Free, Multisensory, Learning Center Activity: How Many?

Making activities both game-like and multisensory helps to entice and engage young learners.  There are simple facts that every student should commit to memory, and integrating color, tactile manipulatives and puzzle-like instructions can take these mundane tasks fabulously fun. 

Free, Multisensory, Learning Center Activity: How Many?

I created this free activity to help my students learn some important facts.  Each piece can be printed and laminated, and then students can put the image together and fill in the “blanks” using a dry erase marker with the correct information.  The free attachment offers all the materials for you to do this yourself.   What’s more, this activity offers a great project or learning center idea that can be used time and time again. 

For a free copy of this activity, CLICK HERE.

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 & www.learningtolearn.biz  

Fun Clothespin Orton Gillingham Remediation Ideas and More

Incorporating the fun factor can help to make any difficult lesson enjoyable.  I found these cute, little, painted clothespins on Ebay, and I think it will take my lessons to a whole new level.  I have color coded the vowels and consonants as well as the digraphs. There are so many ways I can use these clothespins to enhance my lessons!

It will enhance my lessons for a number of reasons:

• Using these cute, colorful, mini clothespins that measure only 1 1/2 inches by 1/2 an inch will surely engage my learners.
• Opening and closing clothespins also helps to develop fine motor skills.
• Color-coding the letters can help the children differentiate between vowels and consonants.
• Color-coding the letters can also help students discriminate between the different types of syllables.  If you look at the image above, the first two words are closed syllables, the third word is an open syllable, and the final word is a silent-e syllable.
• Placing digraphs on a single clothespin helps the kids to remember that the two letters only make one sound. 

What are some other possibilities?

• You can store them in color-coded, up-cycled pill containers. 
• You can also bring in additional colored clothespins to represent diphthongs (vowel combinations) as well as digraphs.
• You can use large clothespins too.  If you can’t find colored ones, the easiest thing to do would be to make your own.  I have a number of suggestions linked under the next heading.
• You can also use clothespins with whole numbers and integers to help students understand the sequence of the number line and when adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.  
• You can even use clothespins for grammar.  Students can sort nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs etc. onto the correct clothing hanger.  

Other clothespin ideas found on Pinterest:

• Washi Tape Clothespins Tutorial:

        http://www.makelifelovely.com/2013/04/washi-tape-clothespins-tutorial.html?m=1

• Other Clothespin Ideas:

        http://www.pinterest.com/pin/156500155774780549/ 

• Dying Clothespins:

        http://www.pinterest.com/pin/283304632782361405/

• Painting Clothespins:

        http://www.pinterest.com/pin/267049452877129057/

I will be getting bigger clothespins too as they are better at accommodating more than one letter.  This way I can also create activities for prefixes, roots and suffixes.

If you have any comments or some other cool ideas to do with clothespins, please share them below.

If you are looking for other ways to make your Orton-Gillinghman or phonics based program fun and enjoyable, you can review all my reading remediation materials at DyslexiaMaterials.com

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  

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  

Reading Comprehension Strategies for Stories

Helping your students to develop excellent reading comprehension skills can help them to succeed in academics as well as life.  But simply decoding words is not enough.  Successful readers must remember content, understand inferences, maintain focus and make connections. It is a comprehensive process that requires mindful pre-reading activities, reading activities and post-reading activities.

Pre-reading Strategies

1.     Reading a summary of the chapter helps students to conceptualize main ideas so that they can read deeper and prepare to visualize the content.

2.    Questioning prior knowledge about the topic can help students make connections and it can capture their interest.

3.    Skimming a prior chapter or reviewing personal notes can help to bring back the story line or main idea for the reader.

4.    Predicting what will happen in the story can help to engage learners imaginations and creativity.

Reading Strategies

1.     Underlining important characters, settings and events can help the reader document important details.

2.    Annotating or taking notes in the margins can help students to document their thoughts and focus on important events or ideas.  Symbols such as S for setting and Þ for important event can help students to be mindful of key features and actions.

3.    Pretending to be a movie director and trying to make the characters and setting come alive can help students remain engaged and can improve memory for the story.

Post-reading Strategies

1.     Using a notebook or sticky notes to record 3 to 5 bullets that summarize each chapter can help the reader pull the story together.  In addition, this strategy can also be used to help students to write a summary of the book.  Furthermore, jotting notes can also offer a preview when the student returns to read another chapter.

2.    Drawing a picture or more for each chapter that summarizes the events can help students to develop their visualization capacity.

3.    Creating a timeline as the reader progresses through the story can clarify the structure and the sequence of events.  Colorful drawings can also be added to the timeline to help students imagine important details.

