1.  What is the BumpyBoard®? 

It is an associative learning tool that has multi-sensory capabilities.  A translucent board with two different surfaces, the bumpy side is for stimulating the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile senses using your fingers, while the smooth side is for writing (stimulates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic senses), and it can be wiped clean.  Because it is translucent, you can place it over pre-printed material or self-generated material to suit your student’s need.  Very versatile!

2.  Why did you design the BumpyBoard®? 

I needed a versatile tool that I could see through, had bumps for tactile stimulation, and be able to practice writing on without wasting lots of paper.  I was also tired of the mess of rice and sand, and I wanted something that could be cleaned to reduce the spread of germs.  Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

3.  Why is the BumpyBoard® a successful multi-sensory tool? 

It was designed primarily to develop sound/symbol associations and increase neurocircuitry or new neuropathways for individuals with language learning differences which are the basis for multi-sensory teaching.  With guidance and repetition; the sound/symbol association developed by using the BumpyBoard®, stimulates the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile senses.  When these stimulated associations become automatic; then decoding, recognition, or the retrieval process becomes automatic as well.

4.  How are the neuropathways developed? 

They are developed just like an athlete practicing until a perfect stroke,toss, swing, or running pattern becomes automatic through repetition.  Essentially they are developing neuropathways each time they practice so that the neurocircuitry is in place to perform the perfect move automatically.  Neurons in the brain communicate through synapse.  During a synapse, the neuron’s axon is sent out with information (i.e.: the perfect stroke, a sound/symbol association…), while dendrites of the cell body receive the information.  With repetition, these axons are myelinated (wrapped like sausages with a myelin sheath) and become stronger.  The more myelination, the stronger the synapse becomes, especially when there are no competing neural stimuli for several minutes.  So, with repeated visual, auditory, kinesthetic-tactile stimulation, neuropathways are created, made stronger, and ultimately become automatic.  When you learn something by repeatedly seeing, hearing, saying, moving, and touching; you are essentially stimulating a neuropathway for each sense creating strong neurocircuitry for the skill you want to develop or the knowledge you want to retain.

5.  How did you acquire your background knowledge? 

I am a life-long learner.  I have a Degree in Psychology, a Bachelor of Education, and I have acquired a Specialist in Special Education where I had the privilege of learning about the brain and research that supports multi-sensory learning.  Dr. Dee LaFrance introduced me to the Academy of Orton-Gillingham who pioneered the sequential multi-sensory method for teaching reading and writing.  I hold an Associate Certificate with the Academy and deeply respect my mentor, Dr. Dee LaFrance for her wealth of knowledge and passion for young people struggling with Dyslexia.

6.  Who benefits from using the BumpyBoard®? 

Anyone who needs to develop a sound symbol/association can benefit.  I developed the product to assist teaching my students with dyslexia, but realized that it could close the widening gap between developmental and cognitive growth forced upon children because of increased academic expectations. 
I believe one reason the numbers of special needs children are rapidly increasing is because they are
not able to develop the neurocircuitry necessary to accommodate the abstract knowledge required for recognition and recall.  The BumpyBoard® is simple, versatile, and easy to use and my colleagues and students love it and ask for it.  The idea was developed in response to a need, a need to develop neurocircuitry (for recognition and recall) in the long term memory bank.  So, children, teenagers, and adults can benefit from using the BumpyBoard®.

7.  Why is it better to use the BumpyBoard® rather than sand, rice, sandpaper or felt letters? 

Easy access and versatility are key reasons.  You can create a template suited to your individual student’s needs even in a small group setting without sorting through boxes of letters, cards, or images.  PLUS it can be cleaned!  The BumpyBoard® can be washed with dish soap and warm water to remove germs and the snail trails of little hands! 

8.  How and why are the large BumpyBoards used? 

The large BumpyBoards are used to develop directionality for younger and older students.  On a whiteboard (or chart paper), record the letter you wish to encode, place the Easel or Mini Chart in the tray to lean against the image, then trace with the palm of the hand as you speak the name and make its sound.  Large motor skills are developed before fine motor skills; therefore directionality in large sweeping motions precedes directionality in fine motor development.

9.  How often should I use the BumpyBoard®? 

Each individual is different.  However, daily until it is automatic, then weekly, reduced to monthly for maintenance.

10.   Is it important to use the pointy finger? 

Nerves end in the tips of the fingers.  Using two to three fingers optimizes the stimulation of those nerves.