What Is Multi-Sensory Learning?
What is meant by multi-sensory learning? This means exactly what it states. Children in this category have to engage multiple senses to learn. They may utilize two or three of the big three learning styles in order to learn. For example, some children have to see and hear information in order for their brains to process the information. These children will not learn when information is presented only in one format. They cannot make sense of a chart without verbal explanation, and they cannot process a lecture that is not accompanied by a great deal of visuals. The mix of the big three learning styles can be varied from child to child and even within the learning repertoire of the same child. Some children mix hands-on and verbal. Others may mix all three. Still others may only be multi-sensory in one particular field such as math. While not all children that are multi-sensory have developmental delays and learning disabilities, those children that are developmentally delayed and/or have learning disabilities fall into this category heavily. It seems that the greater the level of learning difficulty the more likely it is that a child will rely on multiple senses to process information. In the following paragraphs I will discuss the various combinations of learning styles and different teaching approaches that can be used.
The Difference between Multiple Learning Styles and Multi-Sensory
Before we dive into the various combinations, I want to clarify the difference between having multiple learning styles in our personal repertoire and being multi-sensory. Most of us have a fairly wide variety of learning styles in our personal repertoire that we can call on with a great deal of success when the situation demands it. People with true multi-sensory leanings, have to have information presented in a multiple format. For example, you may be able to use visual and auditory learning successfully in various environments. You may also get more from a presentation if it has a variety of formats included. However, those with multi-sensory leanings, cannot use one format exclusively. Sometimes this multi-sensory leaning only shows itself in one or two particular subjects, but in those subjects the information must be presented in a multiple format for the person to retain the information.
Visual and Auditory
Now, let us look at the various combinations. I have already discussed the combination of visual and auditory a little. People with this combination must have great visuals mixed with verbal explanation. Figuring out whether or not a child has this leaning comes down to simple trial and error. If you notice that a child does not do well with simple visuals or simple verbal instruction alone, but does very well when the two are combined, more than likely you have a multi-sensory learning style involved. This can manifest itself in the most random places. For example, I have seen children that cannot do word problems until they draw pictures or diagrams to go along with the word problems, and then still have to have the word problem read aloud for the diagrams to make sense to them. Just having to have the diagrams would only signify that a visual learning style was more prevalent. Having to have both the visuals and the reading aloud of the problem would signify a multi-sensory learning style. As I have said before, the multi-sensory need seems to pop up when we hit a subject that gives us great difficulty. For some children that may be just word problems or something of that nature, but for other children it involves learning in general.
Visual/Hands-on and Auditory/Hands-on
The next two combinations I want to look at are visual with hands-on learning and auditory with hands-on learning. These children will be the ones that do not do well with a pure discovery-style learning approach, but still need hands-on learning to go along with a visual or auditory presentation. Remember I am not talking about people that gain more from a combination of these learning styles, but people that cannot process the information in any one learning style. For example, you have a situation where you are trying to teach a child about multiplication. You have visuals that show how multiplication works, but the child still does not understand. Then you break out the manipulatives and the child still cannot correlate that to the written work of multiplication. It is only when you walk the child through the written form of multiplication while the child uses the manipulatives that the child understands. The child must see and use hands-on to understand the concept. For auditory learning with hands-on, the same would hold true except the child would need auditory explanation rather than visual explanation. I hope you are now understanding why this particular learning style plays so heavily in children with learning disabilities.
All Three
Now, let us look at those children that must have all three learning styles to process information. Most of the time when this scenario comes into play, you will definitely have a moderate to severe developmental delay or learning disability. Children that fall on the autism spectrum usually fall heavily into this category. Information for these children must be presented in multiple formats and even then it may still be a hit or miss situation. When you have a moderate to severe developmental delay or learning disability situation, teaching anything becomes an adventure. Most of the time, the mix between the different formats is not equal and may vary from day to day and subject to subject. Some days a child may require more auditory and less visual only to require the exact opposite in the same subject the next day. This is why one-on-one instruction works so much better for these children than a group situation. A teacher of these children needs the flexibility to switch gears at a moment's notice.
Keep Your Eyes Open for Issues
Let us take this into the early childhood world. As early childhood professionals, we are usually a child's first exposure to the academic world. Therefore, we are also in a position to spot problems before anyone else. Now I am not talking about diagnosing anything, but we can tell when something is just not right. Watch your children and pay attention to what kind of presentations seem to work for each child. When you encounter a child that seems to have great difficulty learning, try mixing different learning approaches to see if you can stumble upon that child's magic combination. Plus, make use of the different screening opportunities available in your state when you do notice those difficulties. Catching developmental delays and learning difficulties early can make a huge difference in the life of a child.
I hope you have enjoyed this post. Goodbye and God bless!!
Check out Natalie's children's books at: https://www.amazon.com/author/nataliewade7457
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