Multisensory Approach
A multisensory teaching approach can be defined as one which engages the
maximum number of senses – seeing, saying, hearing, doing – to strengthen
memory and recall, so harnessing learners’ full range of cognitive abilities
(Newman I., 2019). Beyond cognitive benefits, this approach creates a more
enjoyable and interactive learning environment by utilizing varied materials
that prevent boredom and foster movement, ultimately enhancing student
engagement and creating a supportive atmosphere conducive to academic
success (Sarudin et al., 2019). By engaging multiple senses—visual, auditory,
and kinesthetic—this approach makes reading instruction more accessible
and effective for diverse learning needs
According to Parra (2021) the multisensory approach combines visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic elements simultaneously, creating an optimal
learning process that enhances retention and comprehension. By stimulating
multiple senses, this approach not only strengthens learners’ memory but
also boosts their motivation, providing a clearer pathway for information
processing in the brain. Furthermore, Connolly, M. & Jasmine, J. (2015),
highlighted that rote memorization may help students enter information into
short term memory, but, using an active multisensory approach enhances
the transfer into long term memory.
Throughout this approach, learners are given treatment using various kind of
activities involving their senses such as auditory, kinaesthetic, visual and
tactile. Sarudin, N. & Hashim, H., (2019) believe that learners can learn
better by remembering the letters if they are allowed to see, pronounce and
write the letters. Teachers believe that not all learners can master the word
recognition at the same pace. Some learners found it difficult to identify
even a letter especially for those who are mild intellectually disabled as
teaching them is more complicated than teaching it to the normal one
(Mohammadein, 2016). Therefore, it was proven by previous researches that
multi-sensory approach is able to help the learners in terms of increasing
their reading skills.
REFERENCES
Newman, I. (2019). When saying ‘go read it again’ won’t work: Multisensory ideas for more inclusive
teaching & learning. Nurse Education in Practice, 34, 12–16.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595318302877
Jasmine, J., & Connolly, M. (2015). The use of multisensory approaches
during center time, through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile
activities, to enhance spelling accuracy of second grade students.
Journal of Education and Practice.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joanne-Jasmine/publication/31940
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__cf_chl_tk=JPjmFuNnTtGckCYGqH2Nb2GDxZMoRpF0UiKi2t0wacU-
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Sarudin, N. A. A., & Hashim, H. (2019). Multi-sensory approach: How it helps
in improving word recognition. Creative Education, 10(12), Article
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Mohammadein, A. (2016). The Effect of Affection on English Language
Learning of Children with Intellectual Disability Based on Total Physical
Response Method of Language Teaching. International Journal of
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https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.23/2016.5.2/23.2.92.103
