Ask the Experts: Vanessa Diffenbacher

Q: How can students with learning and attention issues engage in multisensory learning?

A: “Multisensory [learning] anchors information. As long as you are coupling two or more modalities, which is visual, auditory, kinesthetic or tactile, you are teaching to the senses,” says Vanessa Diffenbacher, associate head at Lawrence School. “The idea of learning while you’re experiencing all of your senses is really helpful in reinforcing memory. We now know the brain doesn’t process information and compartmentalize it. We know for certain that the brain is a lot more elaborate than that — it uses a lot of senses. For kids with language-based learning differences, like dyslexia, they need structured, systematic instruction on how to code words. For example, when you watch a presenter, you’re not only listening to what they’re saying, but you’re watching the hand motions and the things that they’re doing, which is aiding visually to your auditory processing.”