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Topic “8-20m”
8 to 20 months developmental range.
makes marks
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Imitates vertical strokes Writing tools and paper Washing up brush and bucket of water Sand tray Play dough | (1) Start by making big vertical strokes with a washing up brush and a pail of water outside on a fine day. Say "Down ... down" (2) Give the brush to the child (3) Reward any attempts to make a downward stroke for example with clapping, praise etc. (4) Follow this procedure in the sand or in a rolled out piece of play dough etc. (5) Use a chunky crayon (not too long) and a piece of paper. Say 'Down ......down.' (6) Give the crayon to the child (7) Reward success with praise or reward toys. (8) Use a ruler to make two vertical tramlines on the page and then help the child draw between the lines in a downward motion. (9) Draw two or three tramlines on a page well spaced - and see if the child can start at the top and draw down. (10) Draw big dots in a downward line and make the starting off dot big and red. Model for the child drawing a downward line roughly along this line of dots. You may need to start the child off and stop half way down the line for the child to complete. (11) Use different colours and writing tools to make the task more interesting. Reward attending to the task with social praise or a reward toy. |
Starts to greet familiar people using a reward chart system
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Says ‘Hello’ to 3 familiar people
If you don't already have a symbol for "hello" you can find one in the Commtap Symboliser.
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| The length of these instructions show that this is quite a difficult routine to learn! The object of the activity is give the child conventional politeness. Allow time to develop this skill.
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Able to play simple action games and respond to greetings
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Playing action games Action toys Action nursery rhymes | 1. Use any toy which you need to post or press a key or push a part to make something happen e.g. rolling marbles down a kitchen roll holder, catching fish with a magnet and putting into a pond, press a button and the toy pops up. Set the toy up and take turns to have a go. 2. Play round and round the garden type games. Start the game and pause before the exciting end part and wait for the child to indicate he/she wants you to continue by the child looking at you or moving your hand to show he/she wants more. | Child learns to take turns Child accepts ending and starting a turn |
| Child says bye. | Be consistent in the ritual. The only thing that varies is the names of the people involved. | |
| Child greets familiar adults Soft toys | ||
| Child sits in a small group for story time. Comfy bean bags and favourite book |
use switches to turn something on or off
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping cool: learning to sustain an action Fan, (with optional ribbons attached) Mains switch control box | Configure the controller so that the fan is on as long as the switch is held down. Hold down the switch and let the child/adult feel the breeze. Let them do the same. | The child/adult should experience holding down the switch and feeling the breeze. On release the breeze stops. State, "On" and "Off" as you and the child/adult press and release the switch. |
| Learning to use a switch to turn a device on Fan (as above) | As either of you press the switch say, "on." When it stops say "off." Show them the effect of the breeze, blowing your hair or rubbing your arms because it is cold. | |
| Switching a device on and off (Do this in a subsequent session after the child/adult has understood the process in the above activity). A device to control, for example: fan toy computer monitor bubble machine | Let the child/adult turn the fan on and off modelling the vocabulary as you go. Reinforce this learning with different devices at different times and places. |
Make a choice using two switches
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Establishing motivators Items/activities the student may be interested in. Items/short activities the student is not interested in. |
| Don't use two things which are motivating for the student as you won't be able to tell whether they've succeeded in expressing a choice or not. |
| Establishing the switches to use Appropriate switches to use Typically you might start off with a couple of large recordable buttons (for example "Big Macs". You may have already established this with single switch work and established that they can make something happen with a single switch). | You may need to work with an occupational therapist to establish what type of switch a student can use - particularly if they have complex physical difficulties. | |
| Making choices Pair of switches Motivating and un-motivating items/activities (see the activity "establishing motivators" above) | If they don't press a switch you may need to:
Consistency of pressing Do they appear to be pressing one switch more than another, or do they appear to be choosing the switch randomly? Swapping the switches around from time to time will help you to know this. If they aren't consistent, you could try making the switches more different, for example:
You could also try:
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consistently acts on objects
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Playing with action toys Drum Jack in a box Pop-up toys Toys which need to be squeezed or a button pushed to produce an effect | Sit in the child's sight line in a quiet room and choose an action type toy to have on your lap. Gain the child's attention by stroking their face/clapping your hands or calling their name. Use the toy. Show happiness and/or surprise as you do so. Wait to see if the child makes a move to request a repeat. Repeat the action if the child requests. If the child does not request a repeat do the action again as above. After a few repeats take the child's hand and help the child activate the toy. Gradually reduce the amount of help you give the child to activate the toy. Can the child activate the toy independently if you show the child the toy? Move on to a different toy and follow the procedure above. | Work in short bursts. Keep the experience fun and light hearted. Give the child enough time to explore the toys and enough time to try to use the toy themselves. Give lots of praise for any success. |
| Snack time Small edible treats (biscuits/fruit/crisps) Transparent container with a lid. | You want the child to be able to open the container independently and help themselves. Give lots of time to explore the objects and praise for any success. Give lots of opportunities to learn by repeating the activity. | |
| Favourite toy Small toys e.g. car/squashy ball |
matches related everyday objects
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Find and match Pairs of related objects, for example: pencil and paper sock and a shoe bar of soap and a flannel, toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste hammer and nail knife and fork box | 1. Select pairs of related objects; 2. Place one member of each of the object pairs in front of the child (e.g. pencil, sock, soap, toothbrush); 3. Place the remaining objects (e.g. paper, shoe, flannel, toothpaste) in a box; 4. Have the child pick an object from the box and ask them to "Find the one we use with this"; 5. Repeat with the rest of the objects in the box. | If necessary, demonstrate how the objects go together, or get the child to show you. If the child chooses the wrong item, you can look puzzled and try and use those items together. For example try and write on the paper with a toothbrush. Then you can try and find the right item, and look pleased with yourself/ express happiness when you find you can make marks on the paper. |
Use a visual timetable
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using a visual timetable Home made visual timetable with 'finished' box or envelope and Velcro strip. Set of laminated symbols for timetable activities e.g. 'swimming', 'maths', 'carpet time' with scratchy Velcro on the back. You can create symbols cards in PowerPoint with the Commtap Symboliser. | 1. Make a long cardboard strip approximately 10cm wide and 60cm long. Attach a 'FINISHED' box or plastic envelop at the bottom of the strip. 2. Stick a strip of soft Velcro along the centre of the long laminated strip e.g.
3. Arrange symbols of the activities a child will cover for - say - a morning down the Velcro strip. 4. Just before an activity starts help the child put the relevant symbol into the 'I am doing this now' area at the top of the laminated strip. This shows the child what to expect to happen now. 5. When the activity is over help the child remove the symbol for the 'I am doing this now' area and post it into the 'FINISHED' box or envelope. Help the child take the next symbol and put it into the 'I am doing this now' area etc. | This technique helps children understand what is going to happen during the day. Use it with children who are anxious about change or find understanding class routines difficult. It is best to set up a visual timetable before the child comes into school and to set it up for a limited period say from arrival until the first play and then from after play until lunch and then a final set up for the afternoon period. Children sometimes try to alter the timetable to suit themselves e.g. putting play up near the top! This is not allowed! Only the adult in charge can change the order on a visual timetable. If following the set timetable for a given period is very difficult for a child you can make it easier by shortening the time a child must spend on each activity - but each activity must be done a little bit. You can try with just two activities (now/next) see the now/next visual timetable activity below. | |
| Now/next visual timetable "Now /next" visual timetable with 'finished' box or envelope and Velcro strip. Set of laminated photos for timetable activities e.g. 'story', 'outside', 'carpet time' with Velcro on the back. | If the child is resistant to some of the activities it's important to use clear consistent language e.g."first story, then sand". Being able to see a motivating activity coming up may mean that the child is happier to engage in less motivating activities. |
follows familiar routines
