of cognition. It is the ability to control your own thoughts.  Mindfulness refers to being completely aware of the present moment, as well as maintaining a non-judgmental approach. It helps to develop emotional intelligence and it instructs students to pay attention on purpose.  What’s more, mindfulness can help improve memory, test scores, classroom behaviors and stress management.  To learn more about this click here

3.    Integrate creativity:  Integrating creative lessons and assignments into the curriculum allows students to incorporate their imagination and encourages active participation.  Creative assignments also increases motivation for many students. 

Creating a Math Manual:

One of the most effective strategies I have ever employed with students is creating a “math manual.”  This assignment or project unites the three components of effective math instruction and also brings the fun factor into the classroom.  This can be completed throughout the academic year and checked for accuracy, so that students can use this resource for tests, midterms, finals, and even state exams.

What Format Should be Used?

Students can create the manual by hand or on a computer.  It can be presented in a photo album, a blank book, a binder, or a notebook.

Creating the Cover:

I encourage all of my students to come up with their own unique, creative name and cover for their math manual.  In my illustration at the top of this blog, I called it Mathemagic: A Magical Math Manual. 

Create a Sequence of Color Coded Steps:

Each student should write out the required steps to complete the problem.  This can be done in a linear fashion, a numbered list, a web or flow chart.  I also encourage students to color code the steps as this can also enhance memory.

Use Mnemonics:

Memory strategies are tools that help students organize information before they file it away in their memory banks.  I encourage my students to create their own memory strategies and to use both visual and auditory mnemonics.

Complete a Sample Problem:

Ask the students to provide a color coded sample problem that illustrates the needed steps to complete a problem.

Other Options:
Ask your students to create a song, poem, or rhyme with or without a dance routine to define the steps.  Integrating songs, rhymes and kinesthetics offers further modalities that will help to encode computation skills. 

Sample Math Manual Page:

I hope you you found this helpful!  If you would like a free copy of this division strategy, click here or on the image above.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com, www.dyslexiamaterials.com & www.learningtolearn.biz  

Free Key Word Race Game:

Copyright, 2013 http://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/

Math word problems stump a lot of students, as they have difficulty figuring out how to change a sentence of words into a mathematical problem.  For many, the stumbling block is recognizing and remembering the different key words that signify mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  I’m continually trying to craft fun activities that make the process fun and memorable.  Most recently, I created the Key Word Race Party Game, that I thought I would share. 

Materials needed:  

     1)    Colorful plastic eggs

     2)    2-5 buckets, bowls, shoe boxes or other medium to large containers

     3)    Spoons

Preparation:

     1)    Place the keywords you are reviewing onto colorful plastic eggs.  If you are playing with more than one player or team, make multiple sets.  Each set should be labeled with numbers on the bottom of the eggs to designate team one, team two and so forth.   This will also help sort the eggs for the next play.

     2)    Label medium to large containers such as buckets or shoe boxes with two or more of the following:  Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, and Equals.

How to Play:

Break the class into teams or pairs.  Place the labeled containers on one side of the room and have the players on the other side of the room.  Provide each team with a set of labeled plastic eggs and a spoon.  Instruct the players that they need to take each plastic egg and place it on a spoon.  Then, each player needs to race over to the containers, without dropping the egg, and sort his or her egg into the correct container that classifies the keyword written on the egg.  If the player drops the egg, he or she must collect the egg and start the process over again.  Once the player gets the egg into the correct container, he or she races back and tags a team member who then repeats the process.  The teacher stands at the site of the containers to assure that the eggs are placed in the correct location.  If not, the student must go back with the egg and try again.  Once a team has sorted all the eggs, they must raise their hands to win the game. 

Please note that you can play this game with a single student.  Have the student compete against himself or herself by trying to beat his or her best score.  In addition, you can also play this game outside. 

If you would like to learn about some of my other popular games 

for sale.  Go to: http://goodsensorylearning.com. There, you can 

even download freebies on some of my product pages.

I hope you enjoy these games!!  I would love to hear you thoughts.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

Using Simple Imagery to Help Students Learn Mathematics

Utilizing imagery and visual memory can be very helpful when learning mathematics.  A single picture can help a student define and remember a concept, or it can even help them to recall the steps required to compute a problem.  What’s more, it often brings the “fun factor” into the learning environment as students can pull out their crayons, colored pencils or magic markers to complete the activity.

