What is RTI?
Applying Occupational Therapy Strategies in the Junior Kindergarten Classroom Using dough, plasticine, and clay
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a general education initiative that takes place prior to evaluation for placement in special education. Teachers use research-based instruction with all students and then evaluate the effectiveness of that instruction.
Why RTI?
As reported in the literature, RTI facilitates inclusion of students with learning differences. Its application to a JK class is expected to enhance the development of Fine Motor (FM) Skills, even among the students who seem to need more time in order to reach the age-appropriate FM milestones.
Why target Fine Motor?
Difficulties in handwriting influence the student’s performance at school, incentive for learning, as well as self-confidence. National education goals describe FM skills as one of the dimensions needed by kindergarten children for learning readiness.
Why choose a collaborative program?
Literature on inclusion consistently identifies collaboration between Teacher and Occupational Therapist as the key to its success: students benefit from the educational programs and are integrated into the social environment of their classrooms. Other benefits of collaboration include increased opportunities for professionals to develop new skills, to share ideas and strategies, and to improve cohesiveness in services for students with disabilities.
Selected Bibliography
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Cutting on lines – Snake Spiral
3 year olds: • Copy vertical and horizontal lines, as well as circles 4 year olds: • Copy crosses, diagonal lines, ‘X’s, squares, selected letters and numbers • Possibly able to write their own name
Strategies
Using clothes pins to move pompoms
What are the Fine Motor expectations for JK agegroups?
Bose, P., & Hinojosa, J. (2008). Reported experiences from occupational therapists interacting with teachers in inclusive early childhood classrooms. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 289–297. Cameron, C. E., Brock, L. L., Murrah, W. M., Bell, L. H., Worzalla, S. L., Grissmer, D. and Morrison, F. J. (2012), Fine Motor Skills and Executive Function Both Contribute to Kindergarten Achievement. Child Development, 83: 1229–1244. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01768.x Claessens, A., Garrett, R., The role of early childhood settings for 4–5 year old children in early academic skills and later achievement in Australia, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Volume 29, Issue 4, 4th Quarter 2014, Pages 550-561, ISSN 0885-2006. Hazelkorn, M., Bucholz, J. L., Goodman, J. I., Duffy, M. L., & Brady, M. P. (2010, December). Response to Intervention: General or Special Education? Who Is Responsible?. In The Educational Forum (Vol. 75, No. 1, pp. 17-25). Taylor & Francis Group. Gersten, R., & Dimino, J. A. (2006). RTI (response to intervention): Rethinking special education for students with reading difficulties (yet again). Reading Research Quarterly, 41(1), 99-108. Chicago Rule, A. C., Stewart, R. A. (2002). Effects of Practical Life Materials on Kindergartners’ Fine Motor Skills. Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 30, No. 1. Marr, D., Cermak, S., Cohn, E. S., & Henderson, A. (2003). Fine motor activities in Head Start and kindergarten classrooms. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57, 550–557. Thomson, S. D., Raisor, J. M. (2013). Meeting the Sensory Needs of Young Children. Retrieved from: www.naeyc.org/yc
Stringing pipe cleaners
Writing letters on shaving foam
Shifting – rotating objects in hand
Tracing on dotted lines
Filling the containers with sugar using a small spoon
Using different writing utensils
Completing mazes
Results
1/3 of the students faced significant difficulty in the assigned tasks (students were unable to finish the task assigned or required oneon-one assistance).
…of whom
100%
46.7%
Demonstrated consistent improvement
Improved significantly
(significant improvement: 80% and above)
80% Developed better attitude towards fine motor activities
2 students
qualified for Occupational Therapy later in the year
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