5 Ideas to Foster Writing Readiness
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| Playing with Grabbers |
Many parents and teachers are eager for young children to write. Writing, which used to be introduced in first grade, and then in kindergarten, now is often part of the preschool curriculum. As a result, many children miss out on this important time to develop foundation skills and at the same time they reinforce inefficient motor patterns and habits that are hard to modify when the child is truly ready for writing. During the preschool period, children are developing the motor control needed to provide a secure foundation for the development of writing skills, as well as, self-help and complex play skills. Children:
- develop mature grip patterns (including pencil),
- establish a hand dominance,
- coordinate the use of both hands together,
- develop eye-hand coordination.
You can help your child develop writing readiness skills through a variety of fun activities. Set up a regular, dedicated practice time of 15-30 minutes daily. Sometimes the period of time just before or after dinner works well and can become the foundation for homework time later on.
1) Go Vertical
Encourage your child to work at a vertical surface. This helps develop wrist extension and a mature pencil grip. Tape paper to wall or easel. Use water and large brushes to ‘paint’ an exterior wall, fence or playground equipment. Play with felt boards or colorforms propped on an easel.
2) Play with Grabbers
Use tongs, tweezers, Zoo Sticks, strawberry huller, or clothespins to pick up small items. Encourage your child to hold them appropriately between thumb and first one or two fingers. If your child tends to use the whole hand, try placing a small pompom or button between the last two fingers and the palm, helping to separate the two sides of the hand. Encourage your child to eat with Zoo Sticks. Play games like Hi Ho Cherrio, Squiggly Worms or Thin Ice using tongs to pick up playing pieces. Put up a clothesline for your child to hang cards or other items on using clothespins, or clip them around the edge of a heavy paper plate.3) Squeeze Putty
(Or play dough or clay.) Theraputty is a great tool for developing hand strength and finger dexterity. Hide 10 small objects in putty for your child to find. Roll putty into balls or snakes. Decorate with pennies or pegs. Try having your child hold three pennies in the palm of one hand and then stand them up in the putty one at a time without the other hand helping. Repeat. Then use a clothespin to remove them and drop into a bank.4) Play with Water
Use a squeeze bulb or eyedropper to transfer water from one container to another. Or transfer the water using a sponge. Paint a ‘monster’ or dinosaur and then hang up picture. Use a water squirter (I like animal shaped ones) to ‘melt’ the picture. This activity tends to be met with enthusiasm, even from the most fine-motor reluctant child.5) Hammer
Hammering is great for reinforcing hand dominance. Pound golf tees into Styrofoam. Draw dots of different colors on the Styrofoam and have your child match golf tee colors to the dots. Make a rain stick by hammering nails into a cardboard mailing tube and then adding beans. Start a number of large nails in tree stump for your child to hammer in.Have fun!
Activities work best when they are enjoyable for both you and your child. Capitalize on your child’s interests to make the activities more intrinsically motivating.
Sharing OUR Mail: Tips for Pursuing the Arts
- OJTA Follower
Lori Ciccarelli Responds:
Thank you for your email and for your comments as well. I appreciate your support, kindness and encouraging words.
My son is in his 4th year of college and will most likely complete one more year for his degree. As a freshman, he attended the local community college. We wanted to make sure he could carry a full load of classes successfully before we sent him to a university several hundred miles away from home. He is now earning a bachelor's in graphic design with a concentration in illustration and a minor in writing with hopes of writing and illustrating books. He prefers drawing, hence the concentration in illustration. We chose a university that had autism experience; he has a case manager that assists him. My son, now, is mentoring others with autism. The University is a very safe environment; we knew he could thrive living there independently.
Activities Preceding College
We kept him busy throughout the years (when living at home) with staying involved in the community regarding art. He would help with set design with the community playhouse, he designed logos and t-shirts locally for various organizations. He was also involved every year for about 10 years with chalk art festivals as a featured artist. The more experience the better.
A Few More Suggestions...
Local Art Council: Have your son join the local art council - they will keep him involved somehow.
I have heard great things about CalArts...
"The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the performing arts. It is authorized by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) to grant Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts in the visual, performing, and as of 1994, literary arts.
[1] The Herb Alpert School of Music was accredited in 2009 to grant a Doctor of Musical Arts.
The school was founded and created by Walt Disney in the early 1960s and staffed by a diverse array of professionals.
[2] The institute was started as Disney's dream of an interdisciplinary "Caltech of the arts." CalArts provides a collaborative environment for all sorts of artists. Students are free to develop their own work (over which they retain control and copyright) in a workshop atmosphere, as respected members of a community of artists in which authority is constantly tested and where teaching works through persuasion rather than coercion. Intercultural exchange among artists helps in practicing and understanding of the art making process in the broadest context possible." - credit: Wikipedia
We toured Art Institutes and was very impressed. We know someone who graduated with a degree focusing on animation.