4.    Making marks in the book where there are descriptive sections or character descriptions can be a good strategy for students that have trouble visualizing while reading.  When they reach the end of a page or passage, they can go back and visualize the events and scenes.

I hope you found these strategies helpful.  I would love to hear your thoughts.  If you would like a free handout of these strategies click here.

To learn more about academic strategies as well as other helpful learning tools, consider purchasing Planning Time Management and Organization for Success. This publication offers methods and materials that teach learning strategies, time management, planning and organization (executive functioning skills).  It includes questionnaires, agendas, checklists, as well as graphic organizers.  You will also find advice and handouts for math, memory, motivation, setting priorities and incentives programs.  What’s more, the materials accommodate learners of all ages.  Lastly, I offer a free sample assessment from the publication too, as well as a free video on executive functioning.  To Access this 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 & www.learningtolearn.biz  

Free Vowel Combination Game

Using games to teach students the vowel combinations or vowel teams can be a wonderful way to entice your students and brings the fun factor into your lesson.  
Here is a free game, Voweleos, that I created that is similar to the game Dominoes.  

            For two to five players (for 3-5 players make two or more sets mixed together).

The vowel combinations can be:

1. Copied onto 3” by 5” index cards that are cut in half horizontally 
2. Written onto rectangular tiles 
3. Printed on card stock and cut  

            Directions: Play on a surface with a lot of cleared space or play on the floor.  Shuffle the deck or tiles.  Decide which player begins and play proceeds in a clockwise rotation.  Each player or team should be dealt ten cards or tiles.  You can play open or closed handed.  Beginners should always play with their vowel combinations visible to everyone, so that the teacher or parent can assist them.  Place the rest of the deck/tiles face down and turn one card/tile over and display it in the middle of the playing field (the beginning card).  The first player must select one of their cards/tiles that makes the same sound as one side of the beginning card/tile and then place it aside the beginning card/tile.  Like dominoes, you can only play off the ends.  If a player cannot make a move, they must select from the card deck or remaining tiles until they can.  The winner is the first one to use all of his or her cards. 

Please note that you can color-code the cards/tiles to remind students the number of sounds that each vowel combination can make: red = 1 sound, blue = 2 sounds, green = 3 sounds.  For example, ai is red because it only makes one possible sound, whereas ea is green because it can make three possible sounds.  If you would like to play this game before you have introduced all of the vowel combinations, you can make two decks of the red cards/tiles and play with the vowel combinations that make a single sound. 

Here is a list of all the playing cards/tiles.

To learn about other reading games, consider purchasing one of my Reading Games publications. These digital downloads offer a large selection of reading card games and board games that are wonderful for any phonics or Orton Gillingham reading program.  Finally, look on the page for a blue button for a free sample of one of my board games too. If you like this game, please share it with your friends and leave a comment below. 

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  

12 Memory Strategies That Maximize Learning

Most students have had the experience of knowing an answer, but they are unable to access the information in a stressful moment. This is a common difficulty when students are taking a test, as anxiety can block recall.  In fact, one may be able to recall the first letter of a name they are trying to conjure from memory but fail to retrieve the whole word.  In addition, they may be able to describe the word or concept but only call to mind similar words or concepts. 

The brain is much like a filing cabinet, storing information that you have learned, and if a student quickly packs information into their head in a random or disorganized fashion, uncovering the needed material can be a challenge.  Like finding a favorite shirt in a messy room, a student may waste a lot of time searching for the right word, or even worse, they may not be able to demonstrate their knowledge when called upon in class or when recording answers on a test.  This can be frustrating and discouraging.  However, if students take the time to sort the novel information and make connections, recollection can improve significantly. 

Memory strategies are tools that help students organize information before they file it away in their minds.  The following will introduce you to a variety of memory strategies that can assist students with the learning process, so that they can save time, achieve better grades and gain improved confidence in their ability to demonstrate their knowledge.

