These are tricky times we live in and things have changed quite considerably for our children at their schools. I've heard so many times recently that children are being asked to sit in their seats for longer at school and this doesn't work for many, especially those (like me) who like to fidget and move regularly.
In my day job, I'm a school SENCo (Special Needs Coordinator) and I love thinking up different ways to make slight adaptations that can make a lot of difference to individual learners. Below are some things that have worked well for children throughout my years in the classroom, and with my own children at home. They don't all work for everyone but just one might lead to another idea that could make all the difference.
Physical resources
For fidgeting:
Classroom timers/sand timers like these: https://amzn.to/2Ht6k2i
Fidget cubes: https://amzn.to/3kow7aB or https://amzn.to/2TeFgGX
Squishy balls https://amzn.to/37ylEWG , stretchy people https://amzn.to/3jjn5Kz , or blu tac
For pencil grasp:
Pencil grips like these: https://amzn.to/3oiv4LB
Stabilo pencils (shaped to ease grip)
Right handed: https://amzn.to/31x6BbE , Left handed: https://amzn.to/3ju9fp7
Pom pom or tissue in the hand (held with the little finger and ring finger when writing)
For bigger movements:
Wobble cushion like this: https://amzn.to/2HnqECm
Theraband/exercise band round chair legs: https://amzn.to/2Hot18m
Movement break ideas
Take a note to a different teacher (may be restricted during a pandemic)
Sharpen a pencil
Collect a resource from a different area in the classroom
Stand for a task, rather than sitting - some classrooms have standing stations for children to work there if they need to
Shorter tasks, broken into chunks, and placed in a finished box when each is completed (movement break plus sense of achievement)
Sit on the floor (when possible)
Expectations
Adults could write the learning objective (if children are required to do this) so the focus is on the work to achieve it, rather than the effort to copy the objective itself
Dot on the page to show where to write up to (at least)
Minimum number of sentences in the lesson
Work broken down into chunks and a set number of chunks to complete
Sentence starters and templates
Word mats to support spelling
Alternative ways of recording
Alternative ways of working, e.g. with practical resources (may also be restricted)
Images to order and write captions for
Mind maps
Post-it note planning
Cloze procedure
Word processing on a laptop
Using writing frames or templates (breaking up the challenge of a blank page)
Power lines drawn on the page to encourage letter size and orientation
Speech to text
Sound buttons* to record sentences to play back ready to write
Reading support
Paired reading
Precision teaching grids for teaching sight words
Words on the fridge/wall in the bathroom/stairs
Daily phonics sounds like these: https://amzn.to/3jpMSkq and https://amzn.to/2IONnb6
Find and highlight words/phrases
There are so many more ideas than can be listed here. Please add a comment if you have another gem to share!
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*Contains Amazon affiliate links which generate a tiny bit of commission for my blog.
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