Thursday, September 6, 2012

Multi-Sensory Learning

Having two kids with sensory/learning difficulties has taught me one thing: Everyone learns differently. We have found "multi-sensory" techniques work best for us.

From www.EarlytoLearn.com: Multisensory learning happens when more than one sense is used to acquire and retain information.  Learning is typically categorized into three modes or types: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.

My kids are kinesthetic learners. 

Kinesthetic learners acquire information best when it is presented in a way that can be touched and experienced- hands-on. They succeed best by participating in field trips, science labs, using manipulatives (blocks, felt, props), and by being actively involved in some type of activity.

So WC and I have been using our Leap Frog Word Whammer to work on our 1st grade spelling lists. I lay out all the letters and give her a word and let her find the letters and build the word.


This is a pic of WC doing the little dance we do when the Word Whammer tells her she made a word "super-duper excellently". We do a little "scratching" and do some rapper-type moves. Well, as rapper-type as these two southern girls can get.


I am pretty sure this is discontinued, but it looks like there is a newer version.

Sadly, this little gem only has space for three letters. But I've ordered some Unifix letter cubes for us to use on longer words. And I guess I'll just have to sing the song myself!

Disclosure: This post contains an Amazon referral link.

6 comments:

Erin said...

my girls love their fridge farm and alphabet builder from leapfrog! i've never seen this one but i just found one on amazon for $27. a little more than i'd like to spend but these toys are awesome so i just ordered! thanks for the recommendation!! addi will love it and they last forever so it will be great for halle too:)

cindy said...

I have 4 kids, one with Aspergers and the other 3 with sensory issues and we also use a multisensory learning appoach. scrabble tiles work well for longer words and legos and army men are big math helpers. i wish mores schools used multisensory teaching.

Renee said...

Sasha, just a few other fun ideas to work on spelling that are fully engaging:

-Writing in a pan of shaving cream. If you spray the foamy shaving cream into a pan and then let them choose a food dye color or two to mix into it as they are writing, they tend to find it really fun. Heck! I find it really fun! Don't start with too much shaving cream, though or you can't see the letters.

- Writing with dry erase markers on the windows (or doors with windows). It seems so wrong to write with markers on the windows that the kids love doing it! Also, this lets them be standing and getting wiggles out as they write it the words!

Hope you guys are doing great out there!
-Renee

Sasha said...

Erin- We LOVED our fridge farm! "You made a match! Hear a cow sound! Moo!" Hope you like the word whammer too!

Sasha said...

Cindy- why didn't I think of scrabble tiles? Genius! Thanks!

Sasha said...

Renee- Thanks for the great ideas! Will definitely try them!