What's SOLO all about???

Many of you are familiar with SOLO and some may have even attended a summer workshop. For those of you who do not know, SOLO is a powerful reading and writing tool we now have available district-wide! You can find it located on your dock. Try it out for students you feel are in need! As more and more teacher laptops/labs/eMINTS computers are re-imaged it will be more readily available:) See your building OT for any questions.

SOLO is a Literacy Suite consisting of 4 components. See below for a snapshot of each piece, and visit this site to learn more and watch a demo!

www.donjohnston.com/products/solo/

What Is Ot For Ot Moment

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What Is Ot For Ot Moment

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Interventions for students with difficulty copying from the board

Do you have students who have difficulty copying from the board?

Once you have ruled out the need for glasses with an eye exam try the following:

-Move the child close to the front of the room directly facing the board.

-Some children may have a difficult time looking up to a vertical surface and then
back down to a horizontal surface. Have the child work on a vertical/slanted
surface using an easel or slant board, or turn a 3 ring binder so the large end is
away from student and small end is toward them.

-Check for dull or flickering lights. Use natural lighting when possible.

-Remove any non-essential visual material from on or around the board.

-Use black marker on the whiteboard. (Green and red can be hard to see.)

-Try writing smaller amounts on the board at a time and/or try enlarging writing.

-Try scheduling a few moments to close and relax eyes between tasks. Take a
movement break every 20-30 minutes.

-Eliminate objects hanging from the ceiling in the classroom. Movement can
be distracting and can interfere with the processing of visual information.

-Provide student with copy of notes or material from the board at their desk. Until they are independent in copying, try having portions of board material already on his/her desk, written on 3X5 card or post-it note.

-Try providing some of the written information to be discussed on an outline
and have student write some of the information on it (doesn’t have to write all).

-Reduce the amount of copying expected. The time it takes for some children to
copy, compromises the time that a child could spend thinking and responding. Provide copies of material that would otherwise have to be copied.

-Teach strategies for remembering whole words, phrases or sentences at a glance.
Sometimes copying is done in a tedious letter-by-letter manner.

-Teach student how to use a blank piece of paper or cardstock to cover up portion
of work already completed. This makes it easier for the student to find his/her
place on the paper after looking up at the board.

-Read the material aloud as the student copies it.

- Highlight important information with an underline or a different color.

Is your student struggling visually???

Does your student have a visual closure concern?????

Many students have difficulties with writing and using worksheets or test forms that are poorly photocopied, copying something if he/she cannot see the complete presentation of what is to be copied, completing partially drawn pictures or stencils, spelling, completing assignments, completing dot-to-dot worksheets or puzzles, identifying mistakes in written materials, performing mathematics (including geometry) and solving puzzles can be a result of visual closure deficit. Students may also leave out parts of words or entire words and/or fail to complete parts of worksheets.

Visual Closure reflects a child’s ability to look at an incomplete shape, object or amount and fill in the missing details in order to identify what it would be if it were complete. This skill requires abstract problem solving.

Some strategies to help students with visual closure include:
• Have a completed project for an example placed near the student, as well as step-by-step instructions to complete a novel project.
• Arrange the student’s seat placement right in front of the chalkboard, dry erase board, or overhead projector.
• Present cleanly photocopied worksheets and test forms.
• Give student a “helpful hint” about mistakes in order to give him/her a second chance to correct some of the errors, due to his/her difficulty recognizing errors in written material.

References:
Schneck, C. & Lermer, P. (1993). Reading and visual perception. In Royeen, C. (Ed.), AOTA Self-Study Series: Classroom Applications for School-Based Practice. Rockville, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association.
Schneck, C. (1996). Visual Perception. In J. Case-Smith, A. Allen, & P. Pratt (Eds), Occupational Therapy for Children (3rd Ed.). St. Louis. Mosby.
Todd, V. (1993). Visual perception frame of reference: An information processing approach.

Correct Sitting Posture

Good posture provides the foundation for correct movement. When starting a desk activity, make sure that the child follows the 90-90-90 rule. The child’s feet should be flat on the ground with a 90-degree angle at the ankles, knees and hips. The child's arms should comfortably rest on the desk with their neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers relaxed allowing the child to have a supporting hand on the paper while writing. The desktop should be 2 inches above the bent elbow (with the students arms at their sides). If the table is too high, elbows will be up and out to the sides and they may lay their trunk or head on desktop. If the table is too low, the child may slump in their chair or rest their head on their hand.

• When possible, allow children to work in various positions other than seated (standing at a vertical surface, lying on the floor propped on elbows).

Modifications:
To elevate seated height: Use Move ‘N Sit cushions, seat cushions, folded towels or blankets, etc.
To provide foot support: Use footstools, milk crates, blocks, storage bins, stuffed shoe boxes, phone books, catalogs, etc.
Back support: Use rolled towels or blankets, lumbar rolls, or Move ’N Sit cushions as back rest.

**Up to 60% of school day is spent sitting, for durations of up to 90 minutes long. (Linton et al., 1994). Sitting durations increase with grade level.
Studies have shown that students sat better, were on task more, and had higher test scores while seated in correct size furniture (Wingrat, 2007).

Try to incorporate a 2-minute break every 20 to 30 minutes.


OT/PT Department