Building Blocks for Learning Occupational Therapy Approaches: Practical Strategies for the Inclusion of Special Needs in Primary School

A highly practical resource for the primary years written by the authors of the successful handbook Occupational Therapy Approaches for Secondary Special Needs.  The reader is guided through the process of:

• Observing a child’s performance in class
• Identifying areas of foundation skills requiring attention
• Planning programmes to develop foundation skills
• Implementing classroom strategies
• Resourcing equipment for interventions

The early years of a child’s life are crucial for laying down the foundations necessary to establish the building blocks for learning.  Occupational Therapists specialise in assessing and treating motor, sensory, perceptual, social and emotional skills to develop inclusion for all children within primary school.

Chapters include:

• Medical conditions seen in the classroom – Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder and some Physical Disabilities
• Foundation skills – gross motor co-ordination, fine motor control, sensory processing, visual perception, language and social/emotional well being
• Subject areas – teacher observations of foundation skills are compared with curriculum requirements
• Practical ideas and advice on activities and programmes to build skills e.g. handwriting, hand function, sensory processing, organisation, social and emotional well being
• Establishing activity clubs and managing transition from primary to secondary school
• Equipment and suppliers

The information, which is easily accessible and clearly laid out, will prove to be an invaluable resource for all primary school Teachers, SENCOs, Teaching Assistants and Occupational Therapists.

‘…this immensely practical manual provides a wealth of workable strategies for enabling the busy teacher to individualise and differentiate learning resources to enable each child to maximise his potential.’

Lois M. Addy, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, St John University, York