smile n write ied.by najma adam
TRANSCRIPT
Smile N Write
Najma Adam
Occupational TherapistSpecial Educator
South City Hospital
Out line of work shop At the end of the workshop you will be able to know
bull Role and signs a child needs Occupational Therapy
bull What is hand dominance
bull How does handedness develops
bull How do determine hand dominance
bull What are the easy ways to make handwriting instruction multisensory
bull What is coordination
bull What is bilateral coordination
bull Why crossing the midline so important
Out line of work shop
bull Why correct grip bull Classroom strategies and intervention for
students having difficulty with writing and class tool use
bull How to teach children the right way to right bull How to hold scissors correctly bull How to cut with scissors correctly bull The lLeft handed child in a right handed world bull Special provision for left handed child
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
1 An observer in the playgroundrarely tries out the equipment independently
2 Poor posture while sitting in a chairduring situations of unsupported sitting eg during circle time the child is observed to roll or move around a lot on the floor
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
3 Appears to be irritated by touch from other people but frequently touches things themselves
4 Frequently chooses the same familiar gamesavoids learning new motor activities
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
5 Avoids fine motor activities scissors abnormal pencil grip hand tires easily and writing difficulties
6 Difficulty putting on their coat tying shoes and buttoning
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Out line of work shop At the end of the workshop you will be able to know
bull Role and signs a child needs Occupational Therapy
bull What is hand dominance
bull How does handedness develops
bull How do determine hand dominance
bull What are the easy ways to make handwriting instruction multisensory
bull What is coordination
bull What is bilateral coordination
bull Why crossing the midline so important
Out line of work shop
bull Why correct grip bull Classroom strategies and intervention for
students having difficulty with writing and class tool use
bull How to teach children the right way to right bull How to hold scissors correctly bull How to cut with scissors correctly bull The lLeft handed child in a right handed world bull Special provision for left handed child
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
1 An observer in the playgroundrarely tries out the equipment independently
2 Poor posture while sitting in a chairduring situations of unsupported sitting eg during circle time the child is observed to roll or move around a lot on the floor
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
3 Appears to be irritated by touch from other people but frequently touches things themselves
4 Frequently chooses the same familiar gamesavoids learning new motor activities
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
5 Avoids fine motor activities scissors abnormal pencil grip hand tires easily and writing difficulties
6 Difficulty putting on their coat tying shoes and buttoning
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Out line of work shop
bull Why correct grip bull Classroom strategies and intervention for
students having difficulty with writing and class tool use
bull How to teach children the right way to right bull How to hold scissors correctly bull How to cut with scissors correctly bull The lLeft handed child in a right handed world bull Special provision for left handed child
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
1 An observer in the playgroundrarely tries out the equipment independently
2 Poor posture while sitting in a chairduring situations of unsupported sitting eg during circle time the child is observed to roll or move around a lot on the floor
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
3 Appears to be irritated by touch from other people but frequently touches things themselves
4 Frequently chooses the same familiar gamesavoids learning new motor activities
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
5 Avoids fine motor activities scissors abnormal pencil grip hand tires easily and writing difficulties
6 Difficulty putting on their coat tying shoes and buttoning
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
1 An observer in the playgroundrarely tries out the equipment independently
2 Poor posture while sitting in a chairduring situations of unsupported sitting eg during circle time the child is observed to roll or move around a lot on the floor
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
3 Appears to be irritated by touch from other people but frequently touches things themselves
4 Frequently chooses the same familiar gamesavoids learning new motor activities
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
5 Avoids fine motor activities scissors abnormal pencil grip hand tires easily and writing difficulties
6 Difficulty putting on their coat tying shoes and buttoning
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
3 Appears to be irritated by touch from other people but frequently touches things themselves
4 Frequently chooses the same familiar gamesavoids learning new motor activities
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
5 Avoids fine motor activities scissors abnormal pencil grip hand tires easily and writing difficulties
6 Difficulty putting on their coat tying shoes and buttoning
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
5 Avoids fine motor activities scissors abnormal pencil grip hand tires easily and writing difficulties
6 Difficulty putting on their coat tying shoes and buttoning
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
7 Trouble putting together puzzles or finding a specific object in the classroom
8Frequently runs into things in the classroom falls to the floor or purposely crashes into things or people
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
10 SIGNS A CHILD NEEDS OT
9More trouble than their peers writing in their assignment notebook keeping their desk and folders organized and turning in assignments on time
