Action Plan for Implementing Modifications in the Classroom

When students require modifications in the classroom it can be beneficial to put an action plan into place to ensure that the modifications are actually helping the student.  Sometimes school based therapists, students or school psychologists recommend modifications to occur in the classroom on a day to day basis.  It is important to make sure that the modifications are doable and helpful.  Here are some steps to take to move into action with a teamwork approach.

1.  Collaborate and strategize with the team to determine the modification that the student requires.
2.  Determine the objectives/purpose of the modification.  Set goals.
3.  Schedule when the modifications will occur.
4.  Establish who will help (teacher, therapist, parents, peer, student) implement the modification.
5.  Decide where the modifications will be implemented (in class, outside of class, at home, etc).
6.  Student ACTS and uses the modification.
7. Check improvement and MONITOR PROGRESS!  This is such an important part of establishing the benefit of modifications for students. Sometimes year after year, modifications continue to roll over on students IEPs into the next school year without have data to back up why or how the modification is beneficial for the student.  Remember to revisit the goals that were set when creating the action plan and collect data on whether the modifications are advantageous for the student.  If not, start over again back at step one.

Modifications and Interventions for School – Reporting Forms provides pediatric therapists with over sixty, reproducible reporting forms with hundreds of suggested modifications and interventions for students. Interventions are listed by skill areas such as handwriting, scissors, dressing, walking, stairs, wheelchair skills and sensory skills. This book is a great tool for all school based therapists and teachers to determine what modifications and interventions are successful for a particular student.  Find out more information.

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8 Playtime Modifications for Children with Disabilities

Whether it be at home, daycare, school or extracurricular activities, children with disabilities may benefit from modifications during playtime. Here are 8 questions to ask when assessing a child’s needs during playtime:

1. Does the environment need to be modified? If the physical environment is adapted perhaps the child will be able to be more independent during playtime. For example, move toys down to lower shelves to allow the child to access the toy without asking for help.
2. Do the play materials need to be adapted? For example, build up a handle on a toy so a child can grasp it independently or use a larger ball so a child can catch it.
3. Do you need to make the activity easier? For example, change the rules of the game to shorten the length of time to play or simplify the steps of a game.
4. Do you need to make the play time more motivating for the child? Perhaps the child is not engaging in play because he/she is not interested in the toy or activity. Try using what a child enjoys playing with in different situations to expand his/her repertoire of play.
5. Do you need to provide adaptive equipment? For example, use a chair with more support to provide additional postural control so the child can use his/her arms and hands more efficiently.
6. Do you need to provide prompts to encourage appropriate play? Try modeling the activity or providing occasional verbal prompts for suggested uses of the toys.
7. Do you need to partner the child with a friend? Try teaming the child up with a friend to model play activities or turn taking to complete a game.
8. Do you need to provide step by step visual directions? Try placing visual step by step photographs in the play area for reminders of suggested play activities.

Play Move Develop is a collection of 100 reproducible sensory motor activities to encourage motor skill development and learning.  Find out more information.

Reference: Sandall, S. Play Modifications for Children with Disabilities. Young Children Journal. Retrieved from the web on 9/23/16 at http://ift.tt/2cSPo34

Read more on Gross Motor Skills and the Development of Play here.

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3 Simple Organizational Tips for Students

Students desks can get very messy but when a student has difficulties with organizational skills it can be even more difficult.  Pencils roll away, worksheets get lost or crumpled and books are on the floor.  Here are three simple ways to clean up and organize that desk space:

1.  The Anti Roll Pencil - just put a velcro dot on the pencil and one on the desk.  Now each time the student puts the pencil on the velcro dot it will not be out of reach.  Have a student who likes to fidget with things?  Wrap a small strip around the pencil instead of just a velcro dot.

2.  The Fridge - If the student has a metal desk and they have not completed a worksheet or assignment, just hang it on the side using a magnet clip (just like you hang papers on the refrigerator).  The worksheet will not get wrinkled or lost among others paper.

3.   Backpack Chair - Grab a $1 jumbo stretchy book cover.  Put one side over the back of the chair and toss a book or folder in the other side.  Then the book is off the desk to make room to write but not out of arm's reach.

