“Multi-sensory language acquisition
techniques:
Technology and the teaching of writing,
literature and culture.”
William Martínez, Jr.
California Polytechnic State University
What is Multi-Sensorial
Teaching?
Based on the Bimodal Learning Model
Neurological Bimodality Definition:“The
notion that both hemispheres of the brain are
involved in a complementary fashion in global
language processing.”
– Marcel Danesi “Neurological Bimodality,” 18
What is Multi-Sensorial
Teaching? (continued)
It attempts to stimulate both sides of the
brain at the same time
Left hemisphere:
Phonological, Morphological, etc. (grammar)
Link syntactic and semantic elements (style, tone, etc.)
Implication of sentence (What does it mean?)
Controls motor functions of speech
What is Multi-Sensorial
Teaching? (continued)
Right Hemisphere:
Determines the sense of the sentence (question, statement,
command, etc.)
Handles figurative meaning (metaphor, simile, etc)
Understands humor and double meaning
Processes most of the everyday occurrances
How does it work?
It gives students more than one stimuli at
any one time
It uses technology (in all its forms) as a
way to lower affective filters
It provides both text and context at the
same time
It increases the motivation of the students
It helps giving students more context
Danesi’s ideas
Use a “Vichian” Model
Go from concrete to abstract
Use metaphor
Apply mental imagery
Help students visualize language
Use TPR and Gestures
Make use of music
Danesi and Writing
It is mostly a first year-type methodology
It emphasizes oral communication
By using metaphor it could be used for
writing, but Danesi does not indicate how.
My adaptations
Stimulate students by using props
Give them specific target writing
assignments
Motivate through technology
High and low technology items
Incorporate cultural components in writing
Integrate several technologies in a
particular assignment.
Multi-Sensory Writing
Focus on the domains of writing
Sensory/descriptive
Imaginative/narrative
Practical informative
Analytic/expository
Sensory/ Descriptive
writing
Gather information through 5 senses
Focus on details
Use of observation in all forms
Choose descriptive words
Imaginary/ narrative
Literature in the real world
Sequence of events
Plot, characterization,
Action as a sensory activity
Connect to real lives
Practical/ Informative
Writing that focuses on culture
Deal with facts
Reporting and providing clear information
Analytic/ expository
The power to persuade
Focus on relationships of things
Attaches symbolic significance
How specific parts work to combine into
an understandable whole
Go beyond what is present to what is
possible
Advantages
Students are more involved in writing
Students feel that writing makes sense
Students see marked improvement in all
critical thinking skills
Students use L2 in real life situations
Students realize that L2 is a living,
evolving language
Disadvantages
It takes a great deal of energy
Must be willing to drop everything at a
moment’s notice--Not for the faint of heart!
Need a lot of imagination
It is difficult to get use to
Testing can be difficult at times