Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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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. |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Recall what happened in a lesson The materials you had in the lesson. Picture prompts for the activities that were carried out. Piece of card to stick the prompts onto as you do the activities in the lesson. |
| You can work on recall of the main activities in the lesson, for example:
Strategies you could use if the student is finding this difficult: At the end of one activity say we were "listening", next we will draw a picture. Show a prompt card for each - so the student can see the progression from one activity to another. Ask them about these two activities at the end of the second one. |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Peek-a-boo - A toy that your child is motivated by. - A small blanket. |
| Only do this activity when the child is interested in the toy and is likely to want to continue to play with it Keep other distractions to a minimum - if there are other toys for them to play with they may not look for the hidden toy If the child is not aware that the toy still exists, gain their attention and lift up the cloth. 'Here it is!' Let the child play with the toy again |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Self Care Activities Camera to make the picture sequences (or alternatively you can draw them or use a commercial resource). Resources as appropriate to carry out a simple sequence Examples of sequences: Clean teeth: get toothpaste, open lid, get brush, squeeze toothpaste onto brush, put lid back onto toothpaste, brush teeth, spit out, put brush under water, repeat, clean brush, put brush away. Wash hands: turn on tap, rinse hands, put soap on hands, scrub hands, rinse under water, turn tap off, dry with towel. Brush hair: get brush, brush hair, put brush away. Deodorant: get deodorant, take off lid, spray at appropriate area, put lid back on, put away. | 1. Carry out the sequence without the pictures; 2. Do it again, showing the relevant picture for each part of the activity as you do it; 3. Get the student to do the sequence, showing them a picture for each part of the sequence as they do it; 4. Get them to show you what to do by giving you a picture for each part of the sequence. Try to do exactly as the picture you are given indicates, for example if they give you a picture of scrubbing your hands before the tap is turned on/before you have the soap, try to do this - but appear confused when this doesn't work. | At this level students may often be able to learn particular sequences of pictures without understanding that they relate to a sequence of actions, these activities are designed to address this issue. Seeing how the sequence goes wrong if the wrong picture is chosen (in step 4) will encourage the student to work out which should have been the right picture without you needing to give any further feedback. |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Sensory Suitcase Use a small box or bag to collect toys which target different sensory areas e.g. Auditory (noisy toys) toys (rattles, squeakers, shakers, musical items, drums etc.) Visual toys (flags, streamers, Slinkies, spinners, bubbles, flashing items, torches, pop-up toys, windmills etc.) Tactile toys (toys that feel different) (balls of different textures to squeeze, brushes of different textures to be tickled with, materials e.g. velvet, sandpaper, feathers, pots of rice/macaroni to feel, Play dough to squeeze/cut ) Scented toys (play dough, Plasticine, some rubber toys) | 1. Collect some toys from each of the sensory categories described. 2. Store the toys in a container which you use only for this specific activity and is otherwise stored away from children. 3. Find a quiet comfortable place to work either at a table or on the floor. Try to make sure the child cannot easily run off or get distracted. 4. Make a show of shaking the suitcase and seeming happy about the approaching activity. 5. Take out two toys from different sensory categories and place them in front of the child - note which category of item the child chooses/reaches for and put the other item back in the suitcase. 6. Allow the child a short time to enjoy the item chosen then say 'Your name's turn' (e.g. "Mary's turn") and gently but firmly take the item for your turn. 7. Use the toy for a short time then offer it the child again. Say 'Child's name's turn'. 8. Repeat a few times but stop before the child gets bored. 9. Start the process again by offering the child a choice of toys from two different sensory categories and then follow the turn taking routine. 10. Continue with the activity for approximately 10 minutes - stop before the child gets bored. 11. Store the sensory suitcase in a secure place until the next session. | These activities are based on a child's sensory preferences. Some children love visual toys but are frightened of noisy (auditory) toys. Accept these preferences and work with the sensory areas the child is comfortable with. Some children will choose some kinds of noisy toys and reject others or show fear when presented with others. Some children are frightened of feathers but love being tickled with a shaving brush. Experiment and observe! Sensory preferences can change over time as well! Keep the activity fun and show that you are enjoying it too! Make the activity time limited so that it stays special. Do the activity regularly and change the items used from time to time. |
Create Colourful Patterns Use a selection of the following: Paint pots and brushes, felt tips, computer painting programme, pots with different coloured bits of paper to stick and a sheet of paper. | ||
