Life Skills across the Spectrum

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Life Skills across the Spectrum

• Leanne Sondergeld
• Accredited Occupational Therapist
• Clinical Educator
• Childrens Life Skills Clinic
• University of Queensland
• (Photos have been removed to protect privacy)

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• School based programme from the Childrens Life
  Skills Clinic.
• Each Occupational Therapy Student worked with
  children individually, in pairs or small groups
  over two University Semesters.

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Focused on developing

• Independence with daily activities
• Fine and Gross Motor Skills
• Literacy Skills
• Relationship Skills

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We wanted the children to

• Cope better with life home, school, play, sport
• Share joy

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Assessment

• Parent Interview
• Special Education Teacher and Classroom Teacher
  Interview
• Gilliam Autism Rating Sale (GARS) by parent
• Gross and Fine Motor Assessment
• Visual Perception Assessment

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• Early Literacy Fundamentals Screen Phonics,
  Reading, Spelling, Handwriting, Scissor Skills,
  Motor Skills
• Sensory Profile by parent
• Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function
  (BRIEF) Parent Form and Teacher Form
• Relationship Development Questionnaire (Gutstein
  and Sheely, 2002) by student

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At the Conclusion

• Personalized Life Skills Book of activities,
  photos and social stories
• Presentations for parents and teachers
• Report with strategies

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• Today I would like to convey some of the
  childrens personal triumphs and some of the
  insights gleaned.

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We modified ourselves

• Talked less
• Exaggerated our facial expressions and gestures
• Appeared calm, quiet and easy to read
• Used things that interested the children

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Eye Contact

• The basis of all relationships

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• This is a photo of Carolyn talking to me.
• I turned my body towards her.
• I watched her closely.
• I listened carefully.
• I saw and heard everything she was trying to
  tell me.
• She made me feel special.
• When someone is talking to you it is very
  important to watch closely and listen carefully.

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Working on something together
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Silly Simon Does
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Wordless Games
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When to be silly
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Emotions
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Games and Activities

• Doing things together
• Sharing your interests with others
• Stop/start

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Cricket

• Motor skills
• Working with others
• Flexibility
• Sportsmanship

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Modest Winner/Good Loser
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Helping others
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Frustration
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Sharing nice things about each other
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Stranger Danger
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BRIEF

• Measures Executive Functions -purposeful, goal
  directed behaviour and flexible problem solving
• Behavioural Regulation
• Initiate
• Working Memory
• Plan/Organize
• Organization of Materials
• Monitor (or checking)

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• All children had difficulties checking themselves
  during a task, adjusting their responses and
  reviewing their performance afterwards.
• Heightened anxiety
• Self reflection seemed to be a threat
• Fright, flight, fight response
• Needed assistance to think of ways of improving
  their performance

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Checking is an important Life Skill

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Correcting mistakes in schoolwork
• Editing texts
• Learning new games and movements
• Relationships

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Therapy to address this Skill

• CO-OP
• Cognitive Orientation to
• Occupational Performance
• Goal - Plan - Do - Check
• Stop - Think - Do - Check

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Good Posture

• I do my best work when I am sitting still

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Literacy Skills

• Early Literacy Fundamentals (ELF)

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Handwriting
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Cutting
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Life Skills Book
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Life Skills

• Relationship and Social Skills
• Self organization eg planning, completing tasks,
  checking during tasks, checking after tasks
• Motor Skills
• Literacy Skills eg Phonics, Visual Perception,
  Handwriting, Reading, Scissor Skills.

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What Worked

• Changing ourselves, trying different strategies
• Changing the environment
• Changing the demands of our activities
• Relationship Development
• Life Skills Book photos, social stories, comic
  book stories
• Spotlighting specific skills
• Pivotal moments
• Activities that the children liked

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• Stop/start activities
• Activities that could develop into an interest
  with others
• Early Literacy Fundamentals
• Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance
  (CO-OP)
• Checklists and Session Guides
• Cognitive approaches
• Students