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W H E R E A R E W E A N D W H E R E D O W E G O F R O M H E R E ?

A Review of the Research on Multisensory Instruction

A m y V a n d e n B o o g a r t G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n U n i v e r s i t y I D A A n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e O c t o b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 2 D o w n l o a d s l i d e s a t : h t t p : / / t i n y u r l . c o m / a m y v b I D A

W H A T I S M U L T I S E N S O R Y I N S T R U C T I O N ?

W H Y I S I T I M P O R T A N T ?

L I T E R A T U R E R E V I E W : P U R P O S E , S T R A T E G Y , F I N D I N G S

T W O T Y P E S O F S T U D I E S

I M P L I C A T I O N S

Session Overview

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Need for Effective Instruction and Intervention

�  Mastery of basic reading skills in the primary grades plays an important role in later reading achievement.

�  75% of students who struggle to read in third grade will still struggle in high school (Fiester, 2010).

�  Educators need effective primary instruction and effective intervention (both early and later).

�  Multisensory instruction has been a common strategy for helping struggling readers for nearly a century.

What is multisensory instruction?

•  Uses multiple sensory pathways to create links between speech and print

•  Effective for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities

•  Uses visual, auditory, tactile-kinesthetic, and/or articulatory-motor components

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Multisensory Instruction: A Brief History

Educational psychologists (late 19th century):

•  All senses involved in learning

Dr. Samuel Orton (1920s):

•  Multisensory phonics instruction essential for students with “word blindness”

•  Emphasis on how letters look, sound, and feel

•  Stressed repetition and sequential teaching of structure of language

•  Should use all sensory pathways to compensate for weak memory

Multisensory Instruction: A Brief History

Gillingham and Stillman:

•  Organized Orton’s principles into a remedial instructional approach to phonics instruction

•  “Language triangle:” visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile linkages

Fernald:

•  Worked with Helen Keller (1920s)

•  Fernald Technique (VAKT) or tracing method; whole word approach using kinesthetic/tactile modalities to supplement visual and auditory

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Why should we be talking about multisensory instruction?

Educators have used these techniques to help struggling readers for almost a century.

Many emerging technologies include multisensory capabilities:

•  Visual

•  Auditory

•  Tactile

Important to explore the research behind how/why the multimodal nature of these technologies can help students learn to read

So, is there research that backs it?

1977

Kline article in Bulletin of the Orton Society, “Orton-Gillingham methodology: Where have all the

researchers gone?”

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So, is there research that backs it?

1998

“Reviews of the treatment literature on developmental dyslexia reveal a limited number

of scientifically sound and clinically relevant reports of significant treatment effects”

(Oakland, et al., 1998, p. 141).

So, is there research that backs it?

1999, 2005

“Although clinicians and teachers have embraced multisensory teaching techniques

since the earliest teaching guides were written…, these techniques have seldom been well-defined,

and clinical wisdom has been waiting for scientific research validation and explanation”

(Moats & Farrell, 2005, p. 23).

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So, is there research that backs it?

2006

“It appears that the widespread use of OG instruction has been fueled by

anecdotal evidence and personal experience” (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006, p. 172).

P U R P O S E

S E A R C H C R I T E R I A

S E A R C H S T R A T E G Y

I N C L U D E D S T U D I E S

Literature Review

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Purpose

�  To examine the existing body of literature on multisensory instructional techniques to answer the following two questions: ¡  In what ways can multisensory instructional techniques

increase student achievement in reading? ¡  Which multisensory instructional techniques are most effective

at increasing student achievement in reading?

Search Criteria

�  Empirical studies only ¡  No design limitations (experimental, quasi-experimental,

descriptive, pre-test/post-test) �  Published in print-based, peer-reviewed journals

¡  No dissertations or theses �  Studied the use of multisensory techniques to improve

reading/writing/spelling/handwriting in English �  Multisensory techniques had to include at least three

sensory pathways (VAK, or VAT, or VAKT) �  No date restrictions �  Broader range of articles than Ritchey & Goeke’s (2006)

“Orton-Gillingham and Orton-Gillingham-Based Reading Instruction: A Review of the Literature”

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Search Strategy

�  Databases: ¡  ERIC ¡  Education Abstracts ¡  JSTOR ¡  Academic Search

Complete ¡  Academic Search Premiere ¡  PsychInfo ¡  PsychArticles

�  Reference lists of relevant articles/studies

�  Search terms included: ¡  multisensory ¡  VAKT ¡  Orton-Gillingham ¡  Fernald ¡  multisensory structured

language ¡  reading ¡  decoding ¡  comprehension ¡  dyslexia

Included Studies (25 total)

�  Block, C. C., Parris, S. R., & Whiteley, C. S. (2008). CPMs: A kinesthetic comprehension strategy. The Reading Teacher, 61(6), 360-370.

