Multi-sensory Approaches to Teaching Literacy Skills to Children

For a long time, people have known that kids learn best when they use their senses—like seeing, hearing, touching, and moving. This way of learning is called multi-sensory learning, and it's useful for teaching kids how to read and write.

Kids learn skills faster and more effectively when using multi-sensory methods, and it also helps them understand how language and reading work. This article will delve into the different multi-sensory approaches one can employ to teach children how to read and write.

Visual learning

Visual learning engages children by focusing on what they see, such as pictures, charts, and written words, to help them understand and remember information more effectively. 

It helps children grasp letters, words, and stories with clarity and interest. This approach enhances children's ability to connect visual information with language, making the learning process engaging and impactful.

For example, at I Can Read, as part of our reading programme, we use a screener tool to assist children in the visual blending and reading process. This tool allows children to focus on a particular sound or grapheme which ensures that they break down the word into its individual parts. 

This visual support helps children see how letters combine to form words, improving their ability to read fluently and comprehend text. 

Here are some activities that use visuals to teach literacy skills:

• Letter flashcards: Showing flashcards with letters to help children recognise and learn the alphabet.

• Picture books: Using colourful and engaging picture books to introduce new words and concepts.

• Sentence strips: Showing sentences written on strips of paper for children to read and arrange to form coherent sentences.

• Word bingo: Playing bingo with words or letters to help children recognise and recall sight words.

• Eye Spy: Saying what you see along with the first sound of that word and the child finds another word with that same sound. 

Auditory learning

Auditory learning involves children learning through hearing. 

This method uses spoken words, sounds, and listening activities to help children understand and remember information effectively. Children can recognise and differentiate sounds, understand phonics, and develop listening comprehension skills. 

I Can Read’s auditory learning activities include phonics games, listening to stories read aloud, and repeating sounds and words to reinforce auditory processing and language development. 

Some other examples are:

• Rhyming activities: Games where children listen to words and identify rhyming patterns
• Phonemic awareness exercises: Activities that focus on recognising and manipulating individual sounds in words 
• Listening comprehension activities: Asking questions about a story or passage to check understanding
• Singing and chanting: Using songs, chants, or rhymes to reinforce phonics rules and vocabulary

• Auditory memory games: Activities that involve remembering sequences of sounds or words
  
  

Tactile learning

Tactile learning involves children learning through touch and hands-on experiences. This method uses physical interaction with objects, textures, and materials to help children understand and remember information effectively. 

Tactile learning is essential because it engages children physically in exploring letters, words, and sentences. Here are some examples of tactile learning activities:

• Sensory books: Books with textured pages or elements that children can touch and feel while reading
• Playdough letters: Forming letters with playdough to reinforce letter recognition and fine motor skills.
• Hands-on word building: Using materials like beads or buttons to build and manipulate words.
• Writing on whiteboards: Writing letters, words, or sentences on tactile surfaces to practice writing skills.
• Use props: Incorporate tactile materials to enhance activities involving blending and segmenting.
• Enhance talk-time with objects: Encourage children to describe tactile items aloud, boosting auditory learning through interactive discussions

Conclusion

Incorporating multi-sensory approaches into literacy education is hugely beneficial for children's learning and development. 

At I Can Read, these principles are integrated into our innovative teaching practices that enhance children's engagement and literacy skills.

Through visual aids, interactive games, physical activities, and tactile experiences, I Can Read ensures that learning is not only educational but also enjoyable and memorable for young learners. 

This approach encourages experimentation, allowing each child to discover the methods that work best for them. By fostering a personalised learning experience, I Can Read empowers children to become confident and proficient readers and writers.