If you've spent any time reading about interventions for learning differences, you've probably encountered the term multisensory learning. The phrase comes up quite often in descriptions of dyslexia therapies, for example. But other than a buzzword, what exactly is multisensory learning? Read on to find out.
We absorb information in many different ways. Sometimes we learn by seeing, as in reading a text . Or we can learn by hearing, such as when a teacher is teaching us a lesson.
For some children, learning through a particular sense can be difficult. Dyslexics have difficulty matching what they hear (spoken language) with what they see (written language).
Multi-sensory learning presents information using more than one sense, thus opening new channels for the brain to learn.
Multi-sensory. Learning presents information using more than one sense, thus opening new channels for the brain to learn. This makes it easier for children to learn in ways that come naturally to them and helps them develop new skills and retain information better.
Let's take dyslexia as an example again. As we said before, it is very difficult for someone with dyslexia to simply associate letters with a visual representation and speech sound. Many intervention programs use multisensory learning to associate letters with colors, movement, shapes, touch, and music.
Some well-known teaching methods that use multisensory learning to teach reading and writing include the Orton-Gillingham Approach, Barton Reading System and Lexia-Hermann Method. Teachers use movement, colors, and other associations to teach the basics of reading and writing in a one-on-one or classroom setting.
Dybuster Orthograph associates letters with color, shape, and sound.
Other methods use technology to give students access to multi-sensory learning. Dybuster software helps students with dyslexia and dyscalculia associate letters and numbers with shapes, colors and musical tones. It uses learning games to improve reading and spelling skills.
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