�  Campbell, M. L., Helf, S., & Cooke, N. L. (2008). Effects of adding multisensory components to a supplemental reading program on the decoding skills of treatment resisters. Education & Treatment of Children, 31(3), 267–295.

�  Chandler, C. T., Munday, R., Tunnell, J. W., & Windham, R. (1993). Orton-Gillingham: A reading strategy revisited. Reading Improvement, 30, 59-64.

�  Dev, P. C., Doyle, B. A., & Valente, B. (2002): Labels needn't stick: "At-risk" first graders rescued with appropriate intervention. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 7(3), 327-332.

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Included Studies

�  Dilorenzo, K. E., Rody, C. A., Bucholz, J. L., Brady, M. P. (2011). Teaching letter-sound connections with picture mnemonics: Itchy’s Alphabet and early decoding. Preventing School Failure, 55(1), 28-34.

�  Foorman, B. R., Francis, D. J., Winikates, D., Mehta, P., Schatschneider, C., & Fletcher, J. M. (1997). Early interventions for children with learning disabilities. Scientific Studies of Reading, 1, 255-276.

�  Guyer, B. P., Banks, S. R., & Guyer, K. E. (1993). Spelling improvement for college students who are dyslexic. Annals of Dyslexia, 43, 186–193.

Included Studies

�  Guyer, B. P., & Sabatino, D. (1989). The effectiveness of a multisensory Alphabetic Phonics approach with college students who are learning disabled. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 22, 430–434

�  Hook, P., Macaruso, P., & Jones, S. (2001). Efficacy of Fast ForWord training on facilitating acquisition of reading skills by children with reading difficulties: A longitudinal study. Annals of Dyslexia, 51(1), 75–96.

�  Joshi, R. M., Dahlgren, M., & Boulware-Gooden, R. (2002). Teaching reading in an inner city school through a multisensory teaching approach. Annals of Dyslexia, 52(1), 229-242.

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Included Studies

�  Litcher, J. H., & Roberge, L. P. (1979). First grade intervention for reading achievement of high risk children. Bulletin of the Orton Society, 24, 238– 244.

�  Lovitt, T. C., & DeMier, D. M. (1984). An evaluation of the Slingerland Method with LD youngsters. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 17(5), 267-272.

�  Marley, S. C., Levin, J. R., & Glenberg, A. M. (2010). What cognitive benefits does an activity-based reading strategy afford young Native American readers? Journal of Experimental Education, 78(3), 395-417.

�  Marley, S. C., & Szabo, Z. (2010). Improving children's listening comprehension with a manipulation strategy. Journal of Educational Research, 103(4), 227-238.

Included Studies

�  Oakland, T., Black, J. L., Stanford, G., Nussbaum, N. L., & Balise, R. R. (1998). An evaluation of the Dyslexia Training Program: A multisensory method for promoting reading in students with reading disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31(2), 140-147.

�  Ogden, S., Hindman, S., & Turner, S. D. (1989). Multisensory programs in the public schools: A brighter future for LD children. Annals of Dyslexia, 39(1), 247-267.

�  Rule, A. C., Dockstader, C. J., & Stewart, R. A. (2006). Hands-on and kinesthetic activities for teaching phonological awareness. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(3), 195-201.

�  Sadoski, M., & Willson, V. L. (2006). Effects of a theoretically based large-scale reading intervention in a multicultural urban school district. American Educational Research Journal, 43(1), 137-154.

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Included Studies

�  Scheffel, D. L., Shaw, J. C., & Shaw, R. (2008). The efficacy of a supplemental multisensory reading program for first-grade students. Reading Improvement, 45(3), 139-152.

�  Silberberg, N. E. (1973). Which remedial reading method works best? Journal of Learning Disabilities, 6(9), 18-27.

�  Simpson, S. B., Swanson, J. M., & Kunkel, K. (1992). The impact of an intensive multisensory reading program on a population of learning-disabled delinquents. Annals of Dyslexia, 42(1), 54-66.

�  Stoner, J. C. (1991). Teaching at-risk students to read using specialized techniques in the regular classroom. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 3(1), 19-30.

