Favorite Multisensory Tips and Tricks For Teaching

Favorite Multisensory Tips and Tricks For Teaching
Phonemic Awareness and Sounding Out Words
Presented By Heidi Butkus
email: heidi@heidisongs.com
The International Dyslexia Association recommends multisensory teaching
methods for children with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.
Multisensory teaching is simultaneously using multiple pathways in the brain to
reach your students. Why is multisensory teaching important?
If one pathway to the brain is blocked, (as in a learning disability)
there are other alternatives or paths to take in information.
Functional MRI’s show us that:
The brain has millions of connections, or "wires," shooting out in many directions as we learn. Brain imaging of struggling readers show "diffused activity scattered
throughout the brain,"* since some of these connections work inefficiently or not at all.
(Scattered activity is an inefficient use of brain power.)
However, good readers "use specific portions of the left brain, with brain activity highly
focused in very specific areas."* This is a very efficient use of brain power.
*Quote from: Laurie Wagner: "School Support for Learning Disabled and ADD Learners.”
Multisensory learning experiences can actually remap the brain over time,
training it to use the less preferred areas in future learning.
When reading lessons are taught in a multisensory way, brain images show a more focused
use of the left hemisphere. The brain scans of the struggling readers look more and more
like the activity of good readers!
You really can help children change how they use the pathways in their brains!
Let's suppose that some of your lowest achievers actually
do have a reading disability. (Only it won't be identified
until later, so you're on your own.)
Once they are identified, they could someday qualify for special education
services. Meanwhile, what can you do in the classroom to help? Use methods designed to
reach these children, and you are likely to reach all of your
We may learn differchildren.
ently, but we can all
learn together!
Multisensory Tips © Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 1
Children with these learning difficulties can be taught very efficiently using multi-sensory techniques. So here are some tricks
that work for me!
Dog
Tricks
101
One thing that I always try to do is bring movement into everything
that I possibly can.
The brain is not a disconnected organ on legs. The brain relies on
the body, its senses, and movement in order to learn. Movement, and the application of what we
have learned should be an ever present part of the learning process.
Learning to sound out words happens as part of a progression of phonemic awareness skills. Without these skills, they probably won't be able to begin to sound out words in print.
What is Phonemic Awareness?
It is the ability to manipulate and play with the sounds of language in skills such as rhyme, words
that start with the same sounds, sound substitution and deletion, and taking words apart and
breaking them into units of sound.
It is an auditory skill.
Phonemic Awareness Progression of Skills
1. Blending parts of compound words
(play + ground = playground)
2. Blending initial sound to rest
of word in longer words
(/m/ + arshmallow = marshmallow)
4. Blending 3 phonemes/sounds in context
("I like to /r/ + /u/ + /n/" =
"I like to run.")
5. Blending 3 phonemes
(/b/ + /a/ + /t/ = bat)
3. Blending initial sound to rimes in shorter words
(/m/ + at = mat)
Phonemic Awareness is important because:
1. It's the single best predictor of reading ability in Kindergarten,
followed by letter names and Kindergarten teacher predictions!
2. Learning to sound out words happens as part of a progression of phonemic awareness skills. Without these skills, they probably won't be able to
begin to sound out words in print.
3. Without direct instructional support, phonemic awareness will elude about 25% of all
middle class children and even more of those from less literacy rich backgrounds.
Phonemic awareness can be developed through instruction.
This subsequently accelerates children's reading and writing achievement. Multisensory systematic phonics
and phonemic awareness instruction in Kindergarten and First Grade can help at-risk children avoid ever experiencing reading problems!
Here are some great ways to practice phonemic awareness without excluding your active learners.
Multisensory Tips © Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 2
Here are some great ways to practice phonemic awareness!
To develop rhyme,try giving general directions by rhyming the names of children or groups that you are calling on.
Example: say “Bonathan” rather than “Jonathan,” or “bow boo” rather than “row 2,” etc. The children then call out the
word you are saying.
Segmentation Sliders: Kids slide one bead across the pipe cleaner for
each sound they hear in a word. You can also have them say some
sounds and blend them together to make a word. To make them, put
three beads on a pipe cleaner (or more for words with more than three
sounds), with two beads fastened on either end. These beads, called
“Push Up Rings,” can be purchased at www.abcstuff.com.
Segmentation Sliders
Try stretchy toys to practice segmenting and blending sounds.
Say a word, and then stretch out the toy as you segment the word. Let it snap back together and say the word again. I
got my last set in the Target dollar section.
Try pushing manipulatives into "Elkonin Boxes" for each sound that you hear
in a word.
