Teaching a New Motor Skill? Try Full Immersion

Teaching a New Motor Skill? Try Full Immersion

Are you teaching a child a new motor skill?  Has a child been working on one goal for a long time but still having difficulty?  Try full immersion when children are learning new motor skills.  When we are teaching a child a new motor skill or perhaps working on refining a motor skill, try bombarding the child with the skill.  Here are some examples:

• The goal is to write a circle.  Overload the child with circles during the therapy session.  For example, cardboard tube slices, tub tops, jar lids, paper plate stencils, hot glue rubbings, salt tray, cut out circles, etc all to practice manipulating and writing circles.
•  The goal is to jump forward 6 inches with two feet together.  Overload jumping skills with watching videos of children jumping, model the proper jump, play a game with frogs who jump, jump on a trampoline, recite jumping poems and more.
• The goal is to perform a sit to stand transfer with verbal cues.  Practice sit to stand transfers in many different chairs, videotape the sit to stand transfer and watch it, practice manipulating action figures or Barbie type dolls moving from sitting to standing, etc.

Take the time to discuss with the child the importance of the skill.  By providing all the opportunities and examples of the skill will hopefully teach the child how important the skill is and to help provide the child with internal motivation to achieve the goal.  Read more about intrinsic motivation.

If possible, have the child help keep track of their progress.  Try My Goal Tracker.

My Goal Tracker is a digital download that includes the materials to create a binder for student-generated data collection on his/her goals. There are two versions – Handwriting with Tears® and Zaner-Bloser® Style fonts if you want to practice handwriting skills too!

The student can track his/her goals over time, by monitoring the skills over the course of a day, week, month or quarter. This allows the student to get a visual picture of improvement, decline or maintenance of different skills.  Included in this download is the following: samples of completed forms, goals setting worksheet, improvement ideas worksheet, goal tracking cards (for trials or percentage) and graphs to complete for daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly progress (number of trials out of 10, percentage or minutes).  There is also one blank form for you to label if you are monitoring goals in a different manner.  Complete the goal worksheet, print the necessary forms and place in a binder.  The student can then graph his/her progress accordingly.

By having the students track their own goals they will take ownership of their progress.  It doesn’t get any easier than this to track progress.  FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY GOAL TRACKER.

The post Teaching a New Motor Skill? Try Full Immersion appeared first on Your Therapy Source.

How to Integrate Therapy Goals Into The Curriculum

How to Integrate Therapy Goals Into The Curriculum

Curriculum refers to the lessons and materials that students will interact with to reach educational goals.  Most elementary and high schools follow a specific curriculum for each subject.  In general, a curriculum includes goals, instructional methodology, materials and assessments to measure progress.

Therapy goals can be established to assist students in accessing the curriculum.  Using traditional therapy observational skills and assessment, answer questions regarding the student’s skill level in the classroom.  Is the student able to participate during all aspects of the curriculum lessons?  Skills that are assessed encompass fine motor, gross motor, sensory processing and visual perceptual skills.

Here are a few examples:

• Fine motor skills: manipulation of materials, written output to indicate an understanding of the lesson, etc.
• Gross motor skills:  balance, posture, and mobility throughout the lesson
• Sensory processing skills: body awareness and motor planning (formulating a plan to complete the steps of the lesson)
• Visual perceptual skills: visual motor skills for written output, visual tracking skills to understand the material, etc.

Here is an example of a therapy goal addressing fine motor skills to help a student access the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum using the Common Core Standards for a kindergarten student (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.5).  GOAL: By June 2018, during speaking and listening tasks the student will independently be able to open/close containers that hold ELA supplies 9 out of 10 trials to create drawings or visual displays when presenting knowledge and ideas.

Here is a sample goal that addresses gross motor and sensory processing skills using the Common Core Standards for Kindergarten ELA CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1:  GOAL: By June 2018,  the student will independently exhibit age appropriate body awareness (i.e. maintaining personal space, keeping hands to self, etc.) 90% of the time when actively engaged in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

By writing goals that specifically address accessing the curriculum, school based therapists are embracing the educational delivery of service model.  Read more about writing SMART goals.  If you need more ideas for goal writing based on the Common Core Standards Check out IEP Goals Related to the Common Core for OT/PT Grades K-2 and IEP Goals Related to the Common Core for OT/PT Grades 3-5 .

Another option to integrate therapy goals throughout the school day is to use a specific curriculum to address the sensory motor domains. There are various products available that can help you get started.  These curriculums will save you hours of prep work!

Hands First for Learning Fine Motor Curriculum and Preschool Units have a unique vision and philosophy that desires to link health and wellness with kindergarten readiness skills to support the academic success of young children. The resources provide educators, therapists, and parents with activities to develop fine motor and gross motor foundational skills in both the general education and special education populations.  The Hands First for Learning books are published by two experienced occupational therapists, Laurie Donovan and Alison Hales and Tama L. Hampton, MA, CCC-SLP.  With over 25 years experience working in public schools, the authors understand the needs of school systems, parents, teachers, therapists, and children.

