Multi-Sensory Teaching Approach

Multi-Sensory Teaching Approach 

Simultaneous, Multi-sensory (VAKT): Teaching is done using all learning pathways in the brain (visual/auditory, kinesthetic, tactile) simultaneously in order to enhance memory and learning.

Direct Instruction: The inferential learning of any concept cannot be taken for granted.

Multi-sensory language instruction requires the direct teaching of all concepts with continuous student-teacher interaction.

Diagnostic Teaching: The teacher must be adept at prescriptive or individualized teaching. The teaching plan is based on careful and continuous assessment of the individual's needs. The content presented must be mastered to the degree of automatically.

Synthetic and Analytic Instruction: Multi-sensory, structured language programs include both synthetic and analytic instruction. Synthetic instruction presents the parts of the language and then teaches how the parts work together to form a whole. Analytic instruction presents the whole and teaches how this can be broken down into its component parts.

Information provided by The International DYSLEXIA Association®   Fact Sheet #68 

WHAT IS AN ORTON-GILLINGHAM-BASED OR A MULTI-SENSORY STRUCTURED LANGUAGE APPROACH?

The principles of instruction and content of a multi-sensory structured language program are essential for effective teaching methodologies. The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) actively promotes effective teaching approaches and related clinical educational intervention strategies for dyslexics.

CONTENT: What Is Taught 

• Phonology and Phonological Awareness: Phonology is the study of sounds and how they work within their environment. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a given language that can be recognized as being distinct from other sounds in the language. Phonological awareness is the understanding of the internal linguistic structure of words. An important aspect of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness or the ability to segment words into their component sounds.
   
• Sound-Symbol Association: This is the knowledge of the various sounds in the English language and their correspondence to the letters and combinations of letters which represent those sounds. Sound-symbol association must be taught (and mastered) in two directions: visual to auditory and auditory to visual. Additionally, students must master the blending of sounds and letters into words as well as the segmenting of whole words into the individual sounds.
   
• Syllable Instruction: A syllable is a unit of oral or written language with one vowel sound. Instruction must include teaching of the six basic syllable types in the English language: closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, consonant-ie, r-controlled, and diphthong. Syllable division rules must be directly taught in relation to word structure.
   
• Morphology: Morphology is the study of how morphemes are combined from words. A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in the language. The curriculum must include the study of base words, roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
   
• Syntax: Syntax is the set of principles that dictate the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey meaning. This includes grammar, sentence variation, and the mechanics of language.
   
• Semantics: Semantics is that aspect of language concerned .with meaning. The curriculum (from the beginning) must include instruction in the comprehension of written language. 

PRINCIPLES OF INSTRUCTION: How It's Taught