playful possibilities conference july 2010

Playful Possibilities Conference

July 2010

Presenter: Lynda Swain- Occupational Therapist

Why are pre printing skills important?

Developing pre printing skills within a project based learning model

Attention span

Behavior

Language

Gross Motor

Visual Perception

Fine Motor

Visual motor integration

Pre printing skills- July 2010

Developmental

Readiness

Early introductionbad

habits


Allows students to be creative and flexible

about how they demonstrate mastery of

prerequisite skills

Allows students to work at their level of

development

Provides opportunity to be successful

Keeps students interested and engaged


Opportunities

› Provide multiple

activities that work

on the same skills.

› “something for

everyone”

Materials

› Materials to address

skills as multiple

developmental levels

› Use a wide variety

and BE CREATIVE!


Prerequisite to printing acquisition:

A child must demonstrate an ability to sit

in place for at least 10 minutes

A child should be able to stay on task

(doing a preferred activity) for at least 10

minutes


The child must be cooperative and

demonstrating some interest in doing fine

motor/ table top activities


Must be able to understand and follow

basic instructions

› Developmental issue

› ESL


Must have sufficient

balance to sit

unsupported and

reach outside centre

of gravity

Importance of proper

seated position


Proximal support allows distal movement› Lying on floor supported by arms

› Working on vertical surfaces

› Tug of war

› Climbing

› Animal walks


Spatial words (on self,

others, objects)

› Big, little, up, down,

beside, near, touching,

left/ right

Visual Discrimination

› Same/different

› Visual figure ground

(Where’s Waldo?)

› Orientation in space


Grasp patterns

Controlled Release

Grip/ pinch strength

In-Hand

manipulation

Bilateral

Coordination

Ability to cross

midline

Hand dominance

Separation of skilled

side of the hand

Pencil Grasp


Develops from Palm

fingers and Pinkie

thumb

Grasp patterns

› Palmar (power)

› multi-digital

› pincer

› tripod

› Lateral (key)


Accuracy of location and timing of grasp


Muscle strength of the hand and fingers increase

as children grow and participate in everyday

activities.

Climbing, playing with toys and performing self

care activities help to develop and strengthen the

muscles of the hands and fingers.

Strengthening the muscles of the hand and

fingers helps to develop endurance


Grip Strength refers to strength of the whole hand.

› encourage independence in everyday activities

› Provide a wide variety of fine/gross motor experiences

› Gross motor activities (climbing, hanging, bat/ball

activities)

› Activities that involve gripping against resistance will

increase hand strength (Playdoh, lego, pop beads,

hammering, stapling, opening/ closing/ twisting

activities, mixing/kneading, tug-of-war)


Pinch strength refers to the thumb and index finger

(and the middle finger if required)

› Make small balls (beads) of playdoh using only the

thumb and index finger

› Pick up small objects using clothespins, tweezers

or a strawberry huller

› Beading, lacing cards, nuts and bolts, wind up

toys,

› Self care activities (buttoning, zippers, tying shoes)


In-hand manipulation involves manipulating an

object within one hand and is one of the most complex

fine motor skills.

Children who have difficulty with in-hand

manipulation may be slow or unable to complete

some everyday tasks (especially pencil paper tasks).


Encourage use of the preferred hand and

discourage use of the other hand, chest or

tabletop for assistance.

Squirreling

De-squirreling

Rotating objects

Translation/ pencil activities


The ability to use two hands together in a

coordinated fashion 1 – 3 months: awareness of two hands.

3 – 6 months: reach hands out together to get an object.

5 – 10 months: transfer objects between hands.

10 – 18 months: stabilizes with one hand, manipulates

object with the other; for example, hold drum with one

hand while the other hits it with a stick.

18 – 36 months: both hands manipulate but do different

actions.


This is an important developmental milestone that develops

simultaneously with hand dominance.

Occurs when one hand reaches across the centre of the body

(trunk) to the other side, without shifting the whole body. Those

who have difficulties with this tend to shift the body to the side,

or do the activity with the closest hand regardless of hand

dominance. This is not considered to be an efficient pattern of

movement for task completion.