10Excessive risks takerfrequently demonstrates decreased safety awareness
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Seek out an Occupational Therapist for
bull Activities of daily Living (Self care)
bull Fine motor skills
bull Sensory Issues
bull Behavior modification
bull Academic success
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why Correct Grip
bull Good habits that begin in early years will last a lifetime
bull Holding a crayon or pencil correctly is a very important habit
bull Handwriting is a necessary daily skill and a direct reflection of who we are
bull The foundation starts with general upper body strength and fine motor skill activities
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why Correct Grip
bull This sets him up for a lifetime of poor posture and bad habits
bull Children who cannot write easily and legibly struggle in school
bull For a child to be able to write well he must be formally taught how to do it
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why Correct Grip
bull Children who do not take part in appropriate fine and gross motor activities in their early years may also struggle to use a proper pencil grip
bull Physical coordination activities in classrooms can be used to organize the brain for reading
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Great Expectation
bull Children are expected to be able to write at the age of 4
bull This is 2 full years before they are developmentally ready
bull Forcing a child to learn to write before these underlying skills are solidly in place is counterproductive
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Incorrect Grip
bull Awkward grips can cause fatigue cramping and even painmdashmaking writing difficult
bull This problem can be prevented
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Requirement for hand writing Readiness
bull Fine motor control bull Visual motor coordination bull Attention span bull Frustration tolerance bull Ability to hold a pencil correctly bull Strength and stability of the trunk bull Strong sturdy body for the controlled movements
of the hands and fingers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Follow these four steps
1Determine Handedness
bull Notice which hand the child uses more often during activities requiring hand use
bull Collaborate with teachers parents and therapists so they too are watching too and can help you decide
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
What is hand dominancehand preference
bull One hand is consistently used more than the
other hand
bull Is more skilled at tasks than the other hand
bull Begins to emerge bw ages 2-4 years
bull Entering KG have established a definite hand preference (age 5-6)
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How does handedness develop
bull Genetics
bull Bilateral coordination skills have a huge impact on how your childrsquos handedness develops
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull If the child is definitely left-handeduse that hand in writing
bull If in doubt there are several simple ways of determining which will be the hand to train
bull Do not tell the child that he is being tested
bull Work with only one child at a time
bull Keep a record as to which hand is used for each specific situation
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to Determine Hand Dominance
bull Let the child pick up the testing materials
bull Keep a tally of the procedures If the child indicates true ambidexterity it is probably better to train the right hand
bull Simple play situations will be helpful for determining hand dominance
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to Determine Hand Dominance bull Hand puppet
bull Key and lock
bull Hammering nails
bull Screwing lids on jars
bull Throwing a ball
bull Holding a spoon
bull Cutting with scissors
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Follow these four steps
2Teach correct finger placement
Tripod grip Thumb index finger and middle finger work together Quadropod grip Four fingers work together to stabilize The pencil rests on the ring finger which provides additional support
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Follow these four steps
Dynamic tripod Grip
bull Most comfortable efficient grasp
bull Arm and wrist stay still
bull Fingers move in and out of the palm
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Follow these four steps
Tips for Grip
bull Keep the little finger and ring
finger in the palm
bull Use the rubber band trick
bull Sing a song Crayon Song
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Follow these four steps
3Use small tools
bull Use golf size pencil instead(4rdquo)
bull Primary size pencils are not recommended as
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Follow these four steps
4Play Provide creative opportunities to develop fine motor skills that are necessary for correct grip
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Pre-writing skills bull Use play-Dough
bull Use clay to strengthen little hands and fingers
bull Lacing
bull Beading
bull Craft projects to develop eye hand coordination
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Easy Ways to Make Handwriting
Instruction Multisensory
bull Help engage all of your studentsrsquo senses in a fun interactive way
bull Creates a dynamic classroom environment
bull All children succeed regardless of learning style or background
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Visual
bull Use large step-by-step visual directions to teach letter formation
bull Use board or easel for large arm movements
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Tactile
bull WetndashDryndashTry activities on a blackboard for repetition and fun without boredom
bull Finger tracing and coloring
bull Encourage building activities that teach letter formation and promote motor skill development
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Auditory
bull Use consistent child-friendly language for memorable lessons
bull Incorporate music and different voices
bull Play Mystery Letter games with your class to delay auditory letter cues and break bad habits
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Kinesthetic
