Running Head: MULTISENSORY TOOLS AND ACTIVITIES

The Effects of Multisensory Tools and Activities in Assisting Students with Dyslexia

Franciscan University

Maryceline Josephson
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The Effects of Multisensory Tools and Activities in Assisting Students with Dyslexia

One of the most difficult aspects of instruction for the teacher is differentiating

instruction for every student. A teacher should be flexible with his/her instruction because the

teacher will likely find students in the classroom with many and diverse needs. One type of

student each teacher will encounter at some point in his/her career is the student with dyslexia.

Currently, dyslexia is defined as “a learning difficulty in typically developing individuals due to

a deficiency in the phonological skills that are necessary to read and write” (Tunmer and

Greaney, 2009). The topic of dyslexia has always interested me; however, I have recently

acquired a deeper interest because I have an acquaintance who suffers from dyslexia. It is for this

reason that I aspire to learn as much as I can about dyslexia. I want to be able to gain as much

information as possible so that when teaching, I will recognize the signs of dyslexia and be able

to implement teaching techniques that will assist students in need. In order to be prepared, as a

future teacher, I believe that I needed to research what dyslexia was and how certain

multisensory tools and activities can affect a student’s education.

Purpose

Classrooms are full of students who come from different situations and experiences. Each

student not only has different talents, but different challenges, as well. One challenge that many

students may have is dyslexia. Although it may take some time to diagnose a student with

dyslexia, once there is a diagnosis, teachers must immediately find strategies to help the student.

There are many different strategies that are used to help these students improve in their spelling

and reading. Through research I hope to answer the question: How do multisensory activities and

tools affect students with dyslexia and enable them to learn how to spell and read most

effectively?
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One of my goals is to interview educators in a school that teaches students with dyslexia.

The interview will hopefully give me more clarity about the students with dyslexia and the

different multisensory activities that are used within the school. I will discuss with the educators

which multisensory activity they have seen work with the students. I will also learn how to best

implement these strategies within a lesson.

I believe that my research will demonstrate that using multisensory strategies for students

with dyslexia is one of the most reliable forms of instruction. Although each student is unique

and each may learn differently from others, I expect that, through the use of multisensory

activities, students with dyslexia will learn to spell and read better than the students who did not

use multisensory tools and activities.

Review of Literature

Dyslexia has become a well-known learning disorder throughout the world; however, it

has not always been recognized. According to Tumner and Greaney (2009), the New Zealand

Ministry of Education did not officially recognize dyslexia until 2007. This was because they

believed that dyslexia is too complex to be able to be defined. Tumner and Greaney’s purpose

was to look at theories and research of reading and reading interventions in order to illustrate the

four parts of the definition of dyslexia. The authors want to define dyslexia in order to

demonstrate that dyslexia has a definite definition. They start the article by considering factors

that ought to be taken into account when defining dyslexia. After discussing the preliminary

factors, the authors begin to introduce the four components of the definition. These components

include: persistent literacy learning difficulties, the children are typically developing, the

students must have had exposure to high quality intervention, and this learning difficulty is due

to an impairment in the skills of phonological processing. Throughout the article, Tumner and
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Greaney, discuss the components using other researchers and studies to verify their argument.

They do not do any active research through interviews or a survey. The authors restated what

other researchers had discussed about the definition of dyslexia in order to demonstrate to New

Zealand that, although dyslexia is complicated, there is an exact definition. Tumner and Greaney

had concluded that, although New Zealand had given a definition, it was still not accurate based

on research. The authors had completed their article by stating that New Zealand should

reconsider their definition and employ Tumner and Greaney’s definition.

The authors of the article generate excellent points that are supported by different studies.

Having different studies validate the authors’ points is important because it successfully supports

the argument. The article could have been organized differently than it was. It was very direct

which can be difficult to read for some. There could have been more pictures or graphics in order

to positively promote their findings. For the future, the authors may consider doing their own

research, through surveys or studies. This would help support their study further. This article is

important for my findings because in order to be able to discuss dyslexia, one must be able to

define it first.

