Some students have difficulty learning languages, or learning ABOUT languages using words. Students with some Dys-constellation learning differences might have spatial intelligence or tactile sense more developed. Some students have difficulties differentiating subtle sound differences, but might catch the pitch flawlessly.
It might be refreshing, regardless of the possible learning obstacles, to introduce students to multi-sensory productive activities. Imagine if you could have your students write their name, and their name would be turned into a music piece. Imagine you can combine parts of words, and create new original words, or make non-sensical words that would follow the spelling and pronunciation customs. Or, what if you could find a book to preview and overview based on photos that your student(s) choose? All these, and a lot more, are available on Google Arts and Culture Experiments
They combine technology and an artistic experience. I have shortlisted only three:
https://experiments.withgoogle.com/nonsense-laboratory https://experiments.withgoogle.com/paint-with-music https://experiments.withgoogle.com/thousandstories And you should probably take a few weeks to explore more.
Whatever you choose, make sure you stop by the Blob Opera, or follow the Blobs on the World tour.
Do you like Carmen?
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If they like tablets, give them tablets!
To avoid the use of paper and bring the exchange of objects to the minimum, we are now required to take advantage of the digital tools, and transform our existing handouts into a digital format.
There is one clever way of doing it (and perhaps more than one, but I'm just going to share one for now), which can be very effective in the long run for the students who struggle with reading and writing. Try it out here! (The link should be valid until June 30th 2021)
So, did you like it? What was your favorite part?
You can log in with your google account at www.nearpod.com and access a huge library of already existing lessons. You can, of course, create your own lessons from scratch, or add them to your google slides to make your lessons more engaging and interactive. The key to any learning is variety of approaches and activities, and this is what Nearpod successfully reminds you of. Their pedagogy is based on 5Es: Engage, Explore, Explain, Extension, Evaluate. If you wish to know more about it, find the RESOURCE tab in your Nearpod Landing page, or contact me! Touch it, grab it, feel it, move it
In the spirit of multi-sensory approach, I have bought and created a few versions of the alphabet, which I intend to use in the classroom. Perhaps even with non-beginners, if I find a suitable activity to blend them in.
A former colleague of mine gave me the Banana Wild Tiles and a set of magnetic cards. The first one is quite small, but I coloured the vowel tiles in various patterns, while the magnetic ones are quite big. However, the animals they feature have nothing to do with the letters, so I'm afraid it could lead to confusion with certain students. Some time ago, I managed to find the letter-shape magnets, both capitals and lowercase. They come in their own stencils, which turned out to be even more useful than the fragile cardboard-like sets
In my own hand-made production, I came up with two simple and cheap ideas. I bought inexpensive no-brand-name building blocks and wrote the letters on the sides.
The second one required more time, but I think the end result is quite attractive. I've had the 'swimming noodle' at home for a long time. I use it as shoulder support in massage and for some exercises. So, I sliced it in 1.5 cm thick discs, which came out a perfect size for the above mentioned stencils. I had cut out the vowels from some fabric paper earlier, but couldn't come up with a surface to stick the letters to. I was thinking about buying tiles or linoleum, but it seemed like a too ambitious project. In the moment of leisure, I had an epiphany: the spongy noodle would be the perfect material for my alphabet. One 1-meter noodle costs about 3 euros. I figure I could make about four sets from one. I used both sides of the disc, and I created four vowels each. They are light, almost indestructible, but still big enough not to get lost easily. And easily replaceable if lost or damaged. In the end, I traced some glitter glue along the letters. It will give them texture and sparkle!
This post will be more multi-sensory and less written-text.
Actually, it's nothing newThe good old wisdom is reconfirmed![]() Multisensory Structured Language instruction is actually the natural way of learning a language, with family and friends, seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, tasting, feeling new concepts and ideas. This is now being recommended as the principal methodology for children with Learning Difficulties, or Differences. Each person has a different sense which is dominant and preferential, so we should cater to the whole variety of senses. To find out more details and practical implications, go to the Dyslexia International page. Probably the most neglected way of classroom learning is the kinaesthetic. I should write a separate entry on that one day. Until then, enjoy these lovely graphic summaries, that can be used as Aide Memoire after reading the DI article above. |
AuthorMartina Matejaš is a teacher of English and Yoga. She is keen on understanding the mind-body connection as well as cracking the 'code' of thoughts-emotions-behaviour matrix. Archives
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