bull Incorporate music and movement to teach a Letter formation b Social skills c Body awareness d Motor skills e Coordination bull Use multisensory instruction with any letter
word or sentence lesson bull Captivate your students and encourage them to
participate
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Classroom Tip
The Hand Activity
bull Beginning printers are still figuring out letter size
bull They are still learning the difference between capital and lowercase letters
bull They write ldquocowsrdquo like this ldquocOwSrdquo or ldquoJacobrdquo like this ldquoJaCObrdquo
bull You see that when they float a descending letter like g or y or p
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Classroom Tip
bull Hand activity for teaching correct size and
placement of capitals and lowercase letters bull Fun for a child or a whole class bull It captures their attention and gets them moving bull You can see them mastering letter size and
placement
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Directions for Letter Activity
1 Point to the Wall Chart to show the letter (Any letter ndash Aa Dd Gg for example)
2 Children hold up the right hand for the lowercase
3 Make a fisted hand for small letters (a c e i m n o r s u v w x z)
4 Point the index finger up for tall letters (b d f h k l t)
5 Point the thumb down for descending letters (g j y p q)
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Use large clear illustrations
bull Start all of the letters from the top
bull All letters from left to right (English)
bull The hand traveling in the same direction
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Tape the paper for those having trouble with
bilateral work
bull Wait until all the letters are formally taught
bull When writing becomes automatic in nature then switch to compositions
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Say NO to fat markers crayons chalks and giant paintbrushes
bull Say YES to one inch nubs of chalk and crayons and cracking off the handles of the paintbrushes
bull Standing at easels strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders elbows and wrists
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Teach Your Students the Right Way to Write
bull Old fashioned chalk boards are an excellent way to practice letters and draw pictures
bull Plain double lined paper is the best
bull It teaches correct sizing and keeps his work very neat and organized
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
bull Mind and body are connected
bull Certain physical coordination and OT activities support learning especially reading fluency and comprehension
bull This is why physical education is so important in schools
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Brain exercises and physical coordination are benefits of physical education
SKIPPING children who can skip read better than those who cant
If a child cant skip he cant read Why It requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together bull The right brain controlling the left foot and the left brain controlling the right
foot bull Learning to skip builds connections between the two hemispheres across the
corpus collosum which divides them bull These connections when established and strengthened by skipping can then be
used for reading So skipping is really a brain exercise Who knew bull Reading requires the same cooperation between the two brain hemispheres bull To start reading a line of text on the left the right brain is in control bull At the midline it must hand off to the left brain to continue reading to the end of
the line bull Skipping is a critical skill for developing connections in the brain which may be
used for reading
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Coordination Skills
Arms and legs to work together effectively
Games sports or doing schoolwork coordination skills are a must
It also requires
1 Plan
2 Time their movements
3 predict
4 React
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Coordination Skills
Coordination
Bilateral Coordination
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
(same movement with each handleg )
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Eye hand Coordination
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Bilateral Coordination bull Bilateral integration skills are vital for many areas
of your childrsquos life
bull Good bilateral coordination is vital for handedness to be established
bull Begin to emerge in early babyhood
bull Jumping and clapping hands in older children
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Bilateral Coordination
Supporting Role
One hand to play a supporting role while the other hand does more skilled work
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Bilateral Coordination Alternating Movements Use first one handleg and then the other when you pull in a rope hand-over-hand Reciprocal Movements In crawling baby use each side of the body in a rhythmical way first one side and then the other It gives the baby tremendous opportunities to develop good bilateral coordination in preparation for handedness
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Bilateral Coordination
bull Child does not have to master symmetrical movements before moving on to alternating movements ndash you can combine different kinds of movements as he progresses
bull A child will usually learn to coordinate the use of his arms before the use of his legs and obviously the hardest thing is for a child to use his arms and legs together in a coordinated way at the same time (star jumpsjumping jacks)
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Bilateral Coordination
bull The vestibular system (which is situated in the inner ear and helps the brain to process movement information) plays a vital role in a childs physical development Children with poor vestibular processing may well have delayed bilateral integration abilities For this reason many occupational therapists use movement activities in their therapy sessions to boost bilateral coordination skills
bull Try and use a ldquomovingrdquo activity before each session Examples are jumping on a trampoline rolling on the grass going down a slide and doing somersaults