Students who have dyslexia and typical students are different in terms of their ability to

read and spell; however, do they differ in preferred learning styles? Andreou and Vlachos (2013)

conducted a study that would establish whether or not these students differ in their preferred

learning styles. The authors had forty-three secondary school students, thirty-two boys and

eleven girls, who had dyslexia and were in a typical school. The authors also included typical

students who were the same age and gender as the students with dyslexia. The authors randomly

selected the students that were involved in the study. The school’s psychologist and a special

educator carried out the study and used different assessments. The assessments include:
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assessment of intelligence, cognitive skills, and oral reading accuracy. The students were asked

to pick between a kinesthetic, visual, or auditory option in how to be taught something (Andreou

and Vlachos, 2013). The result of the study determined that there was not a statistical difference

between the two groups; however, there was an assortment of different learning styles. The

hypothesis was to determine whether students with dyslexia had a different preferred learning

style compared to the typical students and although the statistics did not verify this claim, the

study did show that students with dyslexia preferred the kinesthetic, auditory kinesthetic, and

visual-auditory approaches. This may demonstrate that the students with dyslexia prefer a

multisensory approach.

The authors did an excellent job with the format of the study. The study was

straightforward and easy to read. The authors took into account that having students who are the

same age take part in the study is very important. They also had the same ratio of gender

between the two groups, which is also very important in order to get the best results. It was also

helpful to have the graph that compared the students with dyslexia to the other students. The

study could have had more girl students in it. Boys and girls are inherently different and by

having an equal ratio between boys and girls, the statistics may have been different. The

researchers, in the future, can do the same study but with equal amount of girls and boys in order

to see if that would change the statistics at all. This article was very useful to my project because

it demonstrated that multisensory strategies are not only useful for students with dyslexia but

also preferred.

Multisensory activities have been used throughout many different classrooms for

struggling readers. Schlesinger and Gray (2017) studied the use of multisensory activities in the

classroom and whether or not they promote better reading and spelling for students with
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dyslexia. The purpose of their study was to determine if inputting multisensory activities along

with planned language instruction would encourage spelling and reading in typically developing

students and students with dyslexia rather than simply language instruction. The authors had

chosen students from private, charter, and public schools; however, some of the students were

excluded from the study because the standardized language score was too low, diagnosis of

ADHD, or that the parents withdrew information about a student. The authors spent different

phases, baseline, treatment, and follow-up, which contained different assessments in order to

truly study the students. The authors concluded that adding multisensory activities with the

language instruction, although was helpful, did not have a significant effect on the reading and

spelling of students with dyslexia.

I really liked how the authors did the research on students from different schools. Often,

when research is done on different students, the students come from either the same school or the

same type of school. By presenting the research question with students from different types of

schools, the study remains unbiased. The methodology was difficult to follow along with.

Although it was labeled very well throughout the article, there were certain sections that should

have been explained more clearly. When the authors discussed the three phases, it was not

described very clearly and was not noticeably defined. This article is extremely important to the

topic of my research. In my research question, I ask whether or not multisensory activities help

students with dyslexia learn to spell and read. This article helps me develop my research further

and to continue to find the answer to my question. The research, in my opinion, could have been

more racially diverse. The study was predominantly white and I believe that the diversity could

have played a different role in the study.