Say a word, and then slide one magnet or button into each box for each sound
that you hear. You can vary the activity by giving them different themed objects to push. You can download free masters at:
http://bogglesworldesl.com/elkonin_boxes.htm
Elkonin Boxes
Use commercially prepared phonemic awareness picture cards. There are lots of different types of cards available at
EarlyReadingMastery.com. We like to use “Word Whackers” (a mini fly swatter) to smack the word that I segment. For
example, the teacher says, “Smack /c/ /a/ /t/.” The child swats the picture of the cat.
Sort real objects by beginning, ending, or middle sound.
The children sort the manipulatives by sound. Remember that once you add in letters to the sort, this became a phonics
activity rather than a phonemic awareness activity.
The Alphabet Action Song can help children memorize words that start with a given letter. This song is on my CD,
"Singable Songs for Letters and Sounds” and “Musical Math.”
Provide a little motivation!
I keep a box of unusual balls at my feet next to the reading table. Each time I finish a phonemic awareness “task” with a
group, I roll a ball to each of the children that were trying their best. Those that were “just sitting there,” not responding, don’t get one. They play with it for one minute, and then throw it back into my box on the count of three. This works
like a charm! I also have a box of wind-up toys that they can play with for one minute. (Winding these toys is also good
for developing the pincher grasp needed to hold a pencil properly.) I also have a tennis ball puppet named “Mr. Ball” that
they can feed pennies. They LOVE Mr. Ball!
Use Puppets!
Try giving directions for transitions (especially highly predictable ones, like lunch and recess) by segmenting a
word. The kids should then guess what you said. Ex.: "It's time for /l/ /u/ /n/ /ch/.
One puppet can speak only in segments:
Teacher: "What's your name?"
Puppet: "/b/ /o/ /b/."
Teacher: "How old are you?"
Puppet: "/s/ /i/ /x/."
Teacher: “Who is your teacher?”
Puppet: /y/ /oo/.
Another puppet might always put a certain letter
sound in front of every word.
Teacher: "What's your favorite food?"
Puppet: "Maghetti."
Teacher: "What is your favorite color?
Puppet: "Murple."
Teacher: "How old are you?"
Puppet: "Mix."
Multisensory Tips © Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 3
Try giving directions for transitions (especially highly predictable ones, like lunch and recess) by segmenting a word. The kids should then guess what you said.
Ex. “It’s time for /l/ /u/ /n/ /ch/.”
Play sound blending bingo. We practiced blending sounds by using a bingo game with pictures
from CVC word families. Instead of calling out "big," you say, "/b/ ig" or "/k/ it."
Elicit a physical response with whatever program you're using.
Ex: "Jump up and down if it rhymes. If it doesn’t, shake your finger." See the next page for lots of examples!
(The book in the on screen example is called Phonemic Awareness: The Skills They Need to Succeed by Michael Heggerty,
Ed.D.) This program is well put together and easy to follow. To download two pages full of movement suggestions, go to:
http://www.heidisongs.com/Free_Downloads/Free_Downloads.html.
The book Sounds in Action by Yvette Zgonc (published by Crystal Springs Books) also has a wealth of wonderful phonemic
awareness activities.
The Rhyme Song
Rhyming words,
They sound the same in the middle
And at the end, end, end!
They sound the same in the middle
And at the end, end, end!
Boat, boat. Boat rhymes with goat!
Boat, goat, boat, goat!
House, house. House rhymes with
mouse!
House, mouse, house, mouse!
(Repeat this pattern
with the following words:)
Whale/tail, cat/bat, rug/bug,
nest/ vest, mop/top, fan/can.
.
Rhyming words,
They sound the same in the middle
And at the end. The end!
Songs for
Phonemic Awareness
Brother Starts the Same as
Bop
(To teach words that begin the
same)
Brother starts the same as bop!
Bop bop, brother brother, bop!
Bop bop, brother brother, bop!
Bop bop, brother brother,
Bop, bop, bop!
(Repeat with sister/stop, and
mommy/mop.)
Sound It Out
(To practice blending sounds into words)
How do you sound it out,
How do you sound it out?
Say all the sounds and then you drag ‘em
out!
/r/, /u/, /n/,
/rrrrrr/, /uuuuuu/, /nnnnnn/.
Run! Run! Run, run, run!
Repeat this pattern with:
Jump, swim, fly.
These songs are all on
the CD,
“Little Songs For
Language Arts”
by HeidiSongs.
Syllable Counting
Syllables, syllables,
Let’s all count the parts of
words!
Syllables, syllables,
Clap and count with me!
Touchdown Without Touch
(Syllable Deletion)
Touchdown without touch is down!
Touchdown without touch is down!
Touch, touch, touch!
Down, down, down!
Touchdown without touch is down!
(Repeat with football without foot, underpants
without under, and tiptoe without tip.)
Multisensory Tips © Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 4
Transferring Phonemic Awareness Skills to Sounding Out Words in Print
To get started, show them the letters. Point to them as you say the sounds, and
then blend them slowly. Start with just two sounds.