I recently learned about the Palm Tree Method from one of my students. I scoured the internet to find its origin, but came up empty handed.  So, although I did not come up with this idea, it is still one of my favorites for solving proportions.  Here is a sample problem and the steps to follow.

1. Write out the proportion.
2. Draw a green oval around the numerator of the first fraction and the denominator of the second fraction.
3. Draw another green oval around the denominator of the first fraction and the numerator of the second fraction.  
4. Notice how the crisscrossing ovals create a multiplication sign.  This will remind students that they will be multiplying the numbers circled. 
5. Draw the trunk on the tree as a brown rectangle.
6. Write out the problem:  100·x = 60·80  (placing the equals sign in the trunk of the palm tree).
7. Solve the next step 60·80=4800 (again placing the equals sign in the trunk of the palm tree).
8. Then divide the two sides by 100 to solve for x.

If you would like to learn about other imagery activities to help your students learn math concepts, you might like my products, Measurement Memory Strategies or Why We Should Learn about Angles.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

Learning Place Value with Pompoms and Pill Boxes

Bringing a tactile, visual and experiential component into math instruction can bring the “fun factor” into your lessons.  In addition, incorporating multisensory dynamics into lessons makes them more memorable and concrete. 

This activity is great for math centers, a classroom activity or individual remediation. 

When I teach place values, I like to engage my students with colorful pompoms and pill boxes!  You can usually find pill boxes and bags of assorted pompoms at a Dollar Store.  With a few color coded labels, that cover the days of the week, your pill boxes can be transformed into pompom compartments.  I like to put a single color in each compartment and I color code the labels to match.  This makes it easy for students to reassemble the activity for the next person.  Also, make sure to vary the number of pompoms in each partition.  I like to make a variety of difficulty levels for the students and use the seven boxes as follows:

· Millions, Hundred Thousands, Ten Thousands, Thousands, Hundreds, Tens, Ones

· Hundreds, Tens, Ones, Decimal, Tenths, Hundredths, Thousandths

· Decimal, Tenths, Hundredths, Thousandths, Ten Thousandths, Hundred Thousandths, Millionths

I also like to provide a laminated sheet so students can record answers with a dry erase marker or I place the answer sheet in a dry erase pocket.   Students can check their answers with an answer sheet or a barcode on the back of the pill box.

If you would like this activity, you can create it yourself.  However, this activity, as well as the score sheets, are included in my popular publication, Place Value Panic Game, and Instruction. To learn more, Click Here.

Cheers, Erica
Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

Free Money Game Idea

Integrating games into academic lessons ignites the fun factor, makes instruction multisensory and grabs the attention of even the most discouraged learners.   I, too, enjoy the creative process and love pulling out my craft and scrapbook materials, so the new game of the week brings excitement and wonder into the classroom.  This week, I created the Fun House Money Game to help students develop their skills identifying and adding pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. 

Items needed:

  1) small box

  2) craft or scrapbook paper

  3) glue

  4) scissors

  5) long table or a melamine shelf

  6) marbles or shuffle board pieces (I purchased the shuffle board pieces on Amazon and included the link below.)

  7) play money or real change in a small basket or plastic bin

Process:

  1) Remove the bottom of the box with scissors.

  2) Cover the box with colorful craft paper.

  3) Cut four doorways/holes in the side as illustrated.

  4) Label the doorways: pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.  You can also use this same game for fractions, or other numerical denominations.

How to play:

Place the colorful box at the end of a table or melamine shelf.  Then, give each player twelve marbles or shuffle board pieces.  Next, decide who goes first, and take turns trying to get the marbles/shuffle board pieces into the doorways of the box.  When a marble enters the box, have that player select the correct change from the change basket. Once one of the players has rolled all their marbles into the box the game is over and all the players add up their change.   The winner is the player with the highest total.  

I hope you enjoy this idea!  I would love to hear your thoughts!!

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

Touch Math Games

Touch Math is a commonly used tactile strategy that helps students to get off their fingers when adding, subtracting and even multiplying.  However, this methodology can be even more enticing for students when this technique is taught and then reinforced through fun kinesthetic games.  

