Read and write with all your senses: a multisensory method for learning to read and write in neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

Reading and writing learning difficulties are commonplace in today's schools. Therefore, researching teaching methodologies that allow children to achieve academic success is a matter of extreme urgency. Through the development and implementation of a multisensory methodology based teaching program, this research project aims at documenting and understanding any changes in reading and writing learning processes. Using a qualitative multiple case study methodology, five participants were selected by convenience according to the following three criteria: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Phonological Disorders and severe learning difficulties. Through the use of tools such as Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile and Language Competencies Evaluation for Reading and Writing there was, correspondingly, the possibility of mapping the sensory profile of each participant and verifying his/her learning development during the program, in the areas of phonological awareness, reading and writing. The multisensory program was applied during weekly interventions over a period of four months. Results showed improvement in the participants’ reading and writing learning process. It is also worth mentioning that, despite not being a goal of this research, there was also an increase of the phonological awareness of all participants. The multisensory methodology integrates strategies in its structure that include a greater number of sensory aids, like visual and audition aids, as well as kinesthetic and tactile aids. The increase of this type of aids proved to work as a compensation technique which allowed the child to achieve a greater probability of success in his reading and writing learning process.