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| At playtime puts on/off coat | Make a picture of child with coat on and coat off. Laminate if possible. Show the child the relevant picture before/after play and help take coat on/off. As you do use the same phrase to describe your action e.g. 'Coat on' or 'Coat off'. As child becomes used to this routine stand back a little and see if the child will do own coat? Will child do own coat if you just ask without using the pictures and eventually will the child follow the routine appropriately with no support? | Be consistent with using the picture supports and using the same phrases to describe actions. Allow the child time to make an attempt - even if the coat is wrong way round - if this happens - praise the child for trying e.g 'Good putting coat on - you want more help' |
| At tidy up time puts things away Tidy up box/bag Toys to tidy | ||
| Line up time Picture of line up time |
able to join in action songs with a group of children
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Old MacDonald Pictures of animals A good singing voice!! | Children sit in a circle and start to sing. After, "and on that farm he had a......" a child is chosen to choose a picture and sign the animal. Group continues to sing. Next verse a different child chooses an animal | Always encourage the child to sign the animal name alongside the other children. Ask the child "What's that?" when they choose the animal picture so the child is given an opportunity to spontaneously sign the animal. |
| Wheels on the bus Card with prompts for actions (optional) | Child can point to the card or do an action to indicate which verse to sing next. Give choices, "Shall we sing wipers or wheels next?" etc. | |
| If you're happy and you know it Card with prompts for actions: clap/stamp etc. (optional) | Child can point to the card or do an action to indicate which verse to sing next. Give choices, "Shall we clap or stamp next?" etc. |
turn taking
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Feelie bag Interesting small toys in a bag | Sit child and one other child on chairs in a small circle. Make a show of bringing out the 'feelie bag' and shaking it. Put your hand in and take out a toy. Use it briefly and hand to the child next to you. When this child has had a short go say 'Share with a friend' and if necessary help the child hand the toy over to a peer. Say 'Good sharing' as the child hands over the toy. When a toy has been seen by all offer the bag to a child to put their hand in and take out a toy for sharing Keep going round in the circle till all the toys have been seen | Keep up the pace of these activities so that children don't get too tense having to wait their turn Reward 'good waiting' and 'good sharing' with lots of praise - maybe even a sticker. Some children find waiting very hard and will be helped by having something to hold a small sponge, or squashy ball etc. This is handed over for their turn with the toy and given back after they have passed the toy on. |
| Snack time Small food items e.g. crisps, cut up fruit, biscuits | ||
| Physical games |
Show an interest in number rhymes songs or games
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Three Little Speckled Frogs Recording of the song; (for example on youtube) Water spray; Picture of a log and a pond with Velcro attached to the log and three bits of Velcro in the pond; Three Velcro frogs | 1. Give the child one frog at a time to place on the log. 2. You count the frogs. 3. Start playing the recording and do the actions to the rhyme. 4. Let the child move the frogs from the log into the pond at the correct part of the song and reward with a spray from the water spray. | You may need to stop the recording if the child needs prompting to move the frogs from the log into the pond. Note, you should not expect the child to be able to count at this level. They may be able to join in with some of the sound patterns. The main goal of these activities is for the child to show interest in these rhymes in some way - this could be imitating some of the sounds or actions, or it could simply be being attentive to the song. |
| If you're happy and you know it Recording of the song; Visual prompt card (grid 2x3 on A4 with prompts for clap, stamp, nod, say "Ha ha" and do all 4). | 1. Play the recording and/or sing the song. 2. Encourage the child to do the actions with a physical prompt, verbal prompt, in imitation or spontaneously as necessary. | It is best to go through all the actions at the beginning of the activity and review at the end of the song. |
| Garden Song Chair; Large thick cardboard covered in glittery paper; Water spray; Talcum powder. Optional: symbols for more/finished. You can find symbols in the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint. | Encourage the child to stay seated throughout the rhyme. The wind/water/snow are quite rewarding so children will usually sit back down if requested to do so. Encourage children to join in the rhyme or sign wind/rain/snow as they become familiar with the rhyme. | |
| Watching and then joining in with number rhymes Objects to represent number rhymes | Use lots of animation and have fun You want the child to watch you, begin to join in and show some pleasure in the songs. You want the child to show some anticipation - build pauses into your routines for this to happen. | |
