Tag Archives: classroom strategies

Classroom strategies encompass OT-informed approaches that support attention, posture, sensory needs, and motor skills to help students succeed academically and socially.

Improving Student Hand Function: Activity Analysis Strategies

Events & Conferences, Fine Motor & Hand Skill Development, , ,
Marcia Bridgeman, MHA, OTR/L, presented at the seminar entitled, Analyzing Activities for Improving Student Hand Function!,

The March Saturday seminar at Therapro was presented by Marcia Bridgeman, MHA, OTR/L, fine motor expert and author of the revised Fine Motor Olympics (2016). In her seminar entitled, Analyzing Activities for Improving Student Hand Function!, she methodically reviewed hand development from birth to elementary school age, and then discussed how the development translated into functional hand use.

Marcia has extensive experience in school-based practice and currently provides both consultation and direct service through her private practice in several Massachusetts school systems. She specializes in providing services to students from preschool through age 22.

Fine Motor Olympics has been revised to include a new Manual and 64 beautiful color photo cards of children’s hands performing fine motor tasks with instructions for the activity on the reverse side of the cards. A Guide to Hand Function, Quick Screening Form, Fine Motor Observation Checklist, Record Form, and In-Service Training Program are included in the Manual.

Within her comprehensive review of motor development and hand function from newborn to age 6, Marcia discussed functional fine motor skills expected at the corresponding developmental stages. For example, around the age of 8 months, development of the arches of the hand begins, essential for providing stability, mobility, and opposition of the hand. She matched simple therapeutic activities to this developmental level, including cupping the hand to shake dice, rolling up paper, fastening a zip lock bag, and cutting with a knife, to name a few!

Seminar attendees enjoyed breaking into groups at 8 stations where they tried out and analyzed original fine motor activities that Marcia created using inexpensive materials such as paper towel rolls, yarn, drinking straws, etc. The activities included activities like creating a spider web in a plastic basket and moving the spider in the web, using a variety of tongs to hunt tiny dinosaurs, balancing marbles on golf tees, and threading straws into paper towel rolls punched with holes. The groups engaged in activity analysis and shared their comments with the rest of the attendees. In addition to the new activities Marcia introduced today, she highlighted a number of fine motor Therapro products she loved, including, Boinks, Get a Grip Pegboard, Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set, and What’Zit Animals. She discussed conventional uses for the materials and also adapted the materials creatively and adeptly to help develop muscles of the hand. Some activities incorporated use of intrinsic muscles in translation activities, for example: moving a small single object fingers to the palm (1.5 – 2 years) and from palm to fingers (2.0 – 2.4 years).

Marcia sparked attendees to share their own creative fine motor activity ideas with the group. Everyone walked away with a toolbox filled to the brim with fresh, low-cost, and fun activities to try out next week.

We can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend a sunny, brisk New England Spring morning than analyzing fine motor activities and sharing thoughts on how to help develop better hand function in the classroom setting! Marcia’s skill at analyzing functional hand use is unsurpassed. She offered many innovative, easy-to-make fine motor activities that support fine motor skill development.

Here’s a sample of the many positive observations that attendees shared about this seminar:

“Excellent easily implemented activities. Energetic presentation. Great product. Kudos all around.” – Beth B., Occupational Therapist

“As a Pre-K teacher, I learned a lot and will be able to look for certain signs in my 4-5 year olds and activities to help.” – Jackie K., Teacher

“Loved hearing about the development of the arches. Great refresher to help me
better analyze the activities I choose for my students.” – Jennifer N., Occupational Therapist

“It’s directly relatable in my practice!” – Jennifer C , Occupational Therapist

“Marcia was a warm, open, creative, and generous presenter who succinctly
outlined foundations of hand function. We all left with user-friendly,
inexpensive ideas we can implement immediately. Wonderful!” – Bernadette W., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Marcia!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
March 24, 2018

Brain Gym: Using the Figure Eight in OT

Motor & Movement, Sensory, , , ,

I came across Educational Kinesiology in the early 1990s when searching for tools or techniques to help heal from a chronic illness. Little did I know that it would become an integral part of much of my OT practice. I began with Brain Gym I and II and loved the fact that the two trainers in South Africa were experienced occupational therapists trained in both SI and NDT.

Brain Gym is wonderful for assisting with goal setting, whole brain learning, stress release, and re-patterning. Although there is a specific process to follow, many of the exercises are both beneficial and transferable into a regular OT session. One that I use a lot is the Lazy 8 – a figure eight that lies on its side like the infinity sign.

What is the Brain Gym figure eight used for?

In Brain Gym terms, the Lazy 8 turns on or activates the eyes while also crossing the mid-line.

It can be used to improve ocular motor function, which assists with reading, and crossing the mid-line improves integration between the two hemispheres of the brain.

The repeated action of the Lazy 8 is also very calming. It can be used in several different formats – using the eyes, drawing the figure of 8 in the appropriate orientation, and in motion, as we shall see shortly.

The Lazy 8 can also be carried out as a motor activity, having the client walk, skip, or run around a figure eight. I love to use two hoops placed side by side on the floor to provide a visual cue. Varying the space between the hoops elongates or enlarges the figure eight. Make it more fun by having the client clap while moving around the figure of eight in time to music.