There are many different types of multisensory activities that can be implemented in the

classroom. One of the types of multisensory activities that is discussed by Milani, Lorusso, and

Molteni (2010) is the use of audiobooks. Audiobooks are multisensory because the program is

reading it to the student while the student follows along. The purpose of the study was to

determine if audiobooks not only had benefits but also if it demonstrated to be useful to students

with dyslexia. The study included forty adolescents, between the ages of eleven and sixteen,

who were split into two groups. One group had the audiobooks while the other group did not

have audiobooks. Both male and female students were included in this study along with a variety

of different grades. The students who had the audio books were given a copy of several of their

school books that were audiobooks while the other group simply read from the hardcover

textbook. The researchers would check up on the students throughout the study and speak to the

parents to make sure that students were using the audiobooks. At the end, the two groups were

compared based off of accuracy and speed for reading. The overall changes in school

performances were also compared. The authors concluded that the use of audiobooks not only

reduced emotional-behavioral challenges at home, but it demonstrated to be helpful and

significant for students with dyslexia.

The article overall was written very well. It was very simple but had a great deal of depth

to it. The researchers were very clear and precise. One aspect that I did not like was that although

both groups had the same number of the two genders, there were more boys overall than girls.

This can only be a problem because boys and girls are very different, especially around

adolescence. This could have possibly made a dramatic difference in the study. This article is

very relevant to my study because audiobooks are a type of multisensory activity. It is important,

when discussing the benefits of multisensory activities and whether or not they work, to mention
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some examples of what is considered multisensory. For future research, I think that the study

should continue for a longer period of time than what it originally was. If the students used the

audiobooks for an extended amount of time, there could have been an extreme difference

between the groups.

There are multiple strategies that can be put into use in the classroom. Awada and Plana

(2018) decided to do a study in order to determine if strategies like graphic organizers, visual

displays, movie makers, and journaling help students with dyslexia improve their reading

comprehension. Before the study could start, the teachers that were involved in the study had to

go to six training sessions. These teachers were randomly selected from both private and public

schools. The teachers’ experience ranged from five to fifteen years as educators of students

between seventh and ninth grade. The students with dyslexia were put into inclusion classrooms;

however, before they were placed, they took a test to determine whether they had dyslexia. The

students then took a second test to double-check the results, and the students who received a

confirmation on the second test were to partake in the study. The strategies mentioned earlier

were implemented and used around two to three times a week for ten weeks. The teachers who

participated in the study were given a writing log to collect information during the ten weeks.

The researchers discovered that each strategy has pros and cons. This is to be expected because

of how unique each student is. It is determined that there is not one method that is the best but all

strategies have parts that are helpful and not very helpful for students with dyslexia.

The authors do an excellent job with how this article was written. It was very

straightforward and easy to read. I like how there is not just one strategy that is observed, but

many. One thing that I found difficult about this article was how the authors discussed the

different strategies. Although each strategy was separated in different paragraphs, I would have
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had an easier read if there was a heading for each strategy that came before the paragraph. This

way, the topic would be more clear. This article relates to my research because one of the

strategies focuses on videos and movie makers, which are visual strategies. Visual strategies are

a type of multisensory technique that are used for students with dyslexia. It is important that my

research question is answered and in order to do that I must look at different multisensory

techniques that have been used. For future research, I think that the authors should have spent

more time on the research. Although it was ten weeks, I do not think that it was enough time to

successfully obtain enough data.

Methodology

I began my research by reading and reviewing research articles in order to become more

proficient in the chosen topic. Although reviewing the literature was helpful, I still was left with

many questions that had not been completely answered. In order to further my research, I had

decided that I wanted to interview a teacher who was an expert in teaching students with

dyslexia. The intended participant for this study was a teacher who worked at a college

preparation school for students with reading disabilities, including dyslexia. This individual was

chosen because of potential knowledge of multisensory tools and activities in the classroom

setting. I went onto the school’s website and found the number to call in order to set up a time

for an interview. Throughout two weeks, I had tried to reach out to the school; however, I did

not receive a response until the end of the two weeks. Unfortunately, due to certain

circumstances, this teacher was unable to give an interview and the school could not provide

another teacher; therefore, my research has become hypothetical.