Most literature cites that hand dominance is

established by age seven. Hand dominance is seen

as early as age three.

Dominance is mainly influenced by genetics, and there

is a strong predisposition for one hand to be more skilled

than the other. About 10% of the general population has a

left hand dominance.

Ambidextrous is defined as "using both hands with

equal ease" About 1% of the population is ambidextrous-

they can use either hand interchangeably to complete a

fine motor task.


Mixed Hand Preference-

There are people who interchange their dominance

depending on the task. For example, those who

swing right with a baseball bat, but left with a golf

club.

Their dominance is task specific. (some students

print with their right and cut with their left.) If the

quality of their work does not suffer, these students

are functional for all intents and purposes. These

students should be encouraged to always use the

same hand for a given activity.


Laterality- Refers to the relationship of the

dominance of the eye, hand and

foot. Individuals are referred to as having a

right eye-hand-foot dominance. When this

is mixed, i.e., right eye-left hand-right foot,

this is referred to as a Mixed Dominance.


What do we do if a student hasn’t chosen

dominance by grade 1?


Skilled side (thumb) vs. stabilizing side (pinkie)

› Materials: scissors, tongs, tweezers, clothespins,

spray bottles,


Palmar- grasp

1-1.5 years

Static tripod grasp

3.5-4 years

Digital-pronate grasp

2-3 years

Dynamic Tripod grasp


4.5-6 years

15-20% have an atypical grasp (some are functional)

To be functional a pencil grasp must :

› Provide adequate pencil control

› Allow the user to see pencil tip

› Have dynamic movement

› Be sustainable without fatigue


Dynamic Tripod


Quad Grasp Modified Tripod

“Architect” Grasp


Thumb TuckThumb Wrap

Multi-digital

grasp

“The hook” Palmar

Small sponges

Small pieces of chalk or crayons

Pencils etc that are sized for small hands

For students who use a palmar grasp use a

practice golf ball or egg shaped chalk,

crayons and markers

Pencil grips

Pencil seat belt


Small chalk pieces Sponges for wet-dry-

try

Pencil seat belt Practice golf ball

Grotto Grip Appropriately sized pencilsPre printing skills- July 2010

Twist and Write The pencil grip

Pencil seat belt Practice golf ball

Grotto Grip


General Eye/Hand Coordination

› Ball skills (change size and speed)

› Beading

› Building with blocks or Lego

› Popping bubbles

› Finger games (Itsy bitsy spider)

› Crafts

› Pencil Control activities

Colouring, drawing, dot to dots, mazes


Holds Crayon (small bits to encourage correct grasp)

Aim/ Target

Fill in colouring

› Random scribbling

› Linear without control

Unaware of lines

Aware of lines but unable to stay within

› Linear with control

Controls stroke length

Adjusts stroke direction

Changes colours

Outlines pictures


Directed Drawing

› Imitation

copying

Independent

› Helps develop spatial

relationships

› Helps develop

partwhole

› Increases confidence

› Can correct common

errors

Draw a Person

› Draws a circle with

eyes, nose and mouth

› Arm and legs (no

body)

› Body but parts not

connected

Facial features, hands

and feet, clothes


Help develop shoulder

stability

Promotes an extended

wrist position

“Up is up and down is

down”


While Fine motor skills are developing rapidly at this

age, visual perceptual abilities develop slower and

follow a very predictable order.

Should be able to imitate then copy the following

shapes:


2;10 5;6

Although students will not be receiving

formal printing instruction in

kindergarten, it is important to correct bad

habits if they are observed:

› Awkward pencil grasps

› Letter reversals

› Incorrect letter formations (starting letters at

the bottom)



o District Occupational Therapists

•Lynda Swain, Jennifer Law, Ivonne Montgomery,

Kara Straub

o OT/PT Web Page

•My43/student services/OT&PT/Handouts

playful possibilities conference july 2010

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