One of the great things about homeschooling is that we can teach each of our children in the very best way for that particular child. One of the learning differences that matters most is the child’s preferred sensory modality.

That’s a long phrase that means that some children learn better through seeing (visual learners), some through hearing (auditory learners), and some through touching (kinesthetic learners). God has given us our senses, and we all use them in the ways that are best for our uniquely created selves.

How Can I Tell My Child’s Preferred Sensory Modality?

When you get out a map, your visual learners might look closely and study it. Your auditory learners might look at it briefly and then look back at you, listening for an explanation, or start reading the names of the countries out loud. Your kinesthetic learners might touch the map, tracing out a route with their fingers.

Some people are more balanced than others, and might seem to use information from different sensory channels equally. Usually, even more balanced learners show their preferred modality when they’re feeling a little stressed.

Your auditory learner might talk to herself when she is working hard on a math test. Your kinesthetic learner might count on his fingers or doodle numbers in the margins. Your visual learner might write in the margins, too, but he’ll be doing it so he can look at the figures to see whether they look right.

Fortunately, all children learn best when they use all their senses, so you don’t have to be sure about their
preferred modalities. Just include a range of different activities in your lessons. It is so easy for us to think of activities that fit our own preferred modality! Sometimes we need to be reminded of the best activities for the other learning modalities.

Activities for Visual Learners
• Looking at charts and diagrams.
• Color-coding information
• Using graphic organizers to show information
• Practicing with flashcards and worksheets
• Using videos

Activities for Auditory Learners
• Listening to lectures
• Discussing information and ideas
• Reading aloud
• Using learning songs and chants
• Reciting information and doing oral practice

Activities for Kinesthetic Learners
• Using manipulatives
• Doing hands-on practice
• Creating models
• Playing games with information
• Using role play and drama

A perfect lesson would include activities for all the senses. We know that practicing new learning in different ways helps children learn better than practicing for the same amount of time using the same approach. Research also shows that multisensory lessons are learned more easily and remembered longer.

Combine different activities to get the most out of each of them and the best for each learner. Learning videos let visual learners watch and auditory learners listen. Let kinesthetic learners follow along with drawings or manipulatives, or try out what they see on their own. Have kinesthetic learners make graphic organizers with their visual learner siblings, and the auditory learners will join in discussing how to sort the information in the organizers. You can even include cooking, gardening, and nature study to bring in the senses of smell and taste. As far as we know, children don’t use these senses as their preferred learning modality, but we have all seen how cooking a dish from a country being studied can bring that lesson to life.

Soon multisensory lessons will be second nature!

By Mimi Rothschild

Take some time to read this great article about helping students with Attention Deficit Disorder. Included are seven solid strategies that parents and teachers should start implementing for students with ADD.

As all good teachers know, every student has unique interests, abilities, and learning styles. In a successful classroom, this individuality is respected. In fact, teachers use what they know about each individual to help students learn. This same care and respect can help the growing number of students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) overcome some of the educational challenges that they face.

Distinguishing ADD from the normal range of childhood activity is difficult and requires the help of a trained professional. There is no cure for ADD. However, you can use strategies like the seven below to help students with ADD find success in your classroom.

1. Establish a calm, structured classroom
   
   Set up regular routines and clear, consistent rules. While this classroom structure need not come at the expense of creativity or excitement, students with ADD are usually most comfortable in classrooms where procedures, expectations, and limits are explicit.

   Provide a “stimuli-reduced study area” in a quiet, low-traffic area of the classroom. Encourage students to use it. To learn more about setting up this study space, go to KidSource Online.

   Seat students with ADD away from distractions and close to you. Younger students who have trouble staying in their own spaces can benefit from clear physical boundaries, such as their own table or a box marked on the floor with colored tape.

2. Always be clear and concise when giving instructions

   Repeat yourself! Students with ADD flourish in classrooms where reminders and previews are the norm. Be sure that students know what to expect, and give them frequent updates.

   Maintain eye contact when giving verbal instructions and make sure that students understand the instructions before they begin the task. You may want to have students repeat directions back to you.

   Simplify complex instructions, and break large tasks into a series of smaller, more manageable parts. Provide older students with written instructions for multistep projects. Review these instructions orally to be sure that students understand.

   Use non-verbal cues to communicate with the students; for example, quiet the class by raising your hand or blinking the lights. Give private cues when students are off-task, like sending a signal to re-focus by placing your hand on the shoulder of a chatting or distracted student. If a student is struggling with written instructions, print simple, easy-to-understand icons in the margins of the page in order to draw attention to key points.

