Learning Outcome 5:

Multisensory Techniques

Multisensory techniques are frequently use for students with learning disabilities. Multisensory teaching and strategy stimulate learning by engaging students on multiple level. They encourage students to use some or all of their sense. Student with learning disabilities typically have learning differences in one or more areas of reading, writing, math, listening, comprehension and expressive language. Multisensory technique anable student to use their personal areas of strength to help them learn. They can range from simple to complex, depending on the needs of the student and the task at hand.

Multisensory technique encourage students to:

• gather information about the task
• link information to ideas they already know and understand
• perceive the logic involved in solving problems
• learn problem solving steps
• tap into non verbal reasoning skills
• understand relationships between concepts
• learn information and store it for later recal

The advantages of multisensory techniques

1. Help teacher accommodate learning style - when techniques consistent with students learning style, they can learn more also can retain and apply concepts more readily to future learning
   
2. Stimulate visual reasoning and learning - include visual teaching methods and strategies, eg poster, models, computers, film, video, use of color for highlighting
   
3. Auditory techniques - focus on sound stimulate verbal reasoning, eg computerized text readers, video, film, multi-image media with accompanying audio, music, song and language games
   
4. Tactile teaching methods - involving using the sense of touch eg small object, modelling materials using plasticine, play-dough or clay
   
5. Kinesthetic methods - use body movement eg preschool and primary games eg jumping rope and clapping