1. Make Connections: Making connections between new information and prior knowledge can help students learn and encode novel material in an organized fashion.  
2. Chunking: Chunking allows students to organize material into manageable units.
3. Looking For Patterns: Looking for patterns in new material can also aid in some learning situations.
4. Tell a Story: Creating a story about the information to be learned can help with both memory encoding and retrieval.  If stories are humorous, it’s even better.
5. Rhymes: Rhymes use a poem or verse that has a pattern of sounds, especially at the ends of lines.  Creating rhymes with academic content embedded can make recall an easier process.
6. Create a Visual Association: Visual associations allow students to connect a mental or drawn image with the information memorized.  
7. Create an Auditory Association: Auditory associations can help with learning vocabulary.  A word may sound like something that reminds you of it’s meaning. 
8. Graphic Organizers: Graphic organizers are also called Mind Maps, Concept Maps and Flow Charts.  They are all illustrative ways to organize information and thoughts. They are powerful tools that help students make connections and see the big picture. 
9. Acrostics: Acrostics are short sentences that use the initial letter of each word or phrase to be memorized. 
10. Hooking: Hooking is a method that helps students connect the question to the answer so that information is stored in the same location and can be easily accessed.  This is a great strategy for remembering vocabulary words because the answer is embedded in the question.
11. Verbal Rehearsal – Teaching Material:Some students are assisted when they are able to process information aloud.  Many individuals do not really know what they are thinking until they have had the opportunity to articulate it.  Being able to discuss new topics, or even teach the material to others, can be an effective way of securing information into one’s memory.
12. Songs: Songs are wonderful tools that can assist students in memorizing mundane facts.

For a full free document that goes into greater detail on the above memory strategies and provides examples Click Here.

To learn more about these memory strategies as well as other helpful learning tools, consider purchasing Planning Time Management and Organization for Success.  This publication offers methods and materials that guide, and support students in the areas of learning strategies, time management, planning and organization (executive functioning skills).  It includes agendas, questionnaires, checklists, as well as graphic organizers.  You will also find advice and handouts for reading, math, memory, motivation, setting priorities and incentives programs.  These materials were created over a ten year period for my private practice.  What’s more, the materials accommodate learners of all ages from elementary to college.  Finally, I offer a free sample assessment from the publication too, as well as a free video on executive functioning.  To Access this 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 & www.learningtolearn.biz  

How to Find the Right Graduate Program

It is always a difficult process to find the right graduate program.  There are a plethora of options out there and locating the perfect place can be tricky and time consuming. I wanted to share my own personal anecdote as well as some recommendations.  I hope that you find this helpful!  

What inspired this post was a question by one of my followers.  Below you will find their question in blue and my answer in red. 

I am a special education teacher and have been for 20 years +.  I also work as an adjunct professor for several Massachusetts colleges.  I have my masters +60 additional graduate credits, but have yet to commit to a doctoral program because I cannot find one that really interests me. I really want to focus on the impact of movement and exercise, cross-body exercises and increased heart-rate on learning.  How did you go about tailoring a degree program to meet your unique interests?  I’m not sure where to even begin!  Any help or advise you could give me would be so appreciated!    

Thank you,  Karen

Dear Karen:

Thanks so much for your question.  I'm happy to share my experience and some advice.  

When I was looking at graduate programs, I too had trouble finding a single college that allowed me to acquire the needed coursework and education I desired.  I did not plan to have an undergraduate, masters degree and doctoral degree in different areas.  I also did not plan to switch doctoral programs three times.  It all seemed so chaotic, but as I traversed this path, it gave me an unusual insight.  I could see that each department lay isolated, there was little to no communication between the fields, and each provided their own perspective, objective and strategies. To my delight, combining the methods and paradigms was an amazing journey and it offered a unique expertise that has allowed me to bridge some important gaps.  For instance, having a comprehensive understanding of learning, cognition and assessment allows me to qualitatively evaluate the needs of my students.  Also, having an artistic background enables me to bring color, images, illustrations and design into my student sessions which ignites excitement and sparks creativity.  This diversity has become my tool box and continuing education in areas such as mindfulness and nutrition continue to expand my multisensory approach.  So, don’t be afraid to mix coursework from numerous departments and look for a school that offers graduate work in all your areas of intrigue.

I love the fact that you want to combine coursework in the mind-body connection.  It is such an important issue and I can tell you that integrating mindful movement can be magical for many students.  It can also help individuals with disabilities to break through difficult barriers.  

To start the process, make a list of the research articles that you find most inspiring.  Note of the institutions that feature their research.  If possible, contact the author.  Find out what schools they attended, and ask them if they know of any programs that would enable you to expand on your interests.  If they are faculty members themselves, find out more about the possibility of working with them in a doctoral program.  The college matters, but the mentors you encounter in the program far supersedes the reputation of the school.  Check out the backgrounds and interests of all the faculty in each department and if at all possible meet them.  For my masters program in educational psychology, I picked the University of Northern Colorado over New York University as well as Columbia.  My friends and family were shocked, but I never doubted this decision.  The faculty were outstanding at UNC and the assistantship they granted me as well as the individual attention and small class sizes were a perfect fit.

I hope this has been helpful.  If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.  I wish you great luck and fortune on your quest for higher learning.

Cheers, Erica

If any of you have additional advice for Karen, please leave a comment below!

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