I prepared questions to ask the teacher during the interview. I will answer the questions

the way in which I believe the individual would have answered. Thus, my answers to the
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questions are hypothetical and based solely on literature reviews, the school’s website, and my

own experience with individuals who are dyslexia. My first question is, “How many students are

in your class?” The answer to this question should give me an idea of the pace of the instruction.

Question two is, “What kind of multisensory tools or activities are used in your classroom?”

With this information, I hope to acquire more information on how the classroom is organized. To

further inquire about the class, I will ask, “How do you implement these tools and activities into

the lessons?” The effectiveness of a lesson is dependent upon how the teacher implement the

tools and activities within his/her lesson. My fourth interview question is, “Which tool or activity

is the most popular among the students?” With this piece of information, I hope to learn whether

there is a specific tool or activity which the students with dyslexia prefer. The fifth question is,

“Have you seen any change in the students’ ability to read or write from the tools and activities

that have been used?” This question is one of the most important to ask because, no matter the

answer, it will truly assist me in answering my primary research question: I must learn whether

tools and activities tailored to assist dyslexic students are truly beneficial to the students. Finally,

I will ask, “Do you believe that these tools and activities have had a greater impact on the

students learning than the typical or traditional form of instruction?” When I ask about the

typical form of instruction, I refer to any classroom that does not implement the specific

multisensory tools or activities that are used in the school. As noted above, even though these

questions will not be answered by the teacher I originally intended to interview, I will use the

literature reviews and the school’s website to assist me in answering them in a way that remains

true to the subject.

Findings

Q1: “How many students are in your class?” I easily obtained an answer to this

question on the school’s website. The classrooms at the school typically contained five or six

students. The website included that the small classes is one of the keys to a successful education

(Academics, n.d.). I surmise that this would be true because the students can get a more

individual and personalized education.

Q2: “What kind of multisensory tools or activities are used in your classroom?”

Obtaining an answer to the second question was considerably challenging without someone from

the school to interview. The website displayed different tools and activities that are used in their

school. These activities include working with clay to create letters, (Academics, n.d.) and

assistive technology.

Q3: “How do you implement these tools and activities into the lessons?” The school

implements these activities, specifically the assistive technology as part of their lessons. The

assistive technology includes “speech-to-text” opportunities that are beneficial to the students

reading and writing abilities (Technology at Gow, n.d.). The school also provides interactive

smart boards for the students to create and work together (Technology at Gow, n.d.).

Q4: “Which tool or activity is the most popular among the students?” This question

is difficult to answer without a conversation with a representative from the school. After

reexamining the literature reviews, I would say it is inconclusive which multisensory tools or

activities are preferred among the students at the school; however, students may prefer any of the

kinesthetic, auditory kinesthetic, and visual-auditory approaches (Andreou and Vlachos, 2013).

Q5: “Have you seen any change in the students’ ability to read or write from the

tools and activities that have been used?” Because I was unable to ask this question to one of
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the teachers at the school, I decided to look through my literature reviews and examine the

school’s website to gain more insight on this question. The website was not clear as to whether

use of the tools and activities result is any improvement in the students’ reading or writing skills;

however, with any form of practice and consistent work, a student’s ability ought to have

changed for the better.

Q6: “Do you believe that these tools and activities have had a greater impact on the

students’ learning than the typical form of instruction?” After review and reflection, I

conclude that these activities may not have had a greater impact on students with dyslexia

compared to a more typical form of education. While it is true that these activities and tools may

have a helped the students read and write better, their use may not have had a greater effect than

typical schooling would have had on them (Schlesinger and Gray, 2017).