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Need more tips on modifying the classroom?  Check out Modifications and Interventions for School - Reporting Forms at http://yourtherapysource.com/modifications.html

Self Regulated Strategy Development

Self regulated strategy development (SRSD) is an instructional model to teach writing strategies to students.   SRSD has been researched and shown to result in significant and meaningful improvements in writing knowledge, writing quality, writing approach, self-regulation skills, and motivation.  School based occupational therapists may focus on the actual skill of handwriting and also the skill of self regulation.  Hopefully, the end result is the ability to function in the educational environment which included completing written assignments (getting thoughts onto paper).  SRSD may work well with some of the students that you work with. In fact, as pediatric therapists we usually work with a similar model from start to finish based on our motor control backgrounds.  Therefore, you are probably doing many of these already but perhaps not in this exact order.  There are six stages to SRSD:

Stage 1: Develop background knowledge. Identify what skills the student needs to complete the assignment. If any skills are lacking pre-teach these skills or utilize modifications to achieve the skills. (Translation in therapy terms - evaluate)

Stage 2: Discuss it. Make sure the student is motivated to make changes. Review the student's current performance and progress monitoring. Introduce the steps of the strategy. (Translation in therapy terms: explain evaluation findings)

Stage 3: Model it. Show the student the new strategy. Discuss the pros/ cons of the strategy. Have the student create positive statements to remain motivated throughout the writing process. Introduce goal setting. Repeat any steps as needed. (Translation in therapy terms: Teach the new skill)

Stage 4: Memorize it. Practice the new strategy until the student can perform it independently. Provide visual or written cues if needed to remember all the steps. (Translation in therapy terms:  Practice in isolated setting)

Stage 5: Support it. Student gradually takes ownership and responsibility of the new strategy. This can be practiced with peer instruction, constructive feedback and positive reinforcement on the teachers part.  (Translation in therapy terms: Practice in all environments, provide feedback and modify environment if needed).

Stage 6: Independent performance. The student is able to use the new strategy in different settings or various tasks. (Translation in therapy terms: Goal achieved!)

Do you see the connection between what we do in therapy and this strategy?  +This could be applied to any modifications or accommodation used in the educational setting.  For example, it would be useful for implementing sensory diets in the school settings, teaching motor skills to participate in physical education or recess, handwriting techniques, etc.

Have you ever used this specific SRSD strategy for writing skills?  Would love to hear your experiences.  Want to read more about SRSD, read the entire article at http://www.updc.org/assets/files/resources_by_topic/literacy/SummerWriting13/Graham_SRSD.pdf.

References:  Santangelo, T. et al.  Using Self-Regulated Strategy Development to Support Students Who Have “Trubol Giting Thangs Into Werds”.  Remedial and Special Education Volume 29 Number 2. March/April 2008 78-89. doi 10.1177/0741932507311636

Modifications and Interventions for School - Reporting Forms
Product Details: Download of Electronic book with 72 pages including 66 reproducible forms and hundreds of suggested interventions.

Find out more information at http://yourtherapysource.com/modifications.html

 

5 Tips to Help Students Be Independent with Modifications

Modifications to the school environment can greatly benefit students with disabilities. School staff needs to teach students to be independent in making sure that modifications are in place in the learning environment.  It is not our job to simple recommend modifications it is also our job as educators/therapists to ensure that the modifications are carried out on a daily basis.  Without the student's approval there will not be follow through on modifications in the classroom.

Here are 5 tips to help students be independent with modifications in the classroom: 

1.  Explain to the student the benefits of modifications.  Provide before and after data or examples directly from the students academic work.

2.  Educate the student on modifications - Explain to the student different supports that are available to him/her.  

3.  Review on what has worked in the past - If a student has tried a certain modification with no overall changes keep that in mind.  Things change over time and sometimes a certain modification can be worth revisiting.

4.  Teach the student self-advocacy skills.  Practice having the student explain to school staff why they need certain modifications.  This will be a life long skill to master.

5.  Reassure the student that it is okay to ask for help.   We all need help with certain aspect of our lives.  No one is perfect.  Every student needs extra help at some point.



Modifications and Interventions for School - Reporting Forms

This printed or electronic book provides pediatric therapists with over sixty, reproducible reporting forms with hundreds of suggested modifications and interventions for students.

FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION http://yourtherapysource.com/modifications.html

Compare Pointing Device Use: Mouse? Track Pad? Trackball?...