Studio Internships. You could check into some studios such as Disney and Dreamworks for some internship programs.
Read More from Lori
Conversations – Initiating them and then Keeping them Going
I have been doing a bit of 'research and development', which I probably will be doing for the rest of my life, on conversing: starting conversations, keeping them going, and exiting awkward situations.
Bad at Small Talk
This is a topic that will take me forever to master as well as most people on the spectrum.
Conversations are one of the hardest things for people with ASD. We are awesome at answering questions, but asking them? Not really. The hardest thing for me my whole life has been trying to start a conversation. I really just don’t know how to begin because I’m bad at small talk and it never gets me anywhere. Even when I practice it with someone that I’m not really comfortable with, we both get kind of lost after the second or third exchange.
I’m not the best person for advice, but I certainly can tell you what it’s like for someone with autism to experience this.
1) It is incredibly frustrating!
2) Some of us are analyzers. We’re bad at thinking fast of new things to ask or say, because we are still thinking about the right thing to say. We are envious of those who can just do this with no effort and are ready to move on to the next topic of discussion.
Develop an Exit Strategy
When someone is talking to me about a topic that makes me uncomfortable, I look for ways to get out of the conversation. I will often mention something else, excuse myself, say I have a headache and leave the conversation. The headache/stomach pain/physical symptoms excuses work every time!
Change the Subject
Another thing I do is change the topic to something that interests me. If drastic measures need to be taken, I just say I need to excuse myself for a moment. I may say I need to use the bathroom (in order to get out of an extremely uncomfortable conversation).
Heeding Patience
It is also sometimes hard when two people are bad talkers. I usually tend to be friendly with a very outgoing person so they can lead all the time, it really helps. With two shy people, I make an extra push to be the initiator. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Shy people require patience.
Learning Curve
I am learning new tips and tricks to conversing successfully with both my peers and adults. Usually, the trouble comes with my peers, not with adults. It’s easiest for us on the spectrum to usually converse with people older or younger, just not those who are our age. As I learn more successful tips, I will be sharing with you!
Read More from Haley
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: A Mother's Perspective
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| Credit Warner Brothers |
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close tells the incredible story of how a young boy, Oskar, who relied on his father and their games and interactions to get through his life; the life he felt was very strange. He admits that he's different, that doctors thought he might have Asperger's, but the tests were inconclusive.
Portraying the Fears
He's scared of the subway, the train, people, crowds, yet his father had helped him find a way to adjust in the big city of New York by assigning him "reconnaissance missions" as a way to force him to talk to people. One such adjustment tool was a tambourine that he would shake when he was nervous or scared on these missions. The biggest of all missions, became finding the owner of a key that Oskar found after his father's death. It was in a small envelope with the name "Black" written on it. He was hoping that this key and the mission would bring him closer to his father.
In my opinion, I felt the writer, director and cinematographer did a great job of showing what going through a tragedy like this would be like for a child with Asperger's. For example, there are times that Oskar spews out voluminous amounts of words....about his fears; about numbers and facts that he knows, based on the situations at hand or just in general; about things that he did on that terrible, awful day.
The Asperger Brain
Once Oskar finds that key, he goes to an obsessive length to find every "Black" in the phone book, writes them all down, grouping them by boroughs, figuring out their map coordinates, and exactly how long it would take to see all of them. As I watched this, I found it amazing as to how Oskar's brain works. It made me wonder if this is how MY son's brain works. The tantrums or meltdowns that Oskar had were mild in comparison to what my son and many other children with Asperger's or Autism have. However, I thought it was technically correct to add those situations into the movie, as a child with Asperger's would most definitely experience meltdowns after the death of a parent.
Amazing Irony
There were many ironic shots that I loved. In one scene, Oskar is sitting in his class at school, watching a wasp trying to get out of the window. At the same time, his father was in the top of the World Trade Center, trying to get out. In another scene, Oskar takes "The Renter" (who is renting a room from his Grandmother) on one of his missions. The Renter, who is from Germany and we later find out was held in a concentration camp, gets scared when he sees a train rumbling over tracks.
Through the Eyes of Oskar
There were additional scenes that showed the world through Oskar's eyes. For example, his view of running by a train or the way it looks to him when he walks through a crowd of people. This movie demonstrated the magnification of sound for those with Asperger's. Oskar could hear the sound of water dripping in the bathroom. At times the noise gets SO loud that he has to cover his ears with his hands. These scenes created awareness in demonstrating what Oskar was experiencing.
Increased Awareness to the Details Needed
Before this movie was released nationally, there were many negative reviews