Examples: /mmmmm/ /aaaaaaa/ ......"ma!"
/sssssssss/ /aaaaaaa/ ......"sa!"
Add in a third sound when most children are getting the first two.
These are the easiest consonant sounds to start with because they can be drawn out:
f, l, m, n, r, s, v, z
Sounding Out Words Using Zoo-Phonics
1. Lay out the cards to form a word.
Have the children do the motion and make the sound for each letter as you point.
Sounding Out Words Using Picture Matching from HeidiSongs
CVC Word Families and Sight Word Book
When I introduce a word family, I always start by introducing the
flash cards for them first. We learn the to match the words to the
pictures, and then practice sounding out the words. After I introduce
the words, we practice sorting the words into families. Then I send a
set of flashcards home for parents to practice with their children at
home.
When teaching kids to read CVC words, remember that often children
must be taught the vocabulary of the words on the worksheet and/or
flashcards. They won't always know the words.
cat
bit
-ig
(big)
(pig)
(dig)
-at
Welcome
(hat)
(mat)
(sat)
Multisensory Tips ©
Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 5
Once they know the pictures and vocabulary, we play bingo by
holding up word cards and having them read the word together,
and then look for its picture.
There's a bingo game for sound deletion on the CVC Resource CD,
also.
Short I Bingo
Note: The bingo games are ONLY on the CVC Resource CD, not in the book with the worksheets. There wasn’t room for everything in there!
Sounds Fun!
This is a system that I created to teach and practice letter combinations
such as diphthongs and digraphs in a fun and active way that kids would loveand remember! It works a lot like Zoo-Phonics.
1. Show a flash card with a visual cue.
2. Kids respond physically and verbally.
3. Remove the visual cue and practice as before.
After working with them on it for about a month, I removed the character to
see how they would do. More than half of the class had memorized them
easily. I also gave them practice reading words that fell into that word family group. We did the motions while sounding them out. Using puppets also helped
them enjoy the drill and practice portion of the lesson.
Sight Word Songs
Sing and Spell the Sight Words is meant to be a fun, easy, and developmentally appropriate way to help
kids learn to read and spell the sight words. As the children sing out the spellings of the words, the
movement helps them focus and enjoy the lesson. This helps children who learn through movement learn
the sight words more quickly and easily. Also available at www.heidisongs.com.
Important!!!!!
1. ALWAYS show the word when introducing the song.
2. Keep the words on flashcards and put them on a ring in order.
Grab the flashcards each time you sing. Ask them again and again what the word is, and to spell it aloud.
3. Be sure to tell the kids what the songs are FOR! It won't always be obvious to them!
Multisensory Tips © Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 6
Sing and Spell the Sight Words
With
And
(Sounds like “Old McDonald”)
(Sounds like “My Hand on My Head”)
Oh, I can spell “and-” A-N-D “and.”
“And” is the word that I write with
my hand!
A-N-D, A-N-D, Nicky, Nicky Noo!
That’s what I learned in my school,
Mama!
(From Sing and Spell Vol. 1)
Made
(Tooty Ta)
M-A-D-E, M-A-D-E,
I can spell “Made!”
M-A-D-E, M-A-D-E,
I can spell “Made!”
Thumbs up,
Elbows back!
Feet apart,
Knees together!
M-A-D-E, M-A-D-E,
I can spell “Made!”
M-A-D-E, M-A-D-E,
I can spell “Made!”
Thumbs up,
Elbows back!
Feet apart,
Knees together!
Bottoms up,
Tongue out!
Eyes closed,
Turn around!
M-A-D-E, M-A-D-E,
I can spell “Made!”
M-A-D-E, M-A-D-E,
I can spell “Made!”
(From Sing and Spell
Vol. 4)
Old McDonald called his
dog, “W-I-T-H!”
And that old dog knew just one
word- “W-I-T-H!”
With a “with, with” here,
And a “with, with” there,
Here a “with,” there a
“with,”
Everywhere a “with, with”
Old McDonald called his
dog, “W-I-T-H!”
(From Sing and Spell Vol.
1)
If
His
(The Rattlin’ Bog)
(Old Joe Clark)
I-F, that spells “if,”
If you twist, then twist like this!
I-F, that spells “if,”
If you twist, then twist like this!
His, his, H-I-S,
“His” is for a boy.
His, his, H-I-S,
That car is his toy.
I-F, that spells “if,”
If you swim, then swim like this!
I-F, that spells “if,”
If you swim, then swim like this!
(From Sing and Spell Vol. 4)
I-F, that spells “if,”
If you dance, then dance like
this!
I-F, that spells “if,”
If you dance, then dance like
this!
(In and Out the Window)
(From Sing and Spell Vol. 4)
(From Sing and Spell Vol. 4)
Out
Go O-U-T the window,
Go O-U-T the window!
