On March 16th, therapists and teachers formed teams to learn new games and how to adapt them for those with whom they work from preschool age and up. Allyson Locke, MS, OTR/L presented the seminar Games, Games, Games: Unique Adaptations of Games for All Ages and All Abilities. She discussed how the games can be used as part of the therapeutic process as well as how they can be used to target educational goals.

Allyson’s expertise with adapting games comes from her extensive and diverse background in both sensory integration and school-based practice. She currently works in a Massachusetts school for children and young adults who have significant medical, mental health, and cognitive needs.

Allyson chose 5 Therapro games to discuss in her presentation, followed by hands-on game time. The games included NOVENOPS, Letter Treasure Hunt, A Fist Full of Coins, Obstacles, and Left Center Right Dice Game (LCR). Attendees rotated every 15 minutes from one game to another. They reconvened as a group to discuss possible modifications of the games in order to meet a student’s needs. Letter Treasure Hunt, created by author and occupational therapist, Jenny Clark, has many adaptations for playing built into the game. It also includes suggestions for variations of playing the game within the game directions. The game includes a Captain’s Log for writing acquired treasures, for which a variety of pencil grips can be trialed. Allyson discussed a variety of multisensory activities for writing letters, i.e. Wikki Stix, Squiggle Writer, scented markers. Children can play in teams or individually to target cooperative and social skills. There are endless variations to try! During the game, players draw a Captain’s Orders card that features a motor activity they must perform.

Allyson provided a peek at a number of other games that will be discussed in Therapro’s first-ever webinar: Games, Games, Games: Unique Adaptations of Games for All Ages and All Abilities, Part 2. Be sure to keep an eye out for an announcement for this webinar in the Therapro’s e-newsletter (Theragram), and on the Therapro website.

All of the games presented were unique, motivating, and adaptable in many different ways, depending on the players’ needs. As therapists and educators, we are trained to develop strategies that ensure that children learn and succeed in achieving goals. Making learning fun is what motivates students of all ages!

Attendees enjoyed this interactive seminar! Here’s what they had to say:

“I liked exploring various games for different skill/age levels.” – Laurie K., Occupational Therapist

“It was fun to move around and try things.” – Rolene K., Teacher

“I enjoyed exploring the games while brainstorming & discussing how to adapt/grade each game to meet the needs of various students/clients.” – Shannon A., Occupational Therapist

“Surprised me that it would apply to my preschool class. Very good. Lots of fun.” – Anonymous, Teacher

“Great intro to available OT focused games!” – Inibral D., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Allyson!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
March 16, 2019

Assistive Technology in Schools was presented by Kristi Voelkerding, BS, COTA/L, ATP, ROH on a brisk February morning at Therapro headquarters with 45 attentive, engaged, interactive, vocal attendees.

Kristi has forged a distinguished career path as an AT specialist who is in demand as a speaker. She has worked for Easter Seals primarily as a consultant mainly in school-based settings since 2000. Her breath of knowledge regarding assistive technology is extensive and current. In a field where technology changes constantly, she is a wonderful resource for therapists, teachers, and families. AOTA conferred upon Kristi a Roster of Honor award in 2007 to recognize her leadership in AOTA and her innovative practices in assistive technology.

Kristi’s seminar spurred audience interaction regarding apps recommended and apps used successfully with various age groups. She discussed using technology as a “bridge” that should be introduced early in school so that students can access learning in ways that are unique to them and their needs. She initiated her talk with discussion about the broad variety of keyboards available that can match a student’s needs. She advocated that the student must find what method of keyboarding is fastest for him/her, be it one finger, one hand, two hands, or even the nose or foot. She suggested creating word lists on the computer to practice learning the geographical area on the keyboard. Kristi cautioned that layering copying (motor task) with thinking about the content of the task (cognitive task) is difficult. She recommended that a speech recognition program be used if the student has difficulty holding the thought while trying to type it. Creating a first draft on the keyboard was recommended rather than writing, and then copying it onto the computer.

Kristi noted that more schools are moving toward using the chromebook because it is more cost effective than an iPad, especially if it’s damaged and needs to be replaced. In addition, work on the chromebook is not lost if the device is damaged. A negative of using the chromebook is that a user cannot be “locked in” to a particular site. User needs must be considered when deciding which device would be best.

Apps are available for all age groups. iTrace is an iPad app for teaching handwriting, spelling, and letter identification. It may be a great place to start with a preschool student. Kristi advocated for using a stylus vs. using a finger for handwriting work, and in this app the student uses a stylus. For students who are moving from high school to college, there is “transition technology” available that promotes the shift from using adult support to depending on technology instead. For older students, she discussed using the Livescribe, a smart pen that facilitates note taking by recording everything you hear, write, and draw. The smartpen records audio and links it to what the student writes. Another note taking app for use with an iPad is Nebo MyScript, which lets you write, draw, quickly edit and structure notes, and convert them into digital text, using a stylus.

