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Showing posts from October, 2017

100 Powerful Learning Specialist and Educational Therapy Materials

This week I wanted to tell you about my online store, Good Sensory Learning. I’m Dr. Erica Warren, and I established this site so I could share all the materials that I have created over the last 20+ years as a learning specialist and educational therapist. When I first began my private practice, Learning to Learn, I had great difficulty finding fun and multisensory materials for my students that were effective and engaging. So back in 2005, I made it my mission to design and distribute high-end, remedial products as well as memorable, motivating lessons that bring delight to learning. If you would like to try a free sampling of my activities , CLICK HERE . How Are the Products Organized at Good Sensory Learning? You can download my Free Printable Catalog or you can browse the site using the grey “search all products” bar in the top right of any page with keywords such as dyslexia, working memory, and executive functioning. What’s more, drop down menus in the red banner allow you t
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16 Ways to Make Lessons Memorable and So Much Fun

Making lessons both memorable and fun brings magic into any classroom. Instead of looking to a room of passive, bored faces, you can transform your learners into active, engaged participants. I work with students one-on-one, and this is what makes my practice a success. I often tell my students, if you don’t love coming to our sessions, I’m not doing my job.   16 Strategies that Can Transform Your Classroom or One-to-One Sessions: Don't call home assignments, homework, but come up with a name that is more appealing and motivating such as home fun. Also, when introducing a new lesson or assignment, think like you are selling a product, and be sure to create fun and enticing names. For instance, I do not teach script or cursive, I teach roller-coaster letters! Furthermore, generate excitement for upcoming topics by showing your own enthusiasm. Bring the arts, music, and games into assignments. Many students enjoy fine arts, acting, music, and making as well as playing game
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The Best Option - Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts

Deciding on a post, high school, educational plan can be a challenging task. With the changing landscape of training and career options, traditional values and approaches may not be the best solution anymore. This week I will be focusing my discussion on out of the box, creative learners that are interested in careers in the arts. What are the options? What can students do to prepare for the application process? Formal Training Options: There are a number of choices for high school students that are thinking about having a career in the arts. For formal training, one can consider a liberal arts university and major in art, enroll in a fine arts college, or attend ateliers (schools that train students in realism). 4-Year Liberal Arts College - Bachelors of Arts:  A liberal arts degree can provide you with a well-rounded education that gives you greater career options. Many students dismiss this option, because they don’t want to take the SAT or ACT college entrance tests.
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Self Advocacy - 5 Reasons this Skill Should be Taught

Self advocacy is one of the most important skills struggling students can learn. Whether it is communicating with a teacher about a best learning approach, a needed testing modification, or a classroom accommodation, self advocacy can assure that students get what they need to learn. What is Student Self-Advocacy? Student self-advocacy is when a learner communicates what he or she needs to a teacher or administrator in an academic environment. This skill should be taught in middle school so that students are knowledgeable about the process and procedures by high school. Although it sounds easy, it’s actually quite complex, because students must be savvy about: Individual needs: Students should have a comprehensive understanding of their strengths, weaknesses as well as their accommodations, so that they can monitor services and manage their own needs. Mandated rights: Students should know about the laws that protect students with disabilities, so they can evaluate whether th
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Games that Benefit the Brain

Most kids love to play card and board games, but did you know that many offer benefits far beyond the obvious social gains. Many games are actually good for cognition and can exercise the brain in areas like visual processing, processing speed, executive functioning, attention, and more! There are three types of benefits: Brain Breaks : Some games offer quick “brain breaks” that can be used during homework completion. A quick reward, when stamina is low, can energize the brain and regain focus. Brain Integration : Other games can help integrate the brain. Some students can lack integration between the two hemispheres of the brain and these activities activate the whole brain. Cognitive Remediation : Finally, there are games that help to strengthen specific areas of cognition and they can serve as a form of cognitive therapy. By exercising these parts of the brain, new neural pathways can develop and areas of weakness can be strengthened and even remediated. I have
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