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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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Why Train as a Tutor When You Can Be a Learning Specialist?

What is the Difference Between a Tutor and a Learning Specialist? A tutor is a teacher who assists students outside of school. They provide support and review concepts with difficult subject matter or classes. Oftentimes, they help with homework completion and may address some study strategies. Tutors usually hold a degree in the subject(s) instructed, and many have an undergraduate degree or higher. Also you can check out our article on the difference between a tutor and a teacher . A learning specialist is an instructor who is skilled and experienced in providing learning strategies to struggling students. These professionals work one-on-one or in small groups to give students intensive support. Often an expert in a number of subject areas, learning specialists present multisensory instruction, study strategies, memory techniques, metacognitive and focusing methods, and compensatory learning strategies. Many are versed in assistive technology, creating intervention plans...
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Learn Thru Music A Great Site for Learning

Using melodies and beats can enhance learning and make memorization a veritable breeze. I often use this strategy in my practice, but having to create all the content is time consuming. This problem was solved by Nathan John!  Nathan John and Learn Thru Music In August 2016, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nathan John , a creative, ingenious, British entrepreneur with dyslexia that is helping struggling students learn to read and memorize academic content around the globe. Nathan founded Rewise Learning in 2008 and specializes in providing fun and innovative educational solutions. Today we will be focusing on LearnThruMusic , a website that teaches core academic subjects using modern music genres, video, and interactive activities. These fun and effective learning resources were developed in consultation with teachers and students, and I know you will be impressed with both the variety and quality presented on their site. Come Experience Learn Thru Music LearnThru...
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Unleashing Learning Potential - Simple Strategies for Success

About a year ago I was interviewed by Elisheva Schwartz, a fabulous entrepreneur that hosts the Dyslexia Quest Podcast. Soon after the recording, Elisheva had her second child. As a result, our interview just went up onto Itunes last week. It was a really fun and lively discussion that centered on the amazing benefits of mastering the metacognitive skill, visualization. There is a wealth of information in this podcast, so I hope you will take the time to listen. What Does the Podcast Address: My own background and expertise. The benefits of visualization for reading, writing and other areas of academics. The ways visualization builds attention skills. My journey on expanding my own personal visualization abilities. My work with students to develop their mind’s eye. The process of visualization training. Elisheva shares her own struggle utilizing visualization when she was a young student. We discuss how visualization brings the “fun factor” into learning. The history ...
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Preparing for Finals - Powerful and Easy Strategies for Success

Many students wait until the last minute to prepare for finals, and they experience anxiety when bombarded with an overwhelming workload. When panic sets in, the amygdala triggers a fight, flight or freeze response, and the stress hormone cortisol is released. Unfortunately, cortisol has a negative impact on learning, and it leads to memory loss and problems with recall. As you can see, preparing for finals in a timely and organized manner can help students manage their tasks, enhance memory, and avoid the negative consequences of triggering the reptilian part of the brain. When Should Students Begin to Prepare for Finals? I encourage my students to create a study schedule about four weeks before finals. This gives them plenty of time to organize materials, schedule needed appointments with teachers, and fully prepare for exams. I also find that this process offers them a manageable approach that avoids unneeded stress and anxiety. What is the Process? Write out a li...
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7 Free Activities that Sharpen and Strengthen Language Skills

Integrating fun activities that help students to improve their language processing skills can be a great way to ignite a love for learning and strengthen cognition. In fact, strong language processing skills are vital for interpreting and interacting with the environment. What is Language Processing? Language processing is how people use sensory stimuli to process and understand incoming information as well as how they use words to verbally express ideas and feelings. Therefore, it is how the brain understands (receptive language) and creates language (expressive language). What are Some Signs of Language Processing Difficulties? Problems following oral directions. Difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas in discourse. Challenges with reading comprehension. Problems expressing thoughts and ideas in writing. Difficulties understanding jokes and sarcasm. Challenges accessing the right words when expressing thoughts. 7 Fun, Free Activities that Sharpen and Strengthen Lang...
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8 Powerful Strategies for Teaching Main Ideas and Details

Main ideas and details are fundamental, core concepts every elementary student needs to master. It is the foundation of reading comprehension, writing and the organization of ideas. In fact, mastery of these abstract concepts can even help students improve memory , note taking skills and enhance their understanding of lessons. What are Main Ideas and Details? Main ideas are the most important central concept or claim that can be expressed visually in writing (often as a thesis or topic sentence) or orally in conversation. Details are single ideas that illustrate a point, explain a concept, or otherwise support the central idea. Details can be facts, descriptions, examples, quotations, or anecdotes. How Can the Mastery of Main Ideas and Details Improve Student Learning? By understanding and utilizing the concepts of main ideas and details, students can make a conscious effort to organize and manage their learning. This can assist them with: Reading: Understanding main id...
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7 Organizational Tricks that Keep Educational Materials Orderly and Accessible

When you have as much material and resources as I have collected over the past 20 years acting as a learning specialist, it can be easy to overlook some great options or even have trouble finding the needed materials. A number of years ago, I decided to tackle this problem head on. Strategies for Clearing Your Clutter and Organizing Your Materials Clearing your clutter and organizing your materials can be a great way to make your home and practice manageable, comfortable, and efficient. What’s more, it makes your space look more attractive and you won’t waste time locating the needed materials. Here are a number of strategies that have helped me organize my space: Use well labeled, color coded filing cabinets, storage carts, colorful boxes and even old pill bottles to organize materials. Once a year go through your materials and clear the clutter. Give away or get rid of outdated books, technology, and other resources that you are not using. Shred and recycle old stude...
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Teaching Students Relaxation and Attention Skills with the Muse

Due to high classroom expectations and an increase in testing, I find that more and more of my students are coming to my after school sessions spent and weary from a long day at school and many are plagued with social and/or academic anxiety. Additionally, I’m seeing this concerning profile in a younger and younger student population How Can I Address Low Stamina and Student Anxiety? At first, I offered my students the opportunity to dip their hands into what I call my, “zen table.” The zen table is a hollow coffee table that I filled with lentils, mung beans, rocks and magnets. Students plunge their hands deep into the soothing medley, where they can allow the stress of the day to “dribble out of their fingertips.” Concurrently, we discuss the day, choose a positive mindset, engage in occasional meditations, and do deep breathing and mindfulness activities. When I realized that this was not enough for some of my students, I began to search for other alternatives. W...
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