Here are some fun ideas:

1. Take a foam football and place the numbers and the touch math symbols on it.
2. Blow up a balloon and cover it with the numbers and touch math symbols.
3. Write the touch math numbers and symbols on large place mats with a non-skid backing.
4. If you have access to a playground with a hard flat surface, write the numbers with their touch math symbols on the ground with colorful chalk.  What's even better, let the students do it themselves.  

If you would like free printable touch math strips and you would also like to learn some more strategies, get some specific game ideas and also obtain images of the touch math numbers, touch math strips as well as touch math activities, come check out my newest publication by clicking HERE

Cheers, Erica

Real Numbers Instruction: Having Real Fun with Real Numbers

Some students struggle with math vocabulary and this is particularly common when students learn about real numbers.  Language processing and vocabulary comprehension is key to this mathematical concept and making this process fun can be difficult.  I have just finished a series of game-like activities that make the process both fun and challenging.  Following Directions: Real Numbers Digital Download is a collection of 5 engaging activities that helps to develop language skills, math vocabulary, tricky wording, attention to detail and more. The Following Directions Series are one of my most popular products and now I have created one just for real numbers and other math vocabulary.

http://goodsensorylearning.com/following-directions.html

Place Value Game and Instruction: Place Value Panic - Enter to win a free copy

I have just finished a new, multisensory product I'm excited to share - Place Value Panic: Card Games and Instruction. This 51 page digital download offers four different printable card games, 8 spinner boards, and fun tactile instruction ideas that use color coding, recycled bottle tops, pill dispensers and pompoms.  If you would like a free copy, you can enter my contest. All you have to do is sign up for my monthly newsletter that offers sale

s, freebies and more eepurl.com/oyQMb or you can like this facebook page. Once you have done that, send me an email erica@goodsensorylearning.com and I will enter your name. The drawing will be on Thanksgiving Day!

To learn more about this product you can go to http://goodsensorylearning.com/place-value-panic-game.html

Cheers, Erica

Monster Multiplication: A New Multisensory and Mindful Approach to Long Multiplication - Free Promotional Copy

Just yesterday I uploaded my new product Monster Multiplication: A New Multisensory and Mindful Approach to Long Multiplication.  If you would like to be entered in a contest to receive a free copy, please follow this blog or "like my facebook page" http://www.facebook.com/goodsensorylearning and follow one of my Pinterest boards http://pinterest.com/drericawarren/ Then send me an email with your email address to let me know (I will not use your email for any purpose other then sending the lucky winners their free promotional copy) - erica@goodsensorylearning.com.  You will then be entered to win!  I will be drawing two winners and sending the promotional copies on Halloween. 

To learn more about the product CLICK HERE
Wishing you all the best, 

Why Should We Learn About Angles?

Learning about angles has never been easier and so much fun. This new PowerPoint first shows students the importance of angles in life. Then it informs students about acute, right and obtuse angles using both visual and auditory memory strategies. Next, students practice their new knowledge by labeling the many angles we can make with our bodies.  Furthermore, complementary and supplementary angles are reviewed using more fun comic-book like memory strategies. The PowerPoint ends with an interactive classroom activity! It's an enjoyable, multi-sensory and memorable lesson that your students will love.

 http://goodsensorylearning.com/math-powerpoints.html  

A Wonderful Lesson for Teaching Students about Angles

    

Learning about the angles has never been easier. First, this PowerPoint illustrates to students the great importance of the many angles in our world. Next, it teaches students about acute, obtuse and right angles using both visual and auditory memory strategies in a comic book like manner. Then, students get to practice these new concepts by uncovering the angles we can make with our bodies. Furthermore, complementary and supplementary angles are reviewed using additional fun and memorable strategies. The PowerPoint finishes with a classroom activity!  It's a memorable and enjoyable lesson students will want to see over and over again.http://goodsensorylearning.com/math-powerpoints.html

Measurement Memory Strategies

http://goodsensorylearning.com/math-powerpoints.html

This is a clever and fun way to learn measurements - like, to name a few - how many inches in a foot, how many cups in a pint, and how many ounces in a pound.  Visual memory strategies make the first half of this Power Point fun, and the second half of the presentation will test the viewers' your new knowledge.