Go O-U-T the window!
‘Cause O-U-T spells out!
Zero
(Original Song By Heidi Butkus & Mike Cravens)
Zero might sound like nothing to you,
But he's our hero, brave and true,
Looking for numbers with a zero at
the end,
Counting them all and beginning again!
Z-E-R-O.
Z-E-R-O.
Z-E-R-O.
Z-E-R-O.
(From Sing
Zero the Hero!
Zero the Hero!
Zero the Hero!
Zero the Hero!
and Spell Vol. 5)
Multisensory Tips © Heidi Butkus 2008 Pg. 7
More Ideas for Teaching Sight Words and Early Reading Skills
*Make Sight Word Puzzles*
Make Sight Word Puzzles by writing the word in large type on very heavy index
paper, and cutting it apart. Store in ziplock bags. The masters for these puzzles
are sold as a download at www.heidisongs.com
*Sight Word String-Ups *
m a n
Build words by stringing letters together onto pipe cleaners. Letter beads sold at www.reallygoodstuff.com. (Same beads, but with
no tray or word cards included and costs less).
*Make a Sight Word Book*
Glue individual letters down to make a book with just one word on each page.
th e y
n ow
b y
Play “Picture Me Reading” Memory.
Help children who are visual learners remember the words by teaching them to recognize the words on “Picture Me Reading” cards. Play Memory by having the children
match the plain card to the Picture Me Reading Card. (Available at
PictureMeReading.com)
Play Jump On It
Write the words on some heavy paper and laminate it. (Mine are written on sports markers.) Scatter the
words on the floor and call out a word. The children must find the word and jump on it. Try mixing language
arts with motor development!
Make a "Secret Sight Word Surprise"
This is just a watercolor resist over white crayon! The master for this is free on my blog,
and there are several seasonal varieties: http://heidisongs.blogspot.com.
if
Make a "Word Mosaic" with paper scraps.
Just have the kids write the word with a fat black marker, and then tear pieces of paper and glue on to form
the word.
Playdough or Wikki Stix Words
Children roll the playdough into snakes, and form the word. When they are finished,
they need to tell you what the word is. If they cannot, they
are supposed to touch the word and say it a few times. Then,
they squish it up and do it again, repeating this process until
they can identify the word.
Yes, yes, yes,
yes, yes, yes!
First
,
First a
then
then
,
then an
,
!
,
,
, then an
.
Yes!
Make Manipulative Worksheets- Velcro Books
,
,
,
Take the words that the children would write in and print them on small cards. Have
them physically place the words into the correct spot rather than write them, and
keep it in place with a piece of velcro. The masters for these Velcro Books are sold
as a download at www.heidisongs.com,
© 2011 Heidi Butkus Multisensory Tips
pg. 8
Shaving Cream or Pudding Spelling
Just spread it out on any table and dictate words for them to write! Watch out for
the fumes. Works great with pudding or yogurt, etc.
Sandpaper Words
Use tactile words. Have the children touch them,
make rubbings, say the words aloud.
Alphabet Pattern Blocks
Make words out of them! The masters for these letters are sold as a
download at www.heidisongs.com, or we can burn them to a disk at my booth.
Handwriting Without Tears blocks can form words, too!
Make Words With Alphabet Magnets
We did this activity with our book buddies. I gave the older buddy a list of words
to have their little buddy sound out and try to make with the magnets.
Paper Plate Words
Make a word by punching holes with a toothpick in a styrofoam paper plate.
Make Sing-Along Song Books
Make books out of your sight word songs, (or any songs) and let the kids read them.
The masters for these books are sold as a download at www.heidisongs.com.
Sing Along Song
Book Page
n
me o
d
n
i
!
F
book
Face
Have each child Make a Mini Sing-Along Song Book
These little books are sold in the Worksheet Resource Books on heidisongs.com.
Contact Information
Email: heidi@heidisongs.com
Phone: (909) 331-2090
Website: www.heidisongs.com
Heidi Butkus
P.O. Box 603
La Verne, CA 91750
© 2011 Heidi Butkus Multisensory Tips
pg. 9
List of Related Citations
Multisensory Tips and Tricks for Phonemic Awareness,
Sounding Out Words, and Sight Words
Presented by Heidi Butkus
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York,
NY: Basic Books.
Jensen, E. (2008). Brain-Based Learning: The New Paradigm of Teaching. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin Press.
Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Hannaford, C. & Pert, C. (2005). Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head.
Stoddard, WI: Great River Books.
Marzano, R., Pickering, J. & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Marzano, R. (2004). Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research
on What Works in Schools, Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Marzano, R. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
McIntosh, E. & Peck, M. (2005) Multisensory Strategies: Lessons and Classroom Management Techniques to Reach All Learners. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
© 2011 Heidi Butkus Multisensory Tips
pg. 10