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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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How to Easily Teach and Accommodate Struggling Readers

How can we accommodate the needs of struggling readers, so they can quickly master this critical skill?  Pedagogy, an educational method that assumes the learner to be a "blank slate" and dependent on the teacher for guidance, evaluation, and the acquisition of knowledge, is a common approach when assisting struggling readers. However, it is often forgotten that these students do have a wealth of prior knowledge that can be utilized. In addition, many of them have specific learning deficits that have left their learning capacity riddled with booby traps that ambush the encoding of information and sabotages confidence. So how can we reach these capable learners?  Luckily, there are three steps that dismantle these snares and fortify each student's academic infrastructure.
dyslexia remediation
    GSL Dyslexia Assessment
    EF screener

Uncover Cognitive Deficits 

First, we need to reveal any cognitive deficits. Comprehensive psycho-educational testing is a great option that reveals areas of weakness that need to be addressed. However, if this is not a viable option, you can always try my free dyslexia screener and free executive functioning screener. You may also be able to define specific deficits just from working with a student. For example, you might notice that they have trouble following directions. Perhaps they reverse letters and words when writing. All of this is valuable information and can help to define areas of cognition that need attention.

Reveal Current Reading Skills and Areas that Require Further Instruction 

Second, we need to uncover a student's present reading abilities as well as areas that demand additional attention. Learning to read is a long and complex process and there is no need, in most cases, to start from scratch.  Instead, it's important to assess each student's current knowledge and specific needs. The Good Sensory Learning Assessment is a quick and affordable option that offers teachers, reading specialists, and parents a simple evaluation that will help guide instruction so remedial needs can be targeted. In addition, the assessment can be used after a remedial intervention to help define areas of growth as well as those topics that require continued support and attention. The subtests include:
      Phonics reading assessment
    • Letter names and sounds
    • Rhyming Words
    • Syllable Divisions
    • Word Blending
    • Beginning Sounds
    • Middle Sounds
    • Ending Sounds
    • Blending Sounds to words
    • Drop the first sound
    • Drop the last sound
    • 1st Grade Sight Words
    • 2nd Grade Sight Words
    • 3rd-grade sight words
    • Nonsense closed syllables
    • Nonsense open syllables
    • Nonsense silent e syllables
    • Nonsense R-combination syllables
    • Nonsense Consonant LE syllables
    • Vowel combinations
    • Syllabication
    • Blends, Digraphs, and Trigraphs
    • Ending Blends
    • Compound Words
    • Prefixes
    • Suffixes
    • Multisyllabic Words

Find Multisensory and Fun Materials

Third, we need to find the best, multisensory, and enjoyable materials that can assist with learning.
There are two types of resources that can help.
      Reading Games
    1. Cognitive remedial activities strengthen processing skills, such as working memory, processing speed, tracking, language processing, and more.  The more these activities are game-like the better, so learners can enjoy the process of building their own cognition.  CLICK HERE to learn more about these tools.
    2. Remedial reading resources need to offer a structured, organized, and memorable way of teaching.  You can use an Orton Gillingham based reading program, but I also incorporate Orton Gillingham and phonics-based fun activities and games to help kindle a joy for learning.  https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/reading 
I hope you found this helpful. If you are interested in all my dyslexia related materials, CLICK HERE If you have any questions, reach out at any time.

Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren
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 and Learning Specialist Courses.

· Blog: https://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/
· YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1
· Podcast: https://godyslexia.com/
· Store: http://www.Goodsensorylearning.com/ & www.dyslexiamaterials.com
· Courses: http://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/
· Newsletter Sign-up: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/69400
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