Grace Fernald

Grace Fernald – A Pioneer in Literacy Instruction.

Noted educational psychologist, Grace Fernald (1879-1950) was an influential figure in early twentieth century literacy education. Fernald established “the first clinic for remedial instruction in 1921 at the University of California, Los Angeles” (Smith, 2002, p. 181). Tracing tactile learning tendencies back to Quintilian, Seguin, and Montessori, Fernald’s kinesthetic spelling and reading method prompted struggling students to trace words. Years of research culminated in 1943 with her classic work, Remedial Techniques in Basic School Subjects. The popular kinesthetic method anchors modern instruction in the areas of special education and remedial reading. Kinesthetic learning is also included as one of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences. Fernald’s notion of incorporating the physical with the auditory, verbal, and visual elements of reading instruction, now known as "VAKT", multimodal learning, or multisensory imagery, continues to guide educators today.