Does your student's transition plan include something like job training? This blog is about how school-based occupational therapists can support! Unsure what a transition plan is? Transition planning must begin before the student turns 16, be tailored to the individual, focus on the student’s strengths/interests, and provide opportunities to develop functional skills for work and community life. SSE Blogger Alex has a great blog on transition goals that you should check out if you are stuck on ... continue reading...
Search Results for: bilateral coordination
OT Tips for Winter Crafts
Who doesn't love a good seasonal craft?! As a school-based occupational therapist (OT), I LOVE a good craft. Simply Special Ed has so many adorable, easy-to-use and super engaging visual crafts that I love to use. They are especially engaging and motivating for my students in self-contained classrooms. I love how easy they are to adapt/differentiate based on student's strengths and needs. This blog is designed to help you work smarter, not harder while you and your students enjoy some fun ... continue reading...
How to use a Stapling Center to Build Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills in special education are essential for everyday tasks such as writing, dressing, and using utensils. For special education students, developing these skills can be a challenge, but with the right tools and activities, progress can be reached. In this blog post, we'll explore how educators can use a stapling center to enhance fine motor development in special education students. Fine motor skills involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers to perform ... continue reading...
Alphabet Theraputty
What is theraputty? Theraputty [affiliate link] is a therapy tool that is probably best described as resistant dough/clay. It comes in a variety of different resistances/strengths depending on the skill level and hand strength of the client. The colors denote the resistance. It can be used in treatment of hand injuries or to develop hand strength/fine motor skills in adult rehab, but I find it to be a very engaging and motivating tool for my school-aged students of all ages! Why do ... continue reading...
5 Fine Motor Activities with a Candy Cane Theme
If you've been around the blog long, you know that I am a sucker for a good seasonal activity! What better seasonal activity than something with candy canes?! I love candy canes because they aren't holiday-specific and can be used all winter long. If your district limits use of religious holiday themes, or if you are stuck regarding what to do for those "winter months" after all the holidays, then candy canes should be a go-to! I love to run groups in some of my classrooms with this theme. ... continue reading...
Ask the OT: The Top 5 Questions Special Ed Teachers Ask
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Allison, the OT Blogger for Simply Special Ed! I've worked as an occupational therapist (OT) in the school system for the past 5 school years after one year in the pediatric outpatient setting. To see what a day in the life of a school-based OT is like, check out this blog. Here is a quick tour of my OT/sensory room if you're curious! One of my favorite parts of my job is collaborating with teachers! I LOVE when my teachers ask questions about ... continue reading...
5 Activities for Crossing Midline
Crossing midline might be a motor milestone with which you aren't as familiar! As a pediatric occupational therapist (OT), this is definitely something I am on the lookout for with all kids! What is crossing midline? Why is this skill important? Delays in this area can impact a variety of daily activities! Both sides of your brain are working together when you use one hand to reach across your body to do something on the opposite side. For example, I can use my right hand to reach ... continue reading...
Play Ideas to Encourage School-Aged Development
Sometimes we forget about play for our elementary-school aged students! Children learn so much through play, and while a focus on academics has its place, kids definitely need time to learn through trial and error as well as free play! Check out my blog on play ideas to encourage preschool aged development for ideas for younger kiddos! The resource I highlighted in that blog, the Play Center Visual Support resource, is great for early learners! As a school-based occupational therapist ... continue reading...
10 Almost Free OT Materials
As I have said in many of my previous occupational therapy blogs, you don't need fancy equipment to target really great OT skills in your daily routines! This blog is to serve as a guide to "get those wheels turning" with regards to nearly free materials that can be used to target common skills addressed in occupational therapy. We have things for fine motor development, grasp, bilateral coordination, sensory processing, pre-vocational/life skills and so much more! 1) Masking ... continue reading...
A Day in the Life of a School-based OT
I love working as a school-based occupational therapist (OT)! I work as a district employee at a public school in Pennsylvania. I am the OT servicing five of our district's buildings: two secondary and three elementary schools. I love the variety because it really keeps me on my toes! No one day looks the same, but join me in a "day in the life" of a school-based OT: Check out this OT room tour blog to see one of my elementary classroom spaces [that also doubles as a sensory ... continue reading...
How to Implement the Fall Fine Motor Centers
You may be familiar with the Simply Special Ed Fine Motor Centers. OT Blogger, Taylor, called them her number one must-have SSE resource! But did you know that there is a fall version of these fine motor centers!? I love a good seasonal theme for my occupational therapy (OT) sessions! These centers are great for daily classroom practice. They can be implemented these with teachers, support staff or as independent or group work! I even share activities like these with parents who want ... continue reading...
How to Improve Fine Motor Skills with Visual Recipes
Who doesn't love a good snack?! Not only do my students love making food during school, but these visual recipes work on so many skills! I am able to target almost all of my occupational therapy IEP goals with them! Visual recipes are my go-to activity with self-contained classrooms. Typically, at the secondary level in particular, my students are working towards transition or life skills goals. What better skill than cooking! I often tend to co-treat with speech therapy with this ... continue reading...
Building Blocks for Success in Pre-Writing
Step 2: Build Strength with Fine Motor Skills! This is Part 2 of our pre-writing series: "Building Blocks for Success". If you missed the first blog on Thinking Big with Gross Motor Skills, check that out before reading on! After children develop the needed strength and stability in their large muscle groups, we can start to refine those movements. "Step 1" focused on gross motor activities involving: Body awareness & motor planningCrossing midlineCore strength & shoulder ... continue reading...
Building Blocks for Success in Pre-Writing
Step 1: Think BIG with gross motor skills! Pre-writing and handwriting skills are one of the most frequent activities I get questions about as a school based occupational therapist. It makes sense! In school, students spend a lot of their time engaging in paper and pencil tasks to not only learn new content, but to also demonstrate their knowledge. However, children cannot simply "jump in" to writing their names or the alphabet. Nor are they ready to pick up a pencil until many ... continue reading...
W-Sitting: The New Perspective
W-Sitting: If you have children and/or work with young children you have probably seen it. You have probably also heard how it is ‘bad’. But what is it and is it something we should be concerned about? What does the research say? What is W Sitting: The medical term that allows for W-sitting is Internal Femoral Torsion. W-sitting is when a child is sitting on their butt, their knees are out in front of them, but their feet are on either side of their hips. From a bird’s eye view, ... continue reading...