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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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Freebie Game for any Orton Gillingham or Phonics Based Reading Program

Come get a free copy!! Kids don't have to learn and practice new knowledge by plugging through long lists of words or completing worksheets. I am a firm believer that the repetition they need can be achieved through fun and engaging games!  Puppy Party is one of my reading games that makes my students squeal with delight. Kids travel around the game board collecting puppies while learning the short vowel sounds. The winner is the player with the most puppies. It is great for small groups, learning centers, or individual remediation. It also works seamlessly with any phonics or Orton-Gillingham based reading program. You can get a free copy of Puppy Party and learn about my other fun reading games by clicking here 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  Le...
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Learning Style Inventories Can Help with the College Process

Click the image to learn more. Here is an interesting article about how uncovering ones learning style can help with the college process. It was printed in the New York Times - Monday November 19th 2012. http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/college-search-based-on-learning-style/comment-page-1/#comment-155872 One great inventory to consider for this purpose is my Eclectic Learning Profile. Come check it out: http://goodsensorylearning.com/eclectic-learning-profile.html 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.Goods...
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Real Numbers Instruction: Having Real Fun with Real Numbers

Some students struggle with math vocabulary and this is particularly common when students learn about real numbers.  Language processing and vocabulary comprehension is key to this mathematical concept and making this process fun can be difficult. I have just finished a series of game-like activities that make the process both fun and challenging. Following Directions: Real Numbers Digital Download is a collection of 5 engaging activities that helps to develop language skills, math vocabulary, tricky wording, attention to detail and more. The Following Directions Series are one of my most popular products and now I have created one just for real numbers and other math vocabulary. http://goodsensorylearning.com/following-directions.html 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  ...
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Fun, Following Directions Thanksgiving Activities

This colorful Thanksgiving digital download - PDF offers enjoyable and engaging printable activities that strengthens language processing skills such as listening, following written/oral directions, understanding homework/test questions and interpreting multiple choice items. Included in this publication are three activities that will also help your students practice linguistic cues and develop spatial, sequential, attentional and executive functioning skills. You can come get a free sampling or purchase this as well as other great Following Directions activities by clicking on the image or the following link. http://goodsensorylearning.com/following-directions.html 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:  ht...
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Mindful Education and Teaching Emotional Intelligence Begins with the Learning Environment

A big part of mindful education and teaching emotional intelligence begins with the learning environment. Setting up a space where students can find peace and unwind is key. In my private practice, this spot is my “zen table” and the surrounding cushions, bean bags and tactile toys. Here students can dip their fingers into one side that is filled with lentils and colorful rocks and let the stress of the day dribble from the tips of their fingers, or they can venture to the other creative side that is filled with mung beans and magnets. I got this beautiful table on Overstock a number of years ago. They call it a TV table, but it makes the perfect centerpiece for a relaxation station. If you want to make your own "zen space" you can also use big Tupperware bins, an old chest, or even a wooden box. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!! Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educati...
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Fun Halloween Activity that Strengthens Language Skills

Weaknesses in language processing can be difficult to remediate, and finding fun activities that can help strengthen this cognitive processing area is a further challenge.  I designed my Following Directions - The Fun and Easy Way series to offer activities that help students develop listening skills, attention to detail, vocabulary, mental flexibility, spatial skills, and more. They were initially created for my own private practice, and now they are available to the public. Each page is filled with colorful images and students get to draw, complete mazes and work through process of elimination exercises that are fun and engaging. For added enjoyment, I am now creating holiday exercises that can be used throughout the school year. My latest download offers three Halloween handouts. Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at  Good Sensory Learning  and  Dyslexia Material...
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Help for Struggling Readers: Creating Your Own Color Overlays

You can create your own overlays by using whole sheets or cutting strips of transparent, colored report covers, dividers or overhead projector film. Step one: Buy a variety of colorful transparent sheets. You can use - color, transparency film color, transparent report covers (plastic) color, transparent dividers (plastic) All of these options can be found at office supply stores. Step two: Everyone is different. Let your students try out the different colors and see which one they like the best.   Step three: For some students, keep whole sheets so that students have the option of changing the background color of the entire page of text. Other students might like a thin strip of color, as it can help with tracking from one line to the next. I make them a variety of lengths and widths, and often let students decide for themselves. Note: The strips also make wonderful book marks. Step four (optional) : Place a plain sticker on the en...
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How Can Books on Tape Improve Reading Speed and Reading Comprehension?

