Pajama Time

This is Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton--with added textures and page fluffers.  This preschooler doesn't put objects in her mouth but your student might...

Adapting Musical Instruments

Was looking for a jig to assist students with folding towels, and found this musical treasure instead:
http://www.adaysworkmusiceducation.com/

Customized letter strip for desk

In elementary schools just about every student in K-3rd grade has a laminated letter strip stuck to the top edge of their desk.  By this time of year, these strips are looking pretty ratty since they have been wonderful fidget toys for antsy children.

How about the student making a replacement letter strip? Use clearly lined paper to aid in correct letter formation and have the student select their best-formed letter pairs. Cut the paper into upper case-lower case letter pairs and glue them on a second sheet of lined paper.

Part of the perceptual challenge is lining the black guidelines up correctly on the receiving sheet of lined paper.
We'll laminate the custom letter guide strip, or slip it inside a protective sheet before securing it to the desk.  Maybe it'll last until June 17th.....

Collecting Grasp Photos

I'd like to make an amateur video on different grasps, possible causes for the inefficient ones and hints for remediation.  Please send any interesting grasp photos my way.  No faces or other identifying info, please!  Thx.

Make Numbers Mean Something

Practicing number formation is important; let's aim to make it meaningful when the opportunity presents itself.  This little kindergartener had some math work left to do, so we practiced staying inside the guidelines as he wrote some of the numbers.

Then, we took turns using a flexible ruler to draw and measure lines on paper as well as measuring the dimensions of my calendar notebook.

  

Even though the ruler is flexible, it allows you to draw a straight, unnotched line.

Mobile Arm Support Attached to Overhead Support and Lever

This is an interesting video about using an iPad with a young student--especially the views of the mobile arm support and how it is attached to the overhead bar of the hospital bed.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/10/29/nyregion/1248069258198/becoming-han-solo.html

Portable Sensory Board for Students Who Love to Squish Things

Last Thursday, one of the speech-language pathologists I work with at a high school asked me if I had any manipulative items she could use with a student who wants to squish everything.  The student, who is diagnosed with autism, is very distracted during speech-language sessions and the SLP thought that if she could provide the student with some squishy things while he is working then perhaps he might be able to attend to the sessions a little better. 

I asked if the student also put things in his mouth but the SLP said he primarily liked to squish with his fingers.Well, I didn't have a lot of squishy things at home or at work so, of course, I headed over to my favorite spot--Goodwill!  Fortunately, they had swim "noodles" that day so I bought a couple.  Our therapy assistant gave me a ratty, double tri-wall board that had been covered with wood-grain Contact paper, some sticky back Velcro, and I was all set.

Today my DH (dear husband) used our 80's electric knife to cut lengths of the noodles and then slice them open like a hot dog bun. (Yes, yes I do know how to use the electric knife but we had to have some "family time" this weekend.)  We also cut some noodle "coins" for extra squishing opportunities.  The foam sliced very clean with few snaggy edges.  Many students with autism get very distracted by snaggy edges, I've found.  I put duct tape on the short ends, then clamped the foam on the long ends.
Unfortunately, I had placed some removeable squishy objects on the board prior to attaching the lengths of foam, and learned that I had put the removeable objects too close to the edges.  Oh well.
We'll see how this works for the student.

This is a real mix of items--squeezable sports balls, a smooth nail file, yarn wrapped "fruit," a textured patch, a black piece of foam that resembles a slice of  bread.

This is a freebie pencil bag I had at work.  It is filled with thin felt, thin foam and a filmy packing sheet.  I chose not to use a sheet of bubble wrap since that might be too enticing to the student.

I cut extra noodle slices to use with younger students, perhaps stringing the purple ones on something.  Maybe they would make fun rings to wear as a silly way to encourage regard of a more affected hand?