The titles include:

• Hands First! Full Fine Motor Curriculum
• Hands First! Beginner Fine Motor Curriculum
• Fine Motor Preschool Cars Trucks Study Unit
• Favorite Foods Preschool Unit
• Construction and Building Preschool Unit
• Community Helpers Preschool Unit
• Ocean and Shore Preschool Unit

The Coleman Curriculum for School Based Occupational Therapy by Thomas Coleman, OTR is a curriculum for occupational therapy in the schools from Kindergarten through Third Grade. Skills are discussed, examined and explained for everyone to understand.

The Self Regulation Skills Curriculum – Move Work Breathe provides an effective, time-efficient structured system to provide classroom breaks, improve self-awareness and self advocacy and teach specific self-regulation skills so that kids have tools to use in their classrooms. This system will get kids moving, give them the benefits of a brain power boost [from getting their heart rate up], give them heavy work and isometrics to help them calm down, and help them learn techniques to quiet and control their bodies in order to return to their academic work.

The Growth Mindset curriculum, created by Thia Triggs, school based Occupational Therapist, includes 5 units that will help you to support your children in developing a Growth Mindset by utilizing strategies to let go of negative and defeatist thinking, develop a more positive outlook, promote self-encouragement of hard work, develop skills to make the most out of errors and mistakes, promote resiliency to disappointment and frustration, and set personal learning goals while working to overcome internal obstacles.

Have you ever considered developing a specific curriculum for pediatric occupational, physical or speech therapy?  Read more about curriculum development here.

The post How to Integrate Therapy Goals Into The Curriculum appeared first on Your Therapy Source.

8 Simple Tips to Empower Students to Reach Their Goals

Here are 8 simple tips to help students reach their goals:

1. Change up the tools, toys or activities that you are doing. It may be just as simple as approaching the skill using a different tool or material.

2. Change the environment. Perhaps trying accomplishing the skill outdoors, in a quiet room or with a peer.

3. Be positive. If you assure the student that they have the ability to accomplish the goal you will provide them with the ability to believe in themselves. The power of positive feelings can go a long way. Check out Positive Affirmation Posters and Cards to provide your students with a visual reminder at http://yourtherapysource.com/positiveaffirmation.html.

4. Change your teaching style. If you are only providing verbal directions, perhaps offer a demonstration or a visual picture of what the student needs to accomplish. If you are always offering verbal feedback, perhaps try diminishing how often you provide feedback to see if that makes a difference.

5. Offer rewards. Some students respond very well to a reward system. Check out free positive reinforcement ideas to use during therapy sessions at http://yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2014/03/29/5-free-positive-reinforcements-ideas-to-use-for-therapy-sessions/.  Try using Punch Cards and Reward Cards for therapy.  Find out more here http://www.yourtherapysource.com/punchcards.html

6.  Set goals each session.  Work with the child to set mini goals each session.  This will empower the student experience small successes will help you reach the larger goals.

7.  Teach the child to focus on their strengths.  By educating the child on what they do best you can help them use different strategies to reach their goals.  The typical way to achieve a skill may not be the best way for each child.  Start off my keeping track of what the child can do.  Check out these free "I Can" cards to keep track off all of his/her accomplishments.  Get them at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/freeicancards.html.

8.  Teach the child to track their own goals.  The student can track his/her goals over
time, by monitoring the skills over the course of a day, week, month or quarter. This allows the student to get a visual picture of improvement, decline or maintenance of different skills.  By having the students track their own goals they will take ownership of their progress.  It doesn't get any easier than this to track progress.  Check out My Goal Tracker to get started.  More info at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/goaltracker.html.

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Title: My Goal Tracker
By: Your Therapy Source Inc

Summary: Download of materials to create a binder for student generated data collection on his/her goals. Two versions - Handwriting with Tears® and Zaner-Bloser® Style.

Find out more at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/goaltracker.html

 

 

3 Ways to Indicate a Child Has Mastered a New Skill

Once a child has achieved a new motor skill check the following ways to determine if the child has truly mastered the skill:

1. Can the child demonstrate the skill in all environments?

2. Can the child explain why and when he/she will use the new skill?

3.  Can the child teach the new skill to someone else?

If you can answer yes to all three questions, the motor skill goal is officially achieved and mastered!

