Our senses tell us about the world around us. We hear, see,
smell, taste and feel our way through life, but we do not
always appreciate the complexity of the systems we are
using.
We tend to relate to our senses automatically, yet, like all
aspects of our growth, the senses develop gradually and the
developing child needs to train himself to relate to his
senses. We, as parents and teachers, can help him develop his
senses by exposing him to a wide range of stimuli and help
him learn to recognize them and use them.
The following seems just a list of different aspects of
sensory preception, but they will help us relate to their
development aspects and help us look out for ways we can help
our children develop.
Hearing
AUDITORY PROCESSING is the ability to hear and recognize
sounds.
AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION is the ability to note and relate to
subtle differences in sounds.
AUDITORY SPATIALITY is the ability to use hearing to
determine one's position and their position relative to the
source of sound.
AUDITORY INTEGRATION is the ability to combine several small
sounds into one larger unit which can then be remembered as a
single unit.
AUDITORY MEMORY is the ability to remember what was heard.
AUDITORY SEQUENCING is the ability to remember the sequence
of sounds or words.
AUDITORY VISUALIZATION is the ability to imagine a picture
which illustrates the sound.
AUDITORY TEXTING is the ability to convert sounds into
letters, vowels, syllables and words.
Seeing
VISUAL PROCESSING is the ability to see and recognize
images.
VISUAL DISCRIMINATION is the ability to note and relate to
subtle differences in images.
VISUAL SPATIALITY is the ability to use vision to determine
one's position and the position of the image.
VISUAL INTEGRATION is the ability to combine several small
images into one larger unit which can then be remembered as a
single unit.
VISUAL MEMORY is the ability to remember the sequence of
images.
VISUALIZATION is the ability to imagine a picture.
VISUAL HEARING is the ability to convert letters, vowels,
syllables and words into imagined sounds.
Smelling
OLFACTORY PROCESSING is the ability to sense and recognize
smells.
OLFACTORY DISCRIMINATION is the ability to note and relate to
subtle differences in smells.
OLFACTORY INTEGRATION is the ability to recognize the
separate components of a smell.
OLFACTORY MEMORY is the ability to remember what was
smelt.
OLFACTORY SEQUENCING is the ability to remember the sequence
of smells.
OLFACTORY VISUALIZATION is the ability to imagine the source
of a smell or to imagine a situation which will give rise to
such a smell.
VISUAL SMELLING is the ability to convert letters, vowels,
syllables and words into imagined smells.
Tasting
TASTE PROCESSING is the ability to sense and recognize
tastes.
TASTE DISCRIMINATION is the ability to note and relate to
subtle differences in tastes.
TASTE INTEGRATION is the ability to recognize the separate
components of a taste.
TASTE MEMORY is the ability to remember the sequence of
tastes.
TASTE VISUALIZATION is the ability to imagine the source of a
smell or to imagine a food which will give rise to such a
taste.
VISUAL TASTING is the ability to convert words into imagined
tastes.
Touching
TACTILE PROCESSING is the ability to feel and recognize
something being touched by the fingers.
TACTILE DISCRIMINATION is the ability to note and relate to
subtle differences in surfaces being touched.
TACTILE SPATIALITY is the ability to use the sense of touch
to determine one's position and the position of the object
being touched.
TACTILE SPATIALITY is the ability to use the sense of touch
to determine one's position and the position of the object
being touched.
TACTILE INTEGRATION is the ability to combine several small
areas being touched into one larger unit which can then be
remembered as a single unit.
TACTILE MEMORY is the ability to remember what was
touched.
TACTILE SEQUENCING is the ability to remember the sequence of
what was touched.
VISUAL TOUCHING is the ability to convert words into imagined
surfaces.
Try making boxes full of different "senses" -- a box of
things to feel and a box of things to bang/rattle etc., a box
of things to smell and a box of things to taste, etc. Then,
every so often, you can take out a box and let the little
child sample the different experiences. With a blindfold, you
can play a guessing game. Through your daily mutual
experiences, you can both continue to add to these
boxes.