| Child chooses a number rhyme from a choice of two pictures of rhymes Pictures for familiar rhymes | ||
| Five little men in a flying saucer Laminated picture of a flying saucer and five men. Attach Velcro to the flying saucer and each of the five men. | Note, you should not expect the child to be able to count at this level. They may be able to join in with some of the sound patterns. The main goal of these activities is for the child to show interest in these rhymes in some way - this could be imitating some of the sounds or actions, or it could simply be being attentive to the song. |
Makes a choice from two items
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing between food items 1
|
| Give child time to settle and see the items to choose from. Work for short bursts. Give lots of praise for making a choice or starting to make a choice. |
| Choosing between food items 2 Small pieces of 2 different desired foods. | ||
| Choosing between toy items 1
| ||
| Choosing between toy items 2 Two desired toys |
Use single words signs or symbols
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Feely bag Bag Familiar objects |
Variation: Sing a short phrase ( 'what's in the bag, what's in the bag, Harriet take a look, Harriet take a look') before each child's turn. | Give the child time to name the object. Help them by giving a prompt (e.g. a forced alternative, the first sound. or the word or sign to repeat). |
| Secret picture Pictures of everyday objects You could use photos, or create using symbols | The child gets a picture which they say or sign the name of before showing the others. | Give the child time to name the object. Help them by giving a prompt (e.g. a forced alternative, the first sound. or the word or sign to repeat) |
| Shopping games Everyday objects Shopping bag Table | One child sits at the 'shop'. Another is asked to go and buy an object. | A picture card can be used to help the child remember what they are going to shop for. |
| Posting games Pictures of everyday objects Post box For pictures of everyday objects, you could use photos, or create using symbols | Give the child time to name the object. Help them by giving a prompt (e.g. a forced alternative, the first sound. or the word or sign to repeat). | |
| Fishing game Pictures of objects with paper clips attached Magnetic fishing rods (e.g. each made out of a magnet, string and a pencil, or bought) 'Pond' e.g. a flat box For the pictures of objects, you could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols | Give the child time to name the object. Help them by giving a prompt (e.g. a forced alternative, the first sound, or the word or sign to repeat). | |
| Strategy: giving choices Use this with any activity | ||
| 'Hide the fish' Eight picture cards; Small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it For the picture cards, you could use photos of objects, or create using symbols | ||
| Non directive play Play equipment such as tea set, teddies, dolls; cars, bricks, play people etc. Could also be done with outdoor play equipment or in any other play situation. | Don't expect the child to say anything in this activity. The purpose of the activity is for them to get used to hearing key words, which directly relates to what they are doing. | |
| Commenting in everyday situations No specific materials. Activities could be: painting, walking around the school, play. | Don't expect the child to say anything in this activity. The purpose of the activity is for them to get used to hearing key words, which directly relates to what they are doing. |
use single words signs or symbols for actions 2
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| What's missing? Pictures of common actions You could use photos, or create using symbols | 1. Put a range of pictures of actions in front of the child. 2. Check the child can pick up/point to the action you name. 3. Ask the child to have a really good look at the cards. 4. Ask the child to close their eyes or turn their back. 5. Take one card away. 6. Ask the child to uncover their eyes and say what's missing. | The child needs a good visual memory to do this activity. |
| Secret card Action cards You could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols | ||
| Books Picture books showing a range of actions. | You could ask questions like "Who's crying?". To encourage speaking, you could talk about the picture leaving (long) pauses in your speaking where the child could add their own comments, you could even try making the occasional errors in your descriptions (especially if the child is understanding the names for actions) and see if the child corrects you (correct yourself if they don't). | |
| Fishing Pictures of actions with paper clips attached. You could use photos, or create using symbols Magnetic fishing rod - you can make one yourself with a stick or pencil, piece of string and a magnet. Box or blue sheet of paper to represent a fish tank or pond (optional). | Some children may need help with the fishing rod - a shorter line can make it easier for some children with motor difficulties, larger paperclips or less cards can also make it easier. If the child has difficulty understanding, you can reduce the number of cards or give a prompt. |
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