Disney/Pixar Zones of Regulation

Tips on Pencil Grasp

 Some of the students in your class may have a hard time with Pencil Grasp! Here is a quick video to help you!

Ideas to Build Core Strength

First of all: Why does Core strength matter?

 

Ideas to improve it:

How can you work on core strength with your child in speech or in the classroom?

*lay down on the floor

*color or play on the floor

*use an exercise ball

Transition Strategies

 

Free Self Regulation Poster

 

Self-regulation is an important skill for all people to use. It is the ability that helps us to control our behaviours/emotions to help us make the right decisions, rather than just doing what we want at the moment.
Here is a free poster to encourage self-regulation skills with the kids on your caseload.
The skills include practicing mindfulness, using breathing techniques, journaling, and more. There is a black and white version so that you can talk with your students about each of the skills. You can use this poster in your classroom or send home with parents. 
This poster is provided by Pathway 2 Success- take a look in her store for more classroom ideas :)

 

Executive Functioning Skills

I had some kids that were struggling and some co-workers!  I was having a hard time pinpointing why some staff weren't being successful. I would schedule everything, plan all activities, basically make their day fool-proof and they still weren't getting things done. They would go off on tangents and start other activities and not finish them. They wouldn't be able to get the caseload all finished (all the required kids treated in a day), and their stuff was all over the place, lost and totally disorganized. Needless to say, it was driving me, batty! I just couldn't' get why they couldn't keep it all together. Now I'll back up a bit... I have about a 4 hour or 400km commute each day, I have 3 kids, get all of my work activities planned and prepped for all of my caseloads (some at different locations, I have 3 SLP's, 3 OT's and 2 aides that work with me. I coordinate it all... without any secretary ( I think I need one!!) So being Type A (in specific ways) I couldn't get how you couldn't carry out a plan, with prepped materials, and go see kids on the caseload... Penny, an OT that works for Creating Communicators mentioned that she was the difficulties happening and said that maybe that person has Executive Functioning difficulties. I asked, ok, what's that?

She explained and I had an AHA moment!  That is precisely what is happening here! I went out and found some info....


What are Executive Functioning Skills!

 
Executive function and self-regulation skills depend on three types of brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. These functions are highly interrelated, and the successful application of executive function skills requires them to operate in coordination with each other.

There are 8 Exec Functions:

• Impulse control, 
• Emotional Control
• Flexible Thinking
• Working Memory
• Self-Monitoring
• Planning 
• Prioritizing
• Task Initiation
• Organization

After I learned what the 8 areas were, it was glaringly evident that this is what the problem was. There was no self-monitoring- if I mentioned anything, she would be defensive and blame others and had no self-perception of her abilities or her actions. And then the flexible thinking...  if I said that we had to do something she wouldn't be able to monitor the times it was ok, not ok and totally not important. It was very discouraging. 

 I found some resources that are intended for my caseload, but I thought it can't hurt to have some more information. 

Pathway to Success has some really helpful resources. 
Click here for her store and on the pics for a link to the resources.

This freebie:

 

And for a more indepth this Workbook: 

 

 

 In her words:
Executive functioning skills are the basis for planning, organizing, initiating, and following through will all tasks, assignments, and problems inside and outside of school. Many students who forget assignments, are disorganized, can’t complete long-term assignments, have trouble focusing, and experience difficulty with change often have weak executive functioning skills. These are the students who need to be taught explicit skills in order to become successful in school and in life after school. Simply put, executive functioning skills are necessary life skills.

Pencil Grasp Tips!