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Showing posts with the label Teaching Strategies

How Can Teachers Trigger Dopamine and Improve Learning?

Wouldn't it be great if a teacher's actions triggered neurotransmitters in the brains of their students that improved attention, motivation, and learning at large? Many would say that this idea sounds like a science fiction novel, but, in fact, it's not far from the truth. What Role do Neurotransmitters Have in the Learning Process? Countless chemical messengers called neurotransmitters are perpetually maintaining our brain's functions and regulating our breath and heartbeat. They even manage our attention and ability to learn. In addition, they also impact a wide variety of emotions including fear, happiness, and boredom. One neurotransmitter, in particular, offers a secret advantage to learning - dopamine. What is Dopamine and How Does it Impact Schooling? Dopamine, commonly referred to as the "feel-good brain chemical" is made by our brains. Dopamine plays a role in feeling satisfaction and joy, and it is vital to our ability to plan and think. Here ...

How to Quickly and Easily Write Neatly with Zoom Annotations

When working with students online using Zoom, it can be frustrating and messy when trying to write out lessons with your mouse. Although Zoom does offer a great typing tool, when doing math problems or drawing an image or diagram that requires a less linear approach there are better options out there. How Can You Use an iPad During Zoom? A great way to write and draw neatly on a Zoom session is to link your iPad to the Zoom session and share the screen. You can do this through airplay or by using a cable. Simply: First, select the green button at the bottom of the screen that says share screen Second, select either: iPhone/iPad via AirPlay OR iPhone/iPad via a USB to lightning cable. * I find the use of a cable to be a more reliable option. Third, allow screen sharing on your device by selecting: "Trust this computer" on your device. If it doesn't work, make sure both your iPad and Computer are updated to the latest versions and restart the devices. Fourth, you should ...

Informative Zoom Presentations and Support for Educators

Have you been looking for a supportive community to help you manage the academic and emotional needs of kids? Are you an educator or parent that has questions about the best schooling options? Perhaps you would like to learn more about topics such as executive functioning, dyslexia support, serving the needs of struggling students, remedial methods, and more. Dear friends: I hope you are safe and well during this strange and awkward time! With all this social isolation, I've really come to understand the importance of connection and community. In the past, I have been fortunate to have developed some lovely relationships with a number of my followers and students, and I want to reach out to more of you! I have decided to offer a monthly Zoom group that will feature a focused topic, presentation, and discussion. It won't be a webinar, because I want us to be able to see, interact with, and support one another. Instead, it will be a regular Zoom session with a limited number o...

The 12 Ways of Learning - A New Approach to Empower Students

I think we all agree that no two people have the same strengths and weaknesses. But because we cannot observe the inner workings of the brain, it’s easy to assume that what helps us learn, will help everyone. In fact, some teachers and parents may insist on certain approaches. So should parents and teachers step out of their own preferred ways of learning and accommodate the unique needs of others? How can this possibly be done? What are the 12 Ways of Learning? I have been working with children and adults as an educational therapist for over twenty years, and I can promise you that everyone has their own unique ways of processing information. The 12 ways of learning offers a dozen diverse methods that can be used to help learners encode information. When exposed to these distinct approaches, learners develop learning preferences that are also influenced by their cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The image below offers a quick summary: So instead of thinking about ...

A New, Quick Way To Draw On PDF and Images

You can now save time, money, and space! Did you know that you do not have to print out your classroom or tutoring activities anymore? You can simply open a PDF, or with the newer MacOS operating systems, a simple screenshot of a pdf, Word doc, Google doc, web page, or even a printed workbook page instantly offers drawing and writing tools that can be used to complete the activity. If you want more drawing, tracing or coloring options, you can share the image to the drawing App, Procreate. To top it off, as soon as the student completes the activity, they can then save and forward the completed image in a text or email! This lightens book bags, saves on paper and ink, and it is better for our environment! Let me show you how to do this. What is a Screenshot? A screenshot captures the image you see on your screen and stores it on your camera roll, and it can be edited, shared, and stored. How to do this on an iPad: Find the image, file, ...

How to Quickly Teach Multiplication Facts with No Struggle

I know far too well that rote memorization is both boring and frustrating for many young learners. Over the years, I have also witnessed many students that struggle to learn these foundational skills to resist the process, exhibit anxiety and begin to question their own intelligence. This is why coming up with a new approach to teaching multiplication and division facts was one of my first priorities when I opened my educational therapy practice 20 years ago. What are the 4 Secret Ingredients to Learning the Basic Multiplication and Division Facts? Creating a multisensory learning process : In other words, how could I meet the learning needs of all of my students by conduct to a symphony of senses? Tapping into visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic styles was primary, but I also wanted to make the process a highly organized sequence of steps that offered students the opportunity to verbalize, interact with others, and directly experi...