3. Help students to become better organized

   Provide students with an easy-to-use assignment log. In this log, clearly list the day’s assignments on a clear, standardized homework schedule. Be sure to include a checklist of all books and supplies that students will need to complete the assignments. If possible, older students should make these homework schedules on their own. Remind all students to consult this notebook at the end of each day and to make sure they understand the assignments.

4. Take advantage of technology
   
   Encourage students to do writing assignments on computers or word processors that have a spell-checking feature. Students can also use hand-held, computerized spellers. Of course, these aids should not replace good, comprehensive training in these basic skills. However, for projects that emphasize content mastery, technology can be a very valuable tool! Students who can demonstrate their knowledge without worrying about spelling or handwriting can feel pride in their accomplishment and enjoy a great boost in self-esteem.

5. Give frequent and specific praise
   
   Be sure to tell students how much you value them. Praise all good behavior and outstanding academic performance or improvement in front of classmates or in private. Be specific – tell students exactly what they accomplished!

   For example:

   • “Great job, Leila! You raised your hand before you answered the question!”

   • “Thank you for washing your paintbrush and putting it back where it belongs, Juan. You really listened to my directions!”

   • “What a clean desk! You are very organized today, Matt.”

 

6. Reward success in the classroom by:

   • Distributing small prizes, like stickers.

   • Adding checkmarks or stars to a prominently displayed chart.

   • Giving successful students firm handshakes and bright smiles.

   • Telling students that you are proud of them!

 

7. Share good news with family members
   
   Tell family members about their children’s accomplishments. Don’t limit home-school communication to difficult periods or crisis situations.

   Give younger students a daily home-school “report card.” Encourage them to keep cards in their assignment logs and to share them with their parents. Use this report card to describe students’ achievements and to ask for information or assistance.

   There are no easy solutions to ADD, but a classroom environment that is rich in structure, support, and encouragement can nurture success in all students.

By Mimi Rothschild

One of the best ways for homeschoolers to express themselves is through writing. Writing is an important skill to have no matter how old you are or what industry your in. I encourage all of our Jubilee Academy homeschoolers to continue to write outside of homeschool. One way to have fun and improve your writing skills is to participate in the activities below.

Pre-Kindergarten Homeschoolers
Bible Stories for Kids: Read this creatively written story of Noah and the flood with your pre-k homeschooler.

Elementary Homeschoolers
Picture Story: Elementary homeschool authors can write a fantastic story based on a picture.

Middle School Homeschoolers
Weekly Writing Challenge: Middle School homeschoolers can hone their writing skills and be creative each week while writing for this wacky weekly writing contest.

High School Homeschoolers
Creative Writing Contest: High School homeschoolers can compete against students all across the country. Enter a creative story or a poem!

“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” – Psalm 33:3

In Him,

Mimi Rothschild

Hey kids, parents and educators! Want to play some fun games today? Well you have come to the right place. Just click around to explore the fun!

Pre-Kindergarten Homeschooling Students
ABC: has original cartoons, stories, music, and interactive games for children of all ages. Also in French, Italian, German, Russian, and Spanish.

Elementary Homeschooling Students
Bowakwala: fun Flash site for primary grade kids. Discover new things each month including a story, games, songs, and a link to UpToTen for more fun! Also in French and Spanish

Middle School Homeschooling Students
Rainbow-Magic: cool mazes, puzzles, coloring, games, brainteasers, interactive quizzes, and lots more!

High School Homeschooling Students
Brainquest: includes daily questions, games and trivia, cards, and more fun stuff!

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” -Revelation 2:10

In Him,
The Jubilee Academy

“Hello friends! How is everything?” Spanish is a wonderful language that many people around the world speak. The United States has a very large number of Spanish-speaking people, but Mexico by far has the most! Let’s learn some things about the United States’ neighbor: MEXICO!

Pre-Kindergarten Homeschooling Students
Everything Spanish: A Spanish Theme page from Enchanted Learning.

Elementary Homeschooling Students
Mexico for Kids: “Official site from Mexican government to learn about the land, people, and culture of Mexico. Includes history, government, news, and games.”

Middle School Homeschooling Students
Time for Kids — Mexico: “A virtual journey with photo timeline, currency converter, interactive quiz, audio language guides, and ways to interact with kids in Mexico.”

High School Homeschooling Students
Global Tribe – Mexico: Journey into the heart and history of Mexico, get stats about the country, view a slideshow of pictures, and more.

“I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.” -Psalm 108:2-4

In Him,
The Jubilee Academy

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