Kristi provided a number of resources for PCWindows Programs, Chromebooks/Chrome apps/add-ons/extensions, and Websites/Web-based apps. The resources have grown exponentially in the past few years and continue to swell. We are grateful to Kristi for sharing her expertise and experience navigating this area of practice.

Take a look at some attendees’ positive responses to Kristi’s seminar:

“Kristi was informative & knowledgeable regarding the materials presented. Lots of material I can use on Monday at school.” – Alyson P., Occupational Therapist

“Very informative and interactive. Well presented.” – Jillian N., Occupational Therapist

“Lots of useful info.” – Marisol P., Teacher/Parent

“Very knowledgeable speaker. Very receptive to gearing her talk to audience needs. Lots of info presented.” – Anonymous, Occupational Therapist

“Learned abut some new, exciting, & cutting edge technology.” – Sharon T., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Kristi!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
February 23, 2018

The 2019 Therapro Saturday Seminar Series was launched by school-based physical therapists, Dr. Jennifer Colebourn, MSPT, DPT and Dr. Julie Goff, MSPT, DPT with their presentation: The Role of Motor Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Jenn and Julie met at Northeastern University where they were pursuing their doctoral degrees. Jenn’s research focuses on motor interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Her most recent work has been published in the journal, Pediatric Physical Therapy: A. Colebourn, Jennifer & C. Golub-Victor, Ann & Paez, Arsenio. (2017). Developing Overhand Throwing Skills For a Child With Autism: A Collaborative Interdisciplinary Approach In School-Based Therapy. Pediatric Physical Therapy. 29. 262-269. Julie’s research on improving gross motor skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders received Northeastern’s RISE award in 2016. In their practice, both therapists focus on a collaborative team approach to improving motor performance in children with ASD.

Attendees were given a comprehensive review of Autism Spectrum Disorder, including the DSM-V (2013) diagnosis as a Neurodevelopmental disorder. We learned that ASD is no longer classified on a “spectrum” but with levels of severity. The term “Asperger” is no longer used, but individuals with the characteristics formerly attributed to Asperger are now considered to be “high functioning Autism.” An alarming statistic they revealed was that currently 1.5 billion children in the US have an autism diagnosis. Jenn and Julie cautioned that diagnosing ASD is complex and in the past 5 years, neuroimaging has provided startling information about the difference in the brain of the child with ASD from a typical child, i.e. “neuro over connectivity” that impacts function.

Jenn and Julie addressed the fact that motor function of children with ASD is affected, usually with simple motor tasks being intact, but with complex tasks and motor planning being impaired. Motor difficulties are now considered a “Core Deficit.” Screening for motor deficits is important for all children with the ASD diagnosis. The PT’s role includes recognizing if a motor impairment interferes with function. Julie and Jenn cited a number of studies that examined how core deficits affect a child’s participation in physical activity across many dimensions. What we might see is a child who prefers simple, sedentary activities and who doesn’t participate in complex social activities such as organized sports. In summary, motor deficits affect a child’s ability to participate in play.

When providing treatment for the child with ASD, Julie and Jenn advocate strongly for a team collaborative approach that includes the child’s family members. They noted that the ABA therapist would be a strong, valuable ally because they can provide behavioral support to motor intervention. They discussed ways to design the environment and treatment sessions in order to help ensure success and motor learning. A few examples they gave were: promote positive transitions, simplify choices, and have a predictable space and schedule. A few materials they recommended include: Body Awareness Fun Deck, Upper Body and Core Strength Fun Deck, Magicatch Set, Rainbow River Stones, Learn to Move, Move to Learn!, and ABC Yoga Cards for Kids.

We are grateful to Jenn and Julie for sharing their passion and expertise for improving motor performance of children who have an ASD diagnosis. With improved motor skills, it is likely that other areas of function will be affected in a positive way as well. With the high incidence of ASD worldwide, Autism will affect us all. The need for continued research is critical to help our understanding and ability to treat children with ASD effectively.

Here are just a few of the attendees’ positive reviews of this seminar:

“Incredibly informative and relevant! Felt so empowered from the seminar. Helped to give me better direction in my practice as well as increased confidence in my recommendations to families & school staff.” – Laine F., Physical Therapist

“The two presenters were so knowledgeable in their area – facts were most interesting.” – Rolene K., Teacher

“Great overview of school PT and best practice for collaboration with all members of the team.” – Micaela M., Physical Therapist

“Presenters were professional presenting evidence based practice to help improve functional skills for students with Autism.” – Alice T., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Jenn and Julie!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
January 12, 2018