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination Both sides of the body are working together but they are doing a different yet complementary task Eg Scissor cutting coloring drawing on paper kicking a ballhellip (one hand or leg is ldquoactiverdquo while the other hand or leg ldquoassistsrdquo ) By age 4 most children have achieved some measure of proficiency in developing this skill
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Poor Bilateral Coordination Skills
bull Poor gross motor activities
bull Poor fine motor activities
bull Use one hand alone
bull Awkward in certain tasks
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Activities For Bilateral Integration
The rope needs to be long enough to get the ball level with your childrsquos chest For younger children use a larger plastic ball He has to watch it carefully to catch it again with both hands together and to not let it bang against his chest
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Good old Springs ndash shifting the hands just enough to get the sling to move back and forth between the hands is great fun and a good coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Pulling on a rope is a good way to get the hands working rhythmically together
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Roll large balls of play dough between the palms of his hands Use the balls to make the segmented body of a caterpillar
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Try moving noisy hammers musical shakers up and down together or alternately in time to music or your clapped rhythm to get a great bilateral coordination challenge
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Activities For Bilateral Integration
Getting legs to move together is hard work Start by having your child jump over a line and back again one jump at a time As you see him start to get the hang of it (maybe only a few days later) try asking him to jump 2 3 4 times without losing his two-feet landing gait
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Eye Hand Co-ordination
Is the ability of the eyes to guide the hands in movements
bull Good hand-eye coordination can also help a childrsquos handwriting and also needed for reading
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Crossing the midline
One hand spontaneously moves over to the other side of the body to work there
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why is midline crossing so important
bull When child spontaneously crosses the midline with the dominant hand it develops good fine motor skills
bull If he avoids it then both hands will tend to get equal practice and childrsquos true handedness may be apparently delayed
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why is midline crossing so important
To do well at learning to write there has to be a dominant hand that becomes specialized at doing the job of controlling the pencil
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How does crossing the midline develop
bull Midline crossing emerges as your child develops bilateral coordination skills
bull As child learns to coordinate a strong hand which is doing something skilled (eg cutting) and an assistant hand which is helping (eg holding the paper) the ability to spontaneously cross the midline develops
bull Another vital factor in crossing the midlineis trunk rotation
bull If the child is moving the body as a unit then this may affect crossing the midline
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
What can I do to develop midline
crossing skills bull Do some bilateral coordination activities at
homeschool
bull Incorporate some midline crossing activities into his play
bull Work on core stability and trunk rotation during play
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
This girl has turned the paper sideways so she can write from bottom to top instead of reaching over to her left side with her right hand to write from left to right
No midline crossing
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Boy has shifted his body way over to the left so his right hand does not have to reach over to work on his left side
No midline crossing
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
No midline crossing
The child has turned the lower body with the upper body so the shoulders and the hips have both turned There is no trunk rotation and no midline crossing So if there is poor core stability and a lack of good trunk rotation then midline crossing will be affected
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Crossing the midline
The childrsquos upper body has rotated while the lower body (hips and legs) remains facing forward There is some trunk rotation and the child is crossing the midline with the dominant hand
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Scissors Grip
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Interesting facts about scissors cutting
bull Most children become interested in scissors around age 2 frac12 or 3
bull One short snip at a time develops around 2 years old
bull Several short snips in a row along a line develops around 2 12 to 3 years old
bull In preschool it gets more advanced
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Pre-scissor skills
bull Tongs
bull Tweezers
bull Hole punchers
bull Chip clips
bull Kid-friendly chopsticks
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Strategies for Building Scissoring Skills
A child must be able to integrate his body in the following ways bull Balanced seated position bull Arm control bull Visual Motor Integration bull Attention to task bull Direction Following bull Holding the Scissors bull Fine motor precision bull Bilateral skills bull Grasping bull problem solving skills
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Think thumbs up
bull Give the scissors a ldquohand shakerdquo
bull Thumb is placed into the smaller hole
bull Index and middle finger into the larger hole
bull Place a sticker on top of the scissor thumb loop to provide a visual cue
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to hold the scissors correctly
bull Place a sticker on kidsrsquo thumbnails to indicate which way to orient their hand
bull Practice holding the scissors
bull Pick it up then put it down as many times as he wants
bull Spread index finger and thumb as wide as possible to open the blades of the scissors
