Hello, As the mother of a learning disabled child, although I do not have evidence in writing to support this, I agree with your approach based on my personal experience. My child strongly resents having to leave his classroom to go to the resource room. He has been receiving special ed services since preschool. They miss out on activities in the classroom when pulled out and feel different. I strongly feel the less time they are singled out and pulled out of the class the better off they are.
As they get older they don't want to be pulled out even more. What his resource room teacher does (although she is not an OT but I think this method would work) is "push in" to the classroom to help him and any student that might be struggling. She even helps students who do not have an IEP. Lastly, his speech teacher gives him homework for articulation exercises along with a calendar to check off each day he does it. When he brings it in she gives him rewards. I feel it is a great way for him to take responsibility for his exercises and making him independent. As a parent that is my goal, to make him independent and to be responsible for his work. He will begin middle school next year and the demands for him to be independent and responsible for his work will only increase. Care --- On Fri, 2/19/10, Renee Lowrey <renee.low...@mmsean.com> wrote: From: Renee Lowrey <renee.low...@mmsean.com> Subject: [OTlist] Evidence? To: otlist@otnow.com Date: Friday, February 19, 2010, 7:18 AM I am working in a school district where we provide ‘hands-on’ consultation. I work with a student to see which intervention strategies (accommodations/modifications) will work best and then education teachers on how to use and follow through with the recommendations. I recently completed an eval on a student for handwriting legibility (per mom). I recommended acc/mods for home & school and provided some strengthening activities that could be incorporated into the natural context of his school day. Unfortunately, but mom was not satisfied with these recommendations. She wants us to work on hand strengthening (like in the a clinic) setting so his hand doesn’t get tired when he writes (He’s in 3rd grade now). No matter how I explain how services are better provided in the context of the classroom and how the acc/mods will allow him to participate in his education, she is not satisfied. She doesn’t want him to depend on the acc/mods, which she thinks will result in decreased hand strength and therefore illegible handwriting. Does anyone know of any research regarding the efficacy, or lack thereof, of hand strengthening exercises and improved hand writing; or of the benefits of a consultation model rather than an direct, pull-out model in school systems? Any info will be most appreciated. Thanks, Renée L., OTR/L -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com