5 Tips on Tackling Big Goals

At times, all children need some help to achieve big goals.  Whether it be a lofty IEP goal that you inherited, a large project the student needs to complete or a complex motor skill often times it is easier to break it up into smaller, more manageable chunks.  Teachers call it scaffolding and therapists sometimes call it chaining (or backwards chaining if you work backwards).  Whatever you want to name it, sometimes a project needs to be accomplished in smaller pieces.  Here are several tips to make it easier:

1.  Before you break it up into smaller chunks, demonstrate what you need accomplished as the final result.  If it is a large project, make sure the student sees the end result of what is expected.  If it is a complex motor skill, demonstrate it so the student can visually see it.  If you can not demonstrate the skill, find a peer who can.  Even better, video tape the skill and send it home with the child so they can review it whenever necessary.

2.  Ask the child for input to create a timeline to achieve the goal.  Let the student help map out how to break up the skill.  Ask questions to help prompt the child if necessary but do not just provide the solution to the problem.  If the student is able, write down a timeline of when each part will be completed.  For example, if the student is learning how to climb stairs in a crowded stairwell, then the timeline could include activities such as climb the stairs independently with visual distractions in the stairwell, climb the stairs independently with one other student in the stairwell and finally climbing the stairs with many students in the stairwell.  Set dates for each skill to be accomplished.  If the student is tackling a big academic project, encourage him/her to set specific dates with specific directions for each part of the project. 

3.  Stop, reflect and review.  When you are moving through each "piece" of the overall goal stop, reflect and review.  Is the student able to repeat what was previously learned and show 100% achievement of that "piece"?  Ask the student if they need to change the timeline or any strategies that have been employed.  Inquire if he/she could do it better the next time?

4.  Teach the child to offer suggestions from peers and to ask for suggestions from peers.   Once the child has a plan in place encourage them to discuss the plan and look for feedback.  

5.  Create step by step visual pictures if needed.  If the written timeline is not sufficient, perhaps take pictures of the steps needed to complete the overall goal.  The student can move through the visual schedule to help to complete the project.

What strategies do you use with your students to tackle big goals?

Set Goals for Yourself in 2012

With the start of a new year, how about setting some basic goals for yourself to accomplish in 2012. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Realistic Home/Classroom Programs - I will make every effort to provide parents and teachers with activities that are easy to carry out in the home or classroom (see below for ideas).

2. Take the time to observe - I will take the time to just observe. I will document observations in the classroom or home in writing or with photographs. It is very difficult to determine needs if you do not have an idea of baseline issues.

3. Make the children part of the therapy process - I will incorporate the children in each therapy session by allowing them to make choices. I will discuss goal setting with each child.

4. Be patient - I will encourage children to think critically and problem solve independently by allowing them enough time to form a motor response without interfering. Therapy sessions usually only last 30 minutes and we want to jam pack them with activities. Slow down and let the children respond - quality is better than quantity. Let me re-phrase that...independence is better than dependence (regardless of quality at times).

5. Document correctly in a timely manner - I will document therapy sessions immediately following the session so that the documentation is accurate.

6. Set a goal for each therapy session - I will set small, realistic goals for each therapy session.

7. Keep it fun, fun, fun!!!! - I will keep therapy sessions fun. Some children have to attend therapy sessions for years, keep it novel, motivating and fun.

Care to add to the list with your goals for 2012?





Need some easy activities for Goal #1? Try these reproducible forms from Therapeutic Activities for Home and School.

Does Being Overprotective Hinder Development?

Yesterday the NY Times published an article entitled Can a Playground Be Too Safe? The article discusses that whether removing monkey bars and jungle gyms have actually reduced injuries over the years or not. In addition, it states the importance of children learning to take risks and overcoming their fears at a young age. With only "safe" playground equipment replacing older equipment how are we affecting children's development? Definitely worth the read.

Most children love to climb whether it be a tree or a jungle gym. If you are only climbing 4 feet off the ground into an enclosed area do you really feel like you accomplished the great climb? We wonder why children in the tween age group reduce their daily physical activity time. Perhaps it is because playgrounds are not so challenging anymore. Or maybe parents interfere when the play may become a bit risky ie Keep Away boys versus the girls. (read tomorrow post for more on this topic).

If you are lucky enough to find a playground with a nice jungle gym let your child climb it. See if they can make it all the way to the top. Instead of saying no for a fear of falling, observe your child on the lower bars. Does it appear that they are being safe? Let them go a little higher. Be close by but not too close by if possible. If you do need to provide assistance, start with a verbal prompt i.e. "try putting your hand on this bar". If a verbal prompt is not sufficient offer a physical prompt i.e. placing the child's foot on the right bar. Maybe your child needs a verbal and a physical prompt with close supervision. Whatever it may be let them try it.

These tips hold true for when a child is practicing and learning any new skill. Obviously, it is best for the child to complete the skill independently. An adult should provide the least amount of assistance possible. Therefore the goals to complete a skill are as follows:

1. Independent with skill
2. Verbal prompts necessary to complete the skill independently
3. Physical prompts necessary to complete the skill independently
4. Physical assistance necessary to complete skill independently