Included Studies

�  Thorpe, H. W., & Borden, K. S. (1985). The effect of multisensory instruction upon the on-task behaviors and word reading accuracy of learning disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18(5), 279-286.

�  Thorpe, H. W., Lampe, S., Nash, R. T., & Chiang, B. (1981). The effects of the kinesthetic-tactile component of the VAKT procedure on secondary LD students' reading performance. Psychology in the Schools, 18(3), 334-40.

�  Vickery, K. S., Reynolds, V. A., & Cochran, S. W. (1987). Multisensory teaching approach for reading, spelling, and handwriting: Orton-Gillingham based curriculum, in a public school setting. Annals of Dyslexia, 37(1), 189-200.

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Excluded Studies

�  Not published in print journals ¡  Geiss, Rivers, Kennedy, & Lombardino (2012) -

International Journal of Special Education (online journal) �  Did not specifically test the multisensory instruction

¡  Blau & Loveless (1982) – tested hand dominance

�  Instructional strategy utilized only two sensory modalities (such as visual and auditory only) ¡  Neurological Impress method

�  Dissertations and theses ¡  Donnell (2007), Dooley (1994), Westrich-Bond (1993)

T W O T Y P E S O F S T U D I E S

Literature Review Findings

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Multisensory Programs Multisensory Components

�  Full or supplemental curricula for teaching language arts skills like reading, decoding, spelling, handwriting

�  May also be considered “approaches”

�  Utilize multisensory techniques as part of instruction

�  Most either Orton-Gillingham (OG) or OG-based

�  Grouped under “umbrella term of multisensory instruction” (Joshi, et al., 2002, p. 232)

�  18 of 25 studies

�  Specific multisensory components or activities added to non-multisensory instruction to enhance it

�  Often studied “as part of a larger intervention package” (Campbell, et al., 2008, p. 269), but some studies have tried to isolate them to evaluate their specific contributions to students’ reading growth

�  8 of 25 studies

Two Types of Studies

Note: one study falls in both categories

1 8 S T U D I E S

E X A M I N E D C U R R I C U L A C H A R A C T E R I Z E D A S M U L T I S E N S O R Y

Multisensory Programs

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Studies of Multisensory Programs

�  Orton-Gillingham (OG) (7) �  Alphabetic Phonics* (3) �  Dyslexia Training Program* (1) �  Itchy’s Alphabet (1) �  Wilson Reading System* (1) �  Project Read* (1) �  Slingerland approach* (1) �  Multisensory Teaching Approach

for Reading, Spelling, and Handwriting (MTARSH)* (1)

�  Language Basics: Elementary* (1) �  Lindamood-Bell LiPS, Seeing

Stars, and Visualizing & Verbalizing (1)

*based on OG approach

Features of Programs

�  Most either used the Orton-Gillingham program itself or are based on OG principles.

�  Most are mulitsensory structured language programs; based on direct, explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction

�  Lindamood-Bell programs based on dual coding theory (involvement of various sensory modalities)

�  MTARSH based on Fernald and OG techniques �  Most studies do not detail the specific multisensory activities/

features of the programs; none isolate the multisensory elements �  Most programs developed for or used with LD populations,

specifically students with dyslexia or other reading disabilities, except for: ¡  MTARSH: adaptation of OG approach for general ed. classrooms ¡  Language Basics: Elementary (now called Structured Language Basics): fast-

paced adaptation of Alphabetic Phonics for elementary classrooms

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Populations in Program Studies

�  Age ¡  Mostly elementary students (14) ¡  1 high school ¡  A few college-age (3)

�  Disability status ¡  9 of 18: students with LD (most had SLD in reading) ¡  4 of 18: students “at risk” of reading difficulty or referred for

remedial services ¡  4 of 18: students in general education ¡  1 of 18: both students with LD and general education

Effectiveness of Specific Programs

�  Orton-Gillingham (6 of 7 studies found significant gains for students receiving OG instruction) ¡  Litcher & Roberge (1979): OG group made significant gains in all

areas of reading over basal group ¡  Guyer & Sabatino (1989): OG group made more gains than non-

phonetic intervention and no intervention groups ¡  Simpson, et al. (1992): students who had more than 50 hours of

intervention made most gains (only 30 hours = “negligible” improvement)

¡  Hook, et al. (2001): OG group and Fast ForWord group both made gains in phonemic awareness, but only OG group made gains in word attack

¡  Dev, et al. (2002): students made gains in reading and spelling after OG instruction; maintained gains for 2 years (but many limitations)