How to Teach Writing - A Structured and Multisensory Approach

In my practice as a learning specialist and educational therapist, I have witnessed that students are receiving less and less writing instruction in school. In fact, it is an academic skill that is requested by most parents, homeschoolers, and young adults that come to see me in my practice. https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/color-coded-writing-a-structured-and-multisensory-approach-to-teaching-writing-skills What is my Experience Teaching Writing? Over the past 20 years, I have had enormous success teaching discouraged and struggling writers, and it has taken me much of that time to create all the materials and high tech solutions. This multisensory and highly structured approach works with all students from the gifted to those with learning disabilities. In addition, my methods work for students in elementary, middle school and high school. How Can I Learn to Be an Accomplished Writing Specialist? Now, I'm happy to share my approach with you! ...

How Multisensory Teaching Works - Inspire Superior, Excited Students

When experiences tap into all our senses as well as a variety of ways that we can process and organize information, not only does it grab our attention, but it becomes extremely memorable. The term multisensory teaching has been around for some time, but the concept has matured and grown over time. What does multisensory mean? The term multisensory means that one is using more than one sense to perceive the world around them. When applied to learning, this means that learners use more than one sense such as sight, hearing, and touch to learn academic content. What is a multisensory approach to learning ? A multisensory approach to learning, multisensory teaching, or multisensory instruction, is a way of teaching that engages students by implementing lessons that activate more than one sense at a time. This has been a successful method used in popular Orton Gillingham reading programs for many years as well as many popular math methods such a...

11 Strategies to Make Homework Fun and Manageable

Doing homework after a long day of school can be a real backbreaker for many young learners! Downtime is both limited and cherished, so making assignments enticing is key. So, what can we do to make the process less burdensome and possibly pleasing? Homework Don'ts: Never pair homework with a punishment. When this is done, students associate homework with unpleasantries, and it can have a negative impact on future assignments. Don't call home assignments, "homework." Who wants to take their work home? Besides, when it is called work, it becomes work. Personally, I like to call it, "home fun!" Homework Dos: Create enticing names for home assignments. For example, I never teach script or cursive. I teach roller-coaster letters! Generate excitement about upcoming assignments by sharing your own excitement and enthusiasm for the content. Bring creative options such as drawing, sculpting, and music into assignments. Introduce the fun fac...

Managing Stress and Anxiety in the Classroom Improves Grades

Over the last 20 years as a learning specialist and educational therapist, I have witnessed increasing numbers of students in all age groups struggling with stress and anxiety. What was once a rare referral has become a common complaint that undermines confidence, riddles the mind, and sabotages study skills. What is the Culprit Thats Causing Concern and Consternation? There are a number of factors that have led to the rise in classroom angst. Stress is Passed from Teachers to Students: It’s not uncommon for me to hear from my students that, if they don’t do well on their test, their teachers may get in trouble. With teachers being held responsible for classroom grades on standardized tests, many are passing on their own worries to their learners. Standardized Assessments are more Prevalent for Students of All Ages: Due to government and state officials seeking accountability for other countries/states boasting better student outcomes, state tests have been the pri...

Processing Speed - 7 Powerful Strategies for Student Success

Dear Friends: This is my second post on processing speed. Last week, I addressed the definition, causes, assessment options, and revealed 5 ways that a slow processing speed can impact learning . This week, I will discuss 7 power strategies for student success as well as reasonable accommodations in the classroom. A Quick Review: Processing Speed: The speed at which one makes sense of incoming information from the senses and then generates a response. Tests such as the WISC intelligence test and the Woodcock-Johnson IV Test of Cognitive Ability and Test of Oral Language offer subtests that assess some types of processing speed. A slow processing speed can be caused by any of the following: difficulties receiving and perceiving information through the senses, problems making sense of that information in the brain, and/or challenges producing a response or action. A slow processing speed can impact the understanding of oral and written concepts, note taking skills, homework c...

Factoring and Multiples - Fun and Memorable Lessons and Activities

Creating magical activities for struggling math students is one of my favorite things to do. Teaching fun memory strategies, hooking techniques, color coded steps, drawing strategies, and color implementation can be the secret weapon to igniting joy in the learning process. Over the years, I have found that many of my students have trouble with factoring and multiples. As a result, I have created a new publication to make the learning process both enjoyable and memorable for both the teachers and the students. Now, teachers have all the tools that they need to teach these concepts in a multisensory and effective way. Students can learn the concept once and continue to remember the process over time. What’s My Method? All of the following strategies are integrated into my publication Mathemagic Magical Math Instruction: Factoring and Multiples . M emory Strategies: Implementing memory strategies helps students encode the new material. Hooking Techniques: Presenting hookin...

Accommodating Students with Dyslexia - 12 Strategies for Success

Students with dyslexia or symptoms of dyslexia often struggle in school. It is not that they have limited abilities. On the contrary, many have IQs in the above average or genius range. As a result, instead of a dumbed down curriculum, these students need to be challenged and they need to receive accommodations, modifications and multisensory teaching techniques to unleash their learning potential. What makes it difficult to accommodate students with dyslexia is that each student has their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Yes, two students with dyslexia don’t have the same pattern of cognitive processing deficits. In fact, there are a number of profiles that can lead to this diagnosis . In addition, there are a number of specific cognitive skills that can cause symptoms of dyslexia . Consequently, a successful remediation often requires a tailored, individualized approach. To tap into the quickest results, I have learned that one has to look at the specific cognitive difficul...

Learning Specialist and Teacher Materials - Good Sensory Learning

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