Messy Play Use, for example, one of the following sets of items: Sand tray with spades, pots etc. Water tray with pots, sieves, pourers etc Rice tray with pots and pourers etc |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Newspaper Newspaper or children's paper or magazine Large sheet of paper Pens | Choose a page of a newspaper or children's paper, or cut out some stories from a newspaper. (You could also do this on line if you have access to a computer. It is very motivating for the children!) Choose stories that will prompt discussion and are not simple right / wrong issues. Put the main person in the story in a circle in the middle of a page. Draw lots of lines out of the circle, and think of different things the person could do. Have each child circle the one they think they would suggest . Help the children think about what will happen if the person takes their advice. | |
You're in charge! Cards to write situations on. Paper Pens | ||
Freeze frames Short video clips from children's programmes | You could write individual or group letters to the programme makers suggesting an ending to this scene. | |
Alien bluff Alien puppet or picture. Cards to write situations on. Everyday situations at school and home. | Use a variety of situations - in class, in whole school events, in the playground, at home, etc. | |
Social Sequences LDA what's wrong social sequencing cards. Paper or whiteboard Pens | Use paper or a white board to keep the discussion focused. Use facial emotions cards as visual prompts to help the children think about what people are feeling and why. |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Story books and pictures | Describe and look for things and actions in story books and pictures. | |
Fishing game pictures with paper clips attached, magnetic fishing rods, 'pond' e.g. a flat box | Put cards in the box, take turns to fish for a picture, say/sign what is fished out. | Give the pupil 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) |
'Hide the fish' Eight picture cards, small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it | ||
Collages Pictures of everyday objects, background pictures (Black Sheep Sentence Builder and Narrative Packs have some good ones) | Give the pupil 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) Have each child take a turn at thinking of other items they could add to that collage. They can draw these on. | |
Jotters Pictures of everyday objects from class and outside. A blank jotter book | Have the child take a turn at thinking of other items they could add | |
Odd one out activites Pictures of everyday objects from class and outside | Give the pupil time to think about it. Help them by giving a prompt (e.g. a forced alternative, talking about where you find each object and what you do with it.) |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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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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Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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I like/ I don’t like Laminated A3 sheet divided in half with a line, with an "I like" symbol on one side and an "I don’t like" symbol on the other side (symbols could be a smiley face and a sad face); Assortment of pictures of food, animals, cartoon characters, games etc.; Use Velcro or blue-tak to attach pictures to board. You can also get picture symbols from the Commtap Symboliser.
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Jump in the hoop Large plastic hoop. Assortment of pictures of food, animals, cartoon characters, games etc. (if needed). |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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Sentence Sequencing cards Cards showing a range of nouns and adjectives plus the words "the" and "is". DLTK's examples. (https://www.dltk-kids.com/) Pencil and paper (optional) | 1. Lay the word "is" on the table in front of the child. Put the word "the" to the left of this, with a gap in between them. Check that the child can read both words; 2. Put one of the noun cards into the gap between the words "the" and "is"; 3. Put one of the adjective cards after the word "is"; 4. Read the sentence to the child (e.g. "the monster is green"); 5. Encourage the child to make up new sentences in the same manner. It doesn't matter if the sentences are silly; 6. You can use the paper to record the sentences made, or for the child to draw an appropriate picture on. | Only suitable for children who can read simple single words. |
What's in the bag? Feely bag containing a range of objects (choose objects appropriate for the children you are working with); "is" cue card as previous activity. |
Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
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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 |
Template to use for first/next/last or first/last sequencing - with space for pictures. Example activities: sequences three pictures with first next and last.
Examples of prompt cards you could use to help a child initiate - includes the main part of a sentence which the child may need to fill in using a name. Example activity.
One day there was a boy called Robert. He was starting at a new school. On his first day, he met lots of children in his class. At playtime, he went outside with everyone else. Some children played football. Some children played hopscotch. Some children ran around and played tag. Robert wished he could play. He didn’t know anybody yet.
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