For added motor integration, combine the cross crawl with the Lazy 8. This often has to be carried out in stages:

  • Having the client carry out their cross crawl while standing until they are sufficiently at ease with the exercise
  • Upgrade to carrying out the cross crawl while walking on a straight line
  • Upgrade further to doing cross crawls while walking a figure eight

When I first began using components of Brain Gym in my treatment sessions, I would often make up my own worksheets. I am delighted to discover that Therapro has a range of products that bring the figure eight into practice for all occupational therapists. Two examples include:

The development of these tools shows how Brain Gym is becoming accepted as a beneficial modality to use within OT. It also provides an added level of professionalism, which is important for anyone who is skeptical of either how Brain Gym combines with OT or the extent to which OT itself is a recognized profession.

Once clients are familiar with the Lazy 8 through either Trace the 8s or Race the 8s, introducing the Alphabet 8 helps improve their motor memory. The Alphabet 8 incorporates lower-case letters with the Lazy 8 and is wonderful as a pre-writing activity to enhance work to meet writing goals. It’s designed for English letters but, with some creativity and practice, cursive letters for Hebrew can also be used. Note, I am not sufficiently familiar with other alphabets to know how well they can be used in the Alphabet 8.

I mentioned earlier the benefit of improving a sense of calm. The rhythmic movement of drawing or moving in the Brain Gym figure eight pattern is a wonderful addition to your toolbox for assisting clients in need of stress management and improving relaxation.

Guest Blogger: Shoshanah Shear

Occupational Therapist, healing facilitator, certified infant massage instructor, freelance writer, author of “Healing Your Life Through Activity – An Occupational Therapist’s Story” and co-author of “Tuvia Finds His Freedom”.

Move Mindfully Card Deck and Sensory Systems

Motor & Movement, Social Emotional Learning, , , , , ,

Therapro is excited to offer the Move Mindfully Card Deck, available at our store. This product helps integrate physical fitness, mindfulness and social emotional skills into practice. The deck not only offers individual poses, but also routines to address a variety of common needs, such as “accident prone” and “lethargic”.

As a Blog Bonus, we are offering a free download of three poses from the card deck to get you started with a simple routine.  Read on to learn more about each pose and how it relates to your Occupational Therapy goals.

Belly Breathing

Belly Breathing

Getting into the Pose:
Belly Breathing is often taught with the Hoberman Sphere. The brightly colored, collapsible tool offers a visual tracking point to feel the diaphragm expand and contract. However, hands can simply be placed at heart and belly when teaching belly breathing as well. To start, we recommend a seated position in a chair, for back support. As a modification, this pose can also be completed laying on the floor. In this position, try a small object or toy placed on the belly for extra visualization of the up and down movement.

Therapy Resource:
Belly breathing is a great way to work on postural stability while maintaining an upright position without a collapsed trunk or slouched shoulders. This pose also taps into interoception and body awareness as breathing is tracked.

Tree Pose

Tree Pose

Getting Into the Pose:
Tree Pose is an introductory balancing pose that all body abilities can enjoy. We start by cueing the heel to touch the ankle. As balancing progresses, the foot can be placed on the calf or thigh. However, make sure to avoid any pressure on the knee joint. The hands press together at midline, palm to palm, providing additional input.

Therapy Resource:
Like belly breathing, this pose works postural stability through core activation in a static hold. It also works on bilateral coordination as hands and feet press towards midline while maintaining balance and focus. The stacking of joints over the anchored foot (ankles, hips, wrists) taps into theproprioceptive system. If you need additional proprioceptive input in this pose, try stamping feet before attempting to hold static. Activate the vestibular system by experimenting with the foot and hand placement.. Also, try small movement, such as swaying, within the pose. Work on vision by providing various focal points experimenting with gaze up, out, down and even eyes closed. If you see the MORO Reflex in this pose, return to Belly Breathing.

Child’s Pose

Child's Pose

Getting Into the Pose:
Child’s pose is often used at the beginning or the end of a session. However, it can be used whenever there is a need to decrease overstimulation. It can be completed on the floor or at a table.

Therapy Resource:
As you cue stacked fists, you are working on bilateral coordination and proprioception as joints are stacked together at midline. On the floor, there is the additional tactile input from the legs and arms on the Earth. Seekers may need to rock, or add extra movement to the pose, while avoiders may have to stay more upright. Offer a vestibular system modification of seating in a chair, hands stacked on forehead and chin slightly tucked.

Guest Blogger: Stephanie Kennelly

About Us-

This blog post is a collaborative effort of Sweet Inside Yoga and 1000 Petals.

Sweet Inside Yoga is a company providing resources for occupational therapy, physical therapy, mental health practitioners, classroom teachers, yoga teachers, professionals, parents, and others in the community to use with individuals who can be found seeking and/or avoiding yoga activities.

1000 Petals is a well-being training and consulting company based on the science and practice of mindfulness and movement. They provide integrative mindfulness and movement solutions in workshops, events, retreats and self-care classes.