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to hold the scissors correctly bull Show him how he needs to close his fingers to
close the blades of the scissors
bull The wider he opens his fingers the longer his cuts will be
bull Use the thumb of the helper hand on top of the paper
bull Shoulders should be relaxed
bull Begin to cut AWAY from the body
Bad habits form quickly
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Have patience bull Child cut through it a few times without worrying
about using his non-dominant hand to steady the paper
bull Begin by snipping paper bull Followed by cutting across the entire sheet of
paper bull Begin with a stiffer paper like thin card board bull Introduce thick straight lines bull Moving on to curvedwavy lines
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Cutting out large circles and squares
bull Lastly smaller circles and squares and more complex shapes
bull Remind your child to turn their paper rather than turning the directionality of their scissors
bull Make the item to be cut motivating and fun for the child
bull Colored tape to give the child a visual border around the line to be cut if needed
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to teach Scissors cutting bull The dominant hand moves the scissors forward
in a straight line
bull Initially the non-dominant hand will hold the paper still
bull Eventually though the non-dominant hand will need to move and turn the paper as the dominant hand opens and closes the scissor blades
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
How to teach Scissors cutting
bull Stay nearby
bull Give verbal clues
bull Until child is comfortable with the correct scissors grip he may revert to an incorrect grip
bull Incorrect approaches will likely produce a snip in the paper but they are inefficient
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Role of an Adaptive scissors
bull Springloop scissors
bull Sense of accomplishment
bull Gain Confidence
bull It provides increased feedback when closing them
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
One Tip For Introducing Scissors
Use Play dough
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why Play dough bull Ideal medium
bull Familiar
bull Comfortable
bull Can control the size and shape of the piece to be cut
bull Less messy
bull Smash it and make a new creation once theyrsquore done
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why Play dough
bull It can be easily used by everyone
bull Doesnt not discriminate between right- or left-handed snippers (unlike paper)
bull Provides a good deal of feedback to childrenrsquos hands
bull How much resistance there is
bull How much pressure to use in snipping
bull An important contributor to the development of fine motor strength
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Why Play dough
bull Overall skilled use of the hands
bull Nice introduction to bilateral coordination
bull kids pretend theyrsquore making food for their animals or dolls
bull 2-3year olds are great at pretend play
bull Adult mdash join in and make outrageous ldquoeatingrdquo noises
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Happy snipping
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES amp INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH
WRITING amp CLASSROOM TOOL USE
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
LETTER REVERSALS
bull Teaching letters in groups
bull cdgoq are the magic c letters to teach together
bull tlfhb are the firepole letters to teach together
bull Use different colors to visualize differences in strokes
bull Trace letters using color-changing markers
bull For right-handers with number reversals use left hand as anchor on paper to show how numbers like 3 and 5 go around index andor middle finger
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
POOR LETTER FORMATION
bull Use adapted paper (raised line only dotted middle and baselined drop spaced) or graph paper underlays
bull Tape letter formation models to desktop
bull Practice accurate multisensory formation
bull In the air with a magic wand with finger against a ziplock bag filled with colored glue or hair gel with playdoh snakes with foil rolls on chalkboard on magna-doodle on dry erase board in cookie sheet covered with thin layer of sand
bull Trace over letter models with tracing paper
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
POOR SPACING
bull use graph paper--one letter or space per box
bull Use popsicle stick spacers (can decorate)
bull Use non-writing hand index finger as spacer
bull Highlight spaces in between words of text student is copying
bull Highlight margins to increase visual impact of where writing begins and ends
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
ERASES OFTEN OR PRESSES TOO HARD
bull Try variety of pens mechanical pencils fine point pens with no erasers
bull Encourage structured error repair (EXAMPLE do not fix mistake until entire sentence is complete)
bull Put something soft or textured under paper like thin sheet of styrofoam sandpaper padded notebook carpet square
bull Allow for spelling errors
bull Write on tracing paper or carbon paper
bull Tape paper to wall and have student stand to write in vertical plane
bull Have student hold small ball in writing hand while writing with ring and pinky fingers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
OFTEN DOES NOT PRESS HARD ENOUGH
bull Put sandpaper under writing paper
bull Have student write with a squiggle pen
bull Have student write with markers
bull Try a 1 pencil (has softer lead)
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
AWKWARD GRASP ON WRITING UTENSIL bull Try a very short pencil
bull Try a variety of pencil grips pencil girths and grasp styles
bull Write on slantboard
bull Use rubberband on wrist and hook on end of pencil to pull down into webspace
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
SLOW LABORED OR MESSY WRITING bull Increase time allowed for completion of work
bull Reduce amount of work bull Space work sessions with short breaks bull Set time limits for specific writing tasks bull Allow use of either manuscript or cursive bull Set mutually agreed upon expectations for neatnes bull Accept key word responses vs complete sentences bull Reduce amount of copying from board provide written version of