Have you ever heard of Fitt's Law?

"Fitts’s Law allows to predict a time it takes a user to point at an object using a specific pointing device (such as a mouse, trackball, trackpad, or even a finger)".

At a website about Fitt's Law - http://fww.few.vu.nl/hci/interactive/fitts/, you can collect data on how long it takes a user to point at an object comparing devices - skip to step 20 in the tutorial to go directly to comparing pointing devices.  For example, you want to collect data on whether a student is faster using a traditional mouse or a track pad.  This website takes you through a series of exercises where you click on various points using different different pointing devices.  Then a graph is generated comparing the time is takes to click using the two devices.

The picture above is the data collected when I tested Fitt's Law on myself using a track pad (blue dots) versus a traditional mouse (red dots).  I could have easily predicted that I would be better with a traditional mouse.  I am very clumsy with a track pad.

If you go through the entire Fitt's Law presentation at the website, it is very informative on determining the location, distance and size of buttons and other elements.  It explains why certain locations are easier to click on and view.

Thought I would pass it along to those who are involved in assistive technology evaluations.  Seems like it would be a great starting point to compare a student's abilities to use pointing devices.

Reference:  Fitt's Law Demonstration.  Retrieved from the web on 3/5/14 at http://fww.few.vu.nl/hci/interactive/fitts/.

5 Steps to Promote Participation of Children with Disabilities in Physical Activities

This week on the blog the focus will be on exercise participation and children with disabilities.  The recommended amount of physical activity daily for children is at least 60 minutes per day. This can be difficult to accomplish for any children with the busy schedules that face this young generation today. For children with disabilities, this can be very difficult to achieve each day for various reasons. Pediatric occupational and physical therapists can help parents, teachers and other members of the community how to promote participation in sports, recreation and physical activities.

1. Educate on the benefits of sports participation and recreation: Regular physical activity helps the body by maintaining muscle strength and range of motion, increasing bone mass, and improving cardiovascular fitness. The brain also benefits from physical activity through elevating the mood, improving self concept, enhancing social skills and more. Specifically sports participation can create friendships, encourage creativity, foster teamwork and define meaning for one's life.

2. Choose appropriate activities: A child's disability or diagnosis needs to be taken into consideration when deciding upon an appropriate recreational or sporting activity. The American Academy of Pediatrics has produced various charts in the article Medical Conditions Affecting Sports Participation to help guide the decision making process. In general, it is recommended that children with disabilities participate in increased duration (minutes per session), frequency (times per week) and decreased intensity if comparing to typically developing children.

3. Minimize risk of injury: Once a sporting activity is chosen, modify the activities if necessary to ensure the safety of the child.

4. Adapt the activity: Offer suggestions to adapt the sporting activities so that the child can participate the most.

5.  Have a positive, supportive attitude: Unfortunately, society tends to view children with disabilities too susceptible to injury to participate in traditional sporting activities. Families and the environment seems to influence participation more than the child's choices. Remember the children have a right to participate!

Reference: Murphy, Nancy A., Carbone, Paul S., and the Council on Children With Disabilities, Promoting the Participation of Children With Disabilities in Sports, Recreation, and Physical Activities Pediatrics 2008 121: 1057-1061

Accommodation for Shoe Tying?

I came across a young soccer player wearing this on her indoor soccer sneakers this past weekend. This was a new product to me but I thought it was worth a mention although I have not personally used these. It is worn over the laces to make sure the sneakers stay tied during the game. To me, this seems like the perfect accommodation for a child who just can not tie his/her shoes. Rather than being limited by velcro sneakers, perhaps give this "SweetSpot" a try. They come in many colors (could use school colors or team colors). It is really just a piece of looped heavy duty resistive band. They are latex free.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Another benefit would be for eye foot coordination training. When teaching a young child to drop kick a ball the colorful marking provides a good visual target.

Has anyone used these in their practice? Would love to hear if anyone has had any success with using them as an accommodation.
You can get them at Amazon.

1/22/12 - Follow Up: I stopped into the soccer store so I could buy the Sweet Spot but he was sold out. He stated there are several brands one being Adidas. I found these online as another alternative. I did wonder though could you sew velcro strips onto thick elastic and achieve the same thing? May have to try a sewing project. That way you could create different sizes.