Listening to books on tape or to someone reading aloud can improve reading comprehension because the brain does not have to work on decoding the words but can simply focus on the content. But merely laying back and passively listening is not always the best approach, because it is easy for personal thoughts to interrupt the text content. Therefore, for this mode of learning to be most effective, it is best for the listener to do one of two things: Scan the text: Scanning the text while listening will not only help maintain attention, but it will assist with sight word recognition. Additionally, students that decode words one letter at a time while reading will begin to see whole words and phrases. Before long, these skills will apply when the student reads independently, and whole words recognition and reading speed will improve. Visualize the content: Picturing the characters, the setting and the plot helps to sustain attention, improve comprehension and it also makes the...
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Teaching Self Control Leads to Academic Success

Come and learn from Dr. Sam Wang about the common myths about the brain as well as the incredible impact that the teaching of playful planning and self control can have on our childrens' future. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05vitpSY1vU&feature=relmfu   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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Monster Multiplication: A New Multisensory and Mindful Approach to Long Multiplication - Free Promotional Copy

Just yesterday I uploaded my new product Monster Multiplication: A New Multisensory and Mindful Approach to Long Multiplication.  If you would like to be entered in a contest to receive a free copy, please follow this blog or "like my facebook page" http://www.facebook.com/goodsensorylearning and follow one of my Pinterest boards http://pinterest.com/drericawarren/ Then send me an email with your email address to let me know (I will not use your email for any purpose other then sending the lucky winners their free promotional copy) - erica@goodsensorylearning.com. You will then be entered to win! I will be drawing two winners and sending the promotional copies on Halloween. To learn more about the product CLICK HERE 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 ...
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10 Ways to Help Students Cope with Making Mistakes

One of the most valuable things we can teach children is how to cope with making mistakes. Making mistakes is a human quality that all students need be comfortable with. They need to know that if we didn’t make mistakes, there would be nothing to learn.  However, most all students strive for the recognition of a perfect score on assignments and tests. Even a single mistake can create anxiety and disappointment. Unfortunately, perfect scores continue to be rewarded and mistakes frowned upon. So what can we all do to help? Here are ten suggestions: 1) Be comfortable admitting when you make a mistake. Show students that it is okay to be wrong and that you can use it as an opportunity to learn. 2) Make sure to point out what a student has done right on an assignment as well as what was incorrect. 3) Always give your students the opportunity to fix mistakes so that they can learn from them and correct any misconceptions. 4) Communicate to your students that their m...
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Careless, Lazy and Unmotivated are Three Labels that Should be Banned from Education

Kids never strive to be careless, lazy or unmotivated and referring to a student in this way never helps a situation. In fact, many kids that hear these labels again and again can develop a sense of learned helplessness.  I’ll never forget a student of mine coming into one of our sessions in a terrible frame exclaimed, “I’m careless and unmotivated!” He slid a graded assignment across the table in front of me. Red marks cut across his work and in bold, scarring letters and exclamation points the teacher had told Jake that he had made many careless errors.  Even though Jake’s grade was an 88, it took me almost an hour to convince him that he was not careless and unmotivated. Jake had learning disabilities as well as ADHD and I knew the errors that he had made had nothing to do with care or effort. The poor guy was so detached and dejected, he hadn’t even evaluated the mishaps, and when he finally looked at them, he could see that they were all unintentional...
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