Handwriting is a very important skill that needs to be honed and used throughout life, regardless of the speed of technology. Even if they are struggling with handwriting, never give up on your child’s ability to write. Even if one child’s road is longer than another’s, the process of building the foundation in a multi-sensory…
Do you have a Love – Hate Relationship with Technology?
As a parent, I struggle with the balance between technology and getting my child out, active and engaged. It seems like our children prefer iPads over hanging out with friends face to face or going out on a walk to explore. If you are a parent of a child with additional learning needs, is on…
Rethinking Sensory Diets for Teens
Sensory Diets are often recommended to help students maintain optimal regulation and attention in the school setting when children are in preschool and elementary school. As children age, their interests and social awareness evolve. This also means that sometimes, what started out as a solid and supportive plan initiated at a child’s PPT meeting becomes…
Sight Word Scavenger Hunt
Supplies: Play Dough Sticky Notes Writing Utensil Set-Up Prior to Child Engagement: Adult writes 5-10 sight words on sticky notes and hides the sticky notes around the room Adult sets a ball of play-dough next to a writing utensil on a non-stick floor or table Procedure: Child looks for one sight word tag. Depending on…
Letter Visualization Activity
Supplies Container with magnet/cut out letters (uppercase or lowercase) Two floor dots/ small mats/ trays/ paper plates Set up Set up two floor spots in classroom/ home at an appropriate space apart so that child can not see the letters on the second spot when standing at the fist spot Spread letters (more or less…
Sight word Visualization
Supplies Sight words from appropriate list written on index cards or card stock Two floor spots, mats, trays, or paper plates 1 container of multiple sets of letter beads (We like these from Lakeshore) White board/paper/ chalkboard Appropriate writing implement for surface (pencil, dry erase marker, chalk) Procedure 1. Place floor spots at appropriate distance…
Sometimes reading fluency is not just about decoding: How hidden vision deficits made me rethink my tutoring session.
As a special educator with 45 years experience and training in Orton-Gillingham, I have always believed in the value of using multi-sensory tools and strategies to teaching reading and math. The Orton-Gillingham approach to reading is a language based, multi- sensory, structured, sequential, cognitive and flexible program. Orton-Gillingham is a well known and respected reading…