Educational Psychologist

Multisensory teaching
The following is an example of a very simple to use programme:

A master list should be kept of all the words the child has difficulty reading or spelling. Two words should be selected to work on each day and no more. A selection of trays should be purchased, perhaps five, and they should be filled with dry ingredients such as rice, lentils, beans, etc. Some magnetic plastic letters, a scratchy chalk board and chalk, some plasticine and a large squeaky non-permanent felt tip should also be purchased.

The first word is selected and the child should write this word in the sensory trays with their finger, make it with the magnetic letters (on the `fridge perhaps), make it with plasticine and write it on the chalk board then on the `fridge or a white board with the squeaky marker. There are many other derivatives such as typing the word, writing the word in the air, running the word in the garden, etc.

At the conclusion of the learning stage the child should be asked to read the word and to spell it when shown to him on a card. They should be tested the next day, after one week, two weeks and a month and at that point if they have been correct at every stage the word will have become high frequency. It can then be pinned on to a notice board where friends and relatives can see it and the child can show off his/her newly acquired reading and spelling skill and receive much acclaim.

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