Page 34 - iRead EL in Research Paper

Multisensory Instruction in Reading
In multisensory language instruction, many learning pathways in the brain are utilized in order to enhance memory
and learning. The instruction is organized so that the material to be learned follows the logical order of the language, beginning with the easiest and most basic elements and progressing methodically to more di cult material. Phonemic and phonological awareness, sound-symbol association, syllabication, morphology, syntax, and semantics are taught.
Research Evidence and Expert Opinion
As part of her synthesis of the literacy research literature, Marilyn Adams (1990) observes that reading depends on letter recognition, but she goes on to note that successful readers must also possess knowledge about the spellings, meanings, and pronunciations of words, and must be prepared to consider the contexts within which they occur. This suggests that early literacy instruction should mirror the multisensory aspect of decoding and encoding text as it is written, spoken, and heard.
Neuroscience research points to additional bene ts:
Multisensory experiences with linguistic units such as single phonemes, letters, morphemes, words, and sentences may in fact activate more circuitry during language learning than unisensory experiences. . . . A more complete and explicit registration of linguistic information (phonological and other) is likely to occur in the learner’s working memory when attention to linguistic detail is enhanced through multisensory involvement (Farrell & Sherman, 2011, pp. 39–40).
This more intense imprinting of phonological/phonemic patterns has particular bene ts for at-risk and novice readers, who are lacking in phonological skills and may also have related challenges in short-term memory and rapid retrieval of verbal information (Farrell & Sherman, 2011).
Furthermore, the value of multisensory approaches to learning has long been recognized in special education circles. The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), a leading educational research center and the developer of the well-known Universal Design for Learning principles, notes that all learners di er in the ways they comprehend information (also see Rose & Meyer, 2002). CAST (2011) further notes that learning is enhanced when multiple forms of representation (e.g., audio, visual, kinesthetic) are employed because such methods enable learners to make connections within and across concepts. It’s important to note that all learners, both those with sensory disabilities as well as their able-bodied peers, bene t from a multisensory approach to instruction.
RECOMMENDATION
Provide multisensory experiences with linguistic units such as single phonemes, letters, morphemes, words, and sentences.
iRead’s Approach
iRead o ers a multisensory approach to foundational literacy skills instruction through interactive software activities that encompass sight, hearing, and touch; audiobooks; and teacher-led multisensory activities. The iRead multimedia software helps young children develop essential sound-to-text and text-to-sound associations while also learning to comprehend the meaning of words in text.
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