¡  Scheffel, et al. (2008): OG group’s phoneme segmentation fluency became more homogenous and closer to benchmark than comparison group; OG group’s nonsense word fluency significantly higher than comparison group; neither group made significant gains on oral reading fluency

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Effectiveness of Specific Programs

�  Alphabetic Phonics (3 of 3 found somewhat positive results) ¡  Ogden, et al. (1989): longitudinal study, students made progress

with AP, but those who began the earliest (1st gr) made the biggest gains; self-contained students with SLD did not make gains until 3rd year, but reading comprehension then increased dramatically

¡  Chandler, et al. (1993): college students in AP improved their reading achievement, but control group improved more

¡  Foorman, et al. (1997): AP (synthetic phonics) led to significantly higher phonological processing and word reading skills than sight word reading and analytic phonics programs when covariates not controlled for, but when controlling for covariates (demographic variables), no significant differences among the three groups

Effectiveness of Specific Programs

�  Dyslexia Training Program (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Oakland, et al. (1998): treatment group (elem.) (both video-based

and teacher-based) did significantly better than control group on reading comprehension, word reading, and decoding; no significant effect on spelling; but 10 students in control group had supplemental reading instruction

�  Itchy’s Alphabet (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Dilorenzo, et al. (2011): treatment group (K) scored significantly

higher than comparison group on initial sound fluency, phoneme segmentation fluency, and nonsense word fluency

�  Wilson Reading System (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Guyer, et al. (1993): college students who had WRS instruction

did significantly better in spelling than nonphonetic and control group

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Effectiveness of Specific Programs

�  Project Read (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Stoner (1991): 1st graders in treatment group performed

significantly better than control group on word study, word reading, comprehension, and total reading; no significant improvement for 2nd or 3rd grade (but much smaller groups)

�  Slingerland approach (1 of 1 found neutral results) ¡  Lovitt & DeMier (1984): no differences between treatment group

and whole-word reading program group of 1st-3rd graders (both equally effective); but differences in how programs were administered and small sample size

�  Multisensory Teaching Approach for Reading, Spelling, and Handwriting (MTARSH) (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Vickery, et al. (1987): longitudinal study of 1-6th graders, CAT

scores increased for both remedial and non-remedial students; the more years of instruction received, the bigger the gains.

Effectiveness of Specific Programs

�  Language Basics: Elementary (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Joshi, et al. (2002): both LB group and comparison group

(Houghton Mifflin program) of gen. ed. 1st graders had significant growth in comprehension, but LB group was significantly higher; only LB group had significant growth in phonological awareness and decoding

�  Lindamood-Bell LiPS, Seeing Stars, and Visualizing & Verbalizing (1 of 1 found positive results) ¡  Sadoski & Wilson (2006): tested “scaled up” implementation

from 1998-2003; students in schools that taught LMB programs outperformed comparable schools in reading comprehension (both Title I and non-Title I schools); differences increased over time for grades 3 and 4 (not for 5)

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Reading Skills Assessed

�  Most studies of programs looked at effects of multiple skills or general reading achievement; did not look for effects on one specific skill

�  Skills assessed included general reading achievement, comprehension, oral reading fluency, decoding/nonsense word fluency, phoneme segmentation fluency, initial sound fluency, spelling

Limitations/Critique

�  8 of 18 studies published over 20 yrs. ago; only 5 since 2002 �  Study designs:

¡  Most studies (13 of 18) were quasi-experimental (included pre-/post-tests with comparison/control group); no random assignment to groups

¡  Several studies reported pre-/post-test data only ¡  In time-series designs, nothing done to account for other possible explanations ¡  One compared four interventions with no control

�  Multisensory elements of programs not isolated in any studies �  Inconsistent training of teachers �  Program being tested not the only reading instruction students

received in some studies �  Half the studies had small numbers of participants

¡  11, 14, 30, 30, 31, 43 participants (smallest) ¡  3 studies had between 50 and 100 participants

�  Group size not always reported ¡  Small group size for interventions could have contributed to results

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8 S T U D I E S

E X A M I N E D M U L T I S E N S O R Y C O M P O N E N T S O R A C T I V I T I E S A D D E D T O N O N - M U L T I S E N S O R Y I N S T R U C T I O N

Multisensory Components

Features of Multisensory Component Studies

�  Studies that did not examine a full reading curricula/program

�  Attempted to isolate specific multisensory activities added to instruction to see if they increased reading achievement

�  Much fewer studies in this category (8 vs. 18) �  Much more detailed descriptions of multisensory

elements

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Fernald Method

�  Fernald method: ¡  Teacher writes word that child chooses and says the word. ¡  Teacher models tracing the word while saying it. ¡  Student traces word while saying it. ¡  Student repeats tracing/saying until able to do it from memory. ¡  Teacher covers word; child writes from memory. ¡  Student writes stories using the “mastered” words. ¡  Teacher types stories; student saves them.

�  VAKT approach �  Whole word approach; differs from OG approach �  “De-emphasizes phonics” (Mather & Wendling, 2012) �  Tracing aspect of approach helps with visualization of words �  Only one reviewed study included this approach; did not find it to

be more successful than auditory-phonic, visual, or OG approaches (Silberberg, et al., 1973), but study had several limitations and is almost 40 years old.

Tracing/Finger-Writing

�  Thorpe, et al. (1981): HS students underlined each grapheme in a word while pronouncing each grapheme, underlined and said the word, and then used index finger to write words 5 times on desk; then underlined the word while saying it. ¡  Effective for increasing word reading of high school students with LD, but not

spelling �  Thorpe & Borden (1985): teacher modeled reading a word, students

repeated, then traced word with index finger while saying the sounds; students then underlined word and said it again. After practicing this, students said word in unison and traced it with their pencils while saying the sounds, then underlined the word while saying it. ¡  Effective for increasing students’ time on task, which in turn increased word

reading accuracy �  Campbell, et al. (2008)*: students traced letters on carpet squares

while saying the sound of the letter ¡  Decoding fluency improved; could also potentially increase reading fluency *Campbell, et al. (2008) examined cumulative effects of 4 components; cannot isolate components.

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Underlining Letters or Words while Saying Sounds

�  Thorpe, et al. (1981): HS students underlined each grapheme in a word while pronouncing each grapheme, underlined and said the word, and then used index finger to write words 5 times on desk; then underlined the word while saying it. ¡  Effective for increasing word reading of high school students with LD,

but not spelling �  Thorpe & Borden (1985): teacher modeled reading a word,

students (7-9 yo) repeated, then traced word with index finger while saying the sounds; students then underlined word and said it again. After practicing this, students said word in unison and traced it with their pencils while saying the sounds, then underlined the word while saying it. ¡  Effective for increasing students’ time on task, which in turn increased

word reading accuracy

Kinesthetic Movements or Hand Motions

�  Block, et al. (2008): elementary students’ used Comprehension Process Motions (CPMs), kinesthetic hand motions to learn and perform strategy for finding main idea ¡  CPMs improved students’ explicit and implicit comprehension (infer, draw

conclusions, clarify, follow plot, find main ideas), vocabulary; improved both immediate and long-term comprehension growth

�  Campbell, et al. (2008): 2nd grade students “tapped out” sounds in words with fingers ¡  Decoding fluency improved; could also potentially increase reading fluency

�  Rule, et al. (2006): use of kinesthetic activities (arm movements to represent vowel sounds; pantomiming for meanings of verbs; stepping on “stones” representing different vowel sounds) and tactile/object activities (sorting objects by vowel sound or # of syllables) for teaching phonological awareness to 1st-3rd grade Title I students ¡  PA of students in kinesthetic and tactile groups initially lower than control

group, but matched control group after intervention

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Use of Manipulatives

�  Campbell, et al. (2008): 2nd grade students used magnetic letters to spell words on a baking sheet ¡  Decoding fluency improved; could also potentially increase reading

fluency �  Marley, et al. (2010): manipulatives (animal/people figurines)

used to act out story events to aid the recall of 2nd and 3rd graders with limited English proficiency ¡  Manipulative strategy better than rereading for improving story recall

(but observing manipulation offered same benefits) �  Marley & Szabo (2010): manipulatives (animal/people

figurines) used to act out story events to aid K and 1st grade students’ recall ¡  Manipulatives significantly enhanced memory of story events for K and

1st graders’ (more than picture cues); younger children benefit more than older children

Populations in Component Studies

�  Age ¡  Almost all elementary students (7 of 8 studies) ¡  1 high school

�  Mostly general education ¡  Only 2 of 8 studies looked specifically at special education

students [Thorpe, et al. (1981), Thorpe & Borden (1985)] ¡  Campbell, et al. (2008): “treatment resisters” ¡  Marley, et al. (2010): ELLs ¡  Very different from studies of multisensory programs

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Reading Skills Assessed

�  Focus of component studies on only one or two reading skills, rather than multiple skills or general reading achievement ¡  Silberberg, et al. (1973): word recognition ¡  Thorpe, et al. (1981): sight word reading, spelling ¡  Thorpe & Borden (1985): sight word reading ¡  Rule, et al. (2006): phonological awareness ¡  Block, et al. (2008): comprehension ¡  Campbell, et al. (2008): decoding fluency, reading fluency ¡  Marley & Szabo (2010): listening comprehension/recall ¡  Marley, et al. (2010): listening comprehension/recall

�  Different from studies of multisensory programs

Overall Effectiveness

�  Most studies found that the multisensory components added to instruction were more effective than control groups without multisensory instruction ¡  5 of 8 studies found statistically significant effects for at least one

reading skill (but some studies had limitations) ¡  Campbell, et al. (2008): moderately significant effects on ORF (but

limitations in assessment procedure) ¡  Marley, et al. (2010):

÷ Observing the manipulation strategy provided same benefit as actually doing it

÷ Participants did not maintain gains over time ¡  Thorpe, et al. (1981): no positive effect of MS components on spelling

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Limitations/Critique

�  Only half of the studies utilized designs that included pre-/post-tests with control groups

�  Thorpe & Borden, Thorpe, et al., & Campbell, et al.: reported descriptive statistics only; no info about statistical significance

�  Thorpe & Borden, Thorpe, et al., & Campbell, et al.: very small numbers of participants: 4, 6, and 6, respectively

�  5 of 8 studies had individually-administered treatments

�  3 of 8 studies published 1985 or earlier

M O R E C U R R E N T R E S E A R C H N E E D E D

N E E D R I G O R O U S D E S I G N S

D U R A T I O N O F I N T E R V E N T I O N M A T T E R S

E A R L Y I N T E R V E N T I O N

N E E D T O I S O L A T E M U L T I S E N S O R Y C O M P O N E N T S

L O O K A T E F F E C T S O N O T H E R S K I L L S

R E S E A R C H I N G E N E R A L E D U C A T I O N S E T T I N G S

Implications

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More Current Research Needed

�  Research base on multisensory programs has not been updated; only 5 studies in last decade

�  There has been more current research on multisensory components, but most have been of kinesthetic/manipulation strategies for comprehension; need more research on multisensory components for decoding

�  Need current studies with rigorous designs

Need Studies with Rigorous Designs

�  Experimental designs with random assignment if possible ¡  Difficult to do this in human subjects research!

�  Larger numbers of participants �  More explicit and detailed information about:

¡  Training of teachers ¡  Types of multisensory activities involved ¡  Equivalency of treatment groups (in quasi-experiments)

�  Control of other reading instruction (outside of treatment) during experiment

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Duration of Intervention Matters

�  Several studies reported largest gains were for students who received instruction in multisensory programs for longest amount of time

�  Many of the studies were conducted over a very short period of time; longer studies or longitudinal studies may demonstrate more positive results

Early Intervention Is Important, but…

�  Several studies found stronger gains for younger students than older students ¡  Indicates importance of early intervention

�  20 of 25 studies were with elementary students ¡  5 that looked at high school/college students did report some

positive effects, but all from 1980s-early 1990s ¡  Need to revisit use of multisensory instruction as an

intervention with older students

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Need to Isolate Multisensory Components

�  Systematic and explicit nature of multisensory programs may be responsible for gains; hard to tell how much of the growth is specifically from the multisensory aspects of the program

�  Testing isolated multisensory components would shed light on which are most effective ¡  Has been done more for comprehension than decoding

(Marley, et al., 2010; Marley & Szabo, 2010) ¡  Campbell, et al. (2008) tried to test isolated components but

they used four different multisensory strategies, so still difficult to tell which are most effective; did not compare to a control

Look at Effects on Other Skills

�  National Reading Panel: ¡  Phonemic Awareness ¡  Phonics ¡  Fluency ¡  Vocabulary ¡  Comprehension

�  Most studies of multisensory instruction have focused on comprehension, decoding, and (to a much lesser extent) phonological awareness

�  Would be interesting to research multisensory approaches to vocabulary and fluency instruction

�  Should also look at effects on spelling; only examined in a couple of studies

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Research on Programs in Gen. Ed. Settings

�  Most studies of multisensory programs looked at effects on students with LD

�  Many studies have been in clinical settings �  The few in general education settings offer promising

results �  More research on effectiveness of multisensory

instruction as a preventative strategy

AMY VANDEN BOOGART amyvb7@gmail.com

Slides can be downloaded at:

http://tinyurl.com/amyvbIDA

Thank You!