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Showing posts with the label Abstract Thinking

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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Why Is Critical Thinking an Important Skill to Teach?

In order to teach our students to be critical thinkers , we must step out of the traditional pedagogical paradigm where learners are seen as blank slates that are dependent on their teachers and instead embrace and educational climate in harmony with many anthropological principles. Although andragogy refers to methods used in adult education, this approach offers a much better platform for teaching critical thinking. By embracing a new role as a facilitator, teachers can guide students to uncover intrinsic motivations, interest-based experiences, and problem-solving techniques. What is Critical Thinking? Critical thinking requires active learning and advanced reasoning skills. In addition, it involves rigorous questioning and analysis of ideas, assumptions, views, and values in an attempt to solve problems. Why is Critical Thinking Important to Teach? Critical thinking is a vital skill to teach because it nurtures self-directed learning and helps to train thoughtful a...
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9 Terrific Ways to Teach Inferences and Have Fun

Inferences or implied meanings are often subtle, hidden messages that can be challenging for many young learners to recognize and understand. They require abstract reasoning skills, and for concrete learners, inferences can seem quite perplexing. Most students first encounter inferences when discussing their readings, but I like to pave the way and introduce these ideas through images, metaphors, product names, games, and more. 1) Review magazine advertisements Lesson : Project magazine ads and ask your students to search for hidden images and messages that entice buyers to purchase the products. Look at the pictures, words, colors, backgrounds, symbols, layouts, and more.  Group activity : Encourage your students to find their own advertisements from magazines and newspapers. Ask them to cut out their three favorites and answer the following questions. What are all the hidden messages in each advertisement that helps to sell the product? Can you think of any oth...
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How Can I Improve My Higher Order Language Skills?

When concepts first move from concrete ideas to abstract ways of thinking, some students start to struggle for the first time. This can happen because they have weaknesses in higher order language skills. Higher order language skills , also called higher level language or metalinguistic skills, refers to advanced language processing. It requires abstract and deductive verbal reasoning skills and the understanding of advanced vocabulary and word relationships. But what are the common signs? You Might Have Higher Order Language Problems if: You have problems predicting outcomes. You have difficulties with implied meaning or inferences. You have problems with pragmatic or social language skills. You have difficulties expressing your ideas in words. You struggle with writing skills. You have problems with main ideas and details. You have difficulties understanding jokes, riddles, and humor. You struggle with writing summaries and paraphrasing. You have difficulties ...
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Teaching Inferences - 7 Fun Ways to Master Implied Meaning

Inferences or an implied hidden meaning is an abstract higher-order language skill that is challenging to teach and tricky for students to master. For many concrete learners, taking the leap into hidden meanings is both confusing and frustrating. Most students first come across inferences when reading books, but I like to prepare and teach my students how to make sense of implied meaning through images, metaphors, product names, games, and more.  7 Fun Strategies that Teach Students How to Uncover Inferences: Review magazine advertisements and search for hidden images and messages that lure buyers to purchase products. Look at the pictures, words, colors, backgrounds, expressions, layouts, and more. Encourage your students to find their own magazine advertisements. Ask them to cut out their five favorites and answer the following questions. 1) What are all the hidden messages in each advertisement that helps to sell the product? 2) Can you think of any other hidden message ...
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Teaching Higher Order Language Skills: Abstract and Critical Thinking as Well as Multiple Meanings

Concrete learners, as well as those who struggle with higher order language processing, often experience difficulties when shifting to more abstract ways of learning.  Difficulties may arise when multiple meanings are used in conversation or when reading. Consequently, “reading between the lines” or searching for a deeper meaning can be a challenge. Additionally, concrete or rigid ways of thinking can create miscommunication. It’s easy to misunderstand someone’s intended meaning when they are being sarcastic or they are using unfamiliar vocabulary. I’m sure you have had one of those ah-ha moments in life where you thought, “Oh, that’s what she meant!” Finally, difficulties interpreting jokes, puns, or inferences can lead to one feeling confused or embarrassed. I am sure we all know of a time when someone told a joke and although we laughed along with everyone else, we did not really “get it.” Although learning this important skill is a process for many students, it does not ...
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