Multisensory tools and activities are used in hopes that using visual, auditory, and tactile

approaches, along with verbal instruction, can increase learning for students with dyslexia

(Schlesinger and Gray, 2017). Through the research articles and the school’s website, I have

arrived at the following conclusion: Every student is different and requires different forms of

instruction. While some students excel after participating in tactile instruction, other students do

not excel with this manner of instruction. Although every student is different, it can be suggested

that students with dyslexia prefer a multisensory approach (Anreou and Vlachos, 2013). There

are many different types of multisensory tools and activities. I have an acquaintance who has

dyslexia. He uses a USB device that reads aloud what is on his computer screen. The device also

highlights the words that as they are spoken. Thus, he not only hears the words being spoken, but

is able to follow along. He communicated with me that it was that device that has helped him the

most in his education. He stated that his reading skills have greatly improved as a result of using
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this tool, as has his ability to spell. Though this tool has helped him, it may not help every

student in need. I have come to the conclusion that multisensory tools may be preferred by

students with dyslexia and they may help these students; however, there is not a single tool or

activity that works for every student. The multisensory approach may also have an effect on a

student’s ability to read and write, but it may or may not have a significant effect (Schlesinger

and Gray, 2017).

I have determined that these findings are important because teachers must know their

students and learn what their students’ needs are. It is the educator’s responsibility to understand

and utilize or implement tools and activities that will benefit his/her particular students. Teachers

ought to have a variety of multisensory tools available for use by their students with dyslexia in

order to promote a successful academic environment. I believe that I have answered my research

question; however, not to the extent that I had intended. Furthermore, the formal research I

reviewed concluded that while multisensory tools and activities do have an effect on the

education of students with dyslexia, this effect may not be significant.

Recommendations

Unfortunately, my research was vastly limited by my inability to secure an interview with

the educator I selected as my subject due to unforeseen circumstances. This limited the research

because the teacher could have provided information about her students that would have been

beneficial to the study. The teacher could also have provided me with details as to how the

lessons and her classroom are managed. Although the website contained information about the

school, it did not present a significant or sufficient amount that I would have received been able

to acquire from an interview. I expanded my knowledge on dyslexia and multisensory tools and
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activities from the research articles that were reviewed and examined; however, I did not believe

that it was enough information to answer my research question.

I recommend that future researchers interview not just one but many teachers who work

in different educational settings. Interviewing multiple teachers will provide researchers with a

personal understanding of what is expected of educators in a classroom that has students with

dyslexia. If future researchers interview multiple teachers, they will receive a variety of personal

testimonies of how multisensory tools and activities affect students with dyslexia. I would

recommend to other teachers to educate themselves on what dyslexia is and what signs to look

for. I suggest that teachers add and offer a variety of instructional methods, especially if their

students have dyslexia. This, in turn, will be beneficial to all students because the more

educational methods that are used, the more likely it is that the needs of all students will be met.
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References

Academics. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Link]

Andreou, E., & Vlachos, F. (2013). Learning styles of typical readers and dyslexic

adolescents. Journal of Visual Literacy,32(2), 1-14.

doi:10.1080/23796529.2013.11674707

Awada, G., & Plana, M. G. (2018). Multiple strategies approach and EFL reading

comprehension of learners with dyslexia: Teachers’ Perceptions. International Journal of

Instruction,11(3), 463-476. doi:10.12973/iji.2018.11332a

Hamilton, H. (2016). Multisensory associative guided instruction components-spelling. Journal

of Educational Technology Systems,45(2), 256-284. doi:10.1177/0047239516647368

Milani, A., Lorusso, M. L., & Molteni, M. (2010). The effects of audiobooks on the psychosocial

adjustment of pre-adolescents and adolescents with dyslexia. Dyslexia,16(1), 87-97.

doi:10.1002/dys.397

Schlesinger, N. W., & Gray, S. (2017). The impact of multisensory instruction on learning letter

names and sounds, word reading, and spelling. Annals of Dyslexia,67(3), 219-258.

doi:10.1007/s11881-017-0140-z

Technology at Gow. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Link]

Tunmer, W., & Greaney, K. (2009). Defining Dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities,43(3),

229-243. doi:10.1177/0022219409345009
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Appendix

Interview questions that were written before an anticipated interview p