board content bull Allow student to type or give answers orally bull Use appropriate height chair and desk if chair is too high place
prop under feet bull Use dycem or non-skid material under elbows
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
CHOPPY MESSY SCISSOR USE
bull Remind student to hold scissors in thumb-up position all the time--the scissors do not change direction the paper being turned by the non-cutting hand is what turns
bull Encourage student to cut as slowly as possible
bull Pretend scissors are alligators and they only like to eat the line
bull Use child-size scissors
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES ANDOR NOT
COLORING IN COMPLETELY
bull Make the outline thicker andor darker
bull Encourage child to use finger vs arm movements to move the crayon
bull Encourage child to ldquomake all the white disappearrdquo
bull Encourage child to watch crayon as it moves
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
SLOPPY FOLDS OR INCOMPLETE CREASES
WHEN FOLDING PAPER
bull Ensure that child understands what it means to match corners or edges
bull Put dots on cornersplaces that need to meet and tell them to ldquomake the dots kissrdquo
bull Have child use side of pencil to smash the crease
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Adaptive tool grip
For easier grasping and manipulation
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Stabilization of materials
bull Tape the work sheet
bull DycemNon skid mat
bull C-clamp
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Slant board or inclined work surface
For a child with fine motor difficulties like
bull Holding writing tool straight up
bull Not resting wrist on the surface
bull Neck back or eye strain
bull Incorrect wrist posture
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Stamps Some items that make good handles are
bull Popsicle sticks
bull Hair rollers
bull Empty film canisters
bull T-grip built from hot glue sticks
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Alternate tools for painting
bull Playtex sponge gloves
bull Puff shower scrubbers
bull Roll on deodorant containers filled with paint
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Adapted scissors for severely
physically less able child bull Battery operated scissors (onoff function)
bull A helper is need hold the paper and turn the scissors
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Stencils
bull Fun way to extend painting activities
bull Child create something they and others can recognize
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Computer software to draw
Early childhood software having drawingpainting activities
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
The Left-Handed Child in a Right-Handed World
bull We live in a right-handed society
bull The number of left-handed children seems to have increased in recent years
bull children who show early preference for the left hand should not be changed
bull Estimates range as high as ten to 15 percent of the population
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Positions for Writing
bull Paper Position For manuscript writing the left-hander should position the paper with the lower right corner a little to the left of the midsection For cursive writing the paper is slanted less with the lower right corner pointing toward the midsection or just a little to the right of it The strokes are pulled down toward the left elbow whether manuscript or cursive is being written bull Pencil Position The writing instrument is held between the thumb and first two fingers about an inch above its point The first finger rests on the top of the pencil or pen The end of the bent thumb is placed against the writing instrument to hold it high in the hand and near the large knuckle The top of the instrument points in the direction of the left elbow The writing should take place within the left half of the desk surface ie to the left of the midline of the body The paper should be shifted to the left as the writing progresses across the page
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Special Problems
bull The Hooked Position The hooked wrist is caused by incorrect paper position In an effort to see what she or he is writing the left-handed child often adopts the hooked position This is a problem that should be dealt with early in the childs development since twisting of the hand or wrist can be detrimental to legibility and fluency A valuable aid in correcting the problem once the habit has been formed is the Zaner-Bloser Writing Frame bull Reversals The problem of reversals is common to the left-handed child Most errors result from confusion between the lowercase manuscript d and b and p and q Awareness of the problem and concentration on the formal teaching of left to right progression and forward and backward circles before introduction of the teaching of the manuscript letters b d p and q result in fewer reversals of these letters bull Chalkboard Work Chalkboard practice is important because it lends itself to full free arm movement and allows both the student and the teacher to easily spot incorrect habits The position at the board for left-handed writing is similar to that for writing with the right hand except that the eraser is held in the right hand and the chalk in the left and the left-hander stands to the right of where the writing takes place for both manuscript and cursive This is not true of the right-hander The right-hander stands in front of his or her manuscript writing but stands to the left of cursive writing because the downstrokes are pulled toward the bodys midsection
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers
Special Provisions
bull Left-hand scissors bull Desks for Left-handers bull Before students begin to write demonstrate paper and
pencil positions for the left-hander as well as the right-hander
bull It is often helpful for the left-hander to hold his pencil a little higher than the right-hander
bull The pencil points toward the left elbow not toward the shoulder as the right-handers do
bull When given the proper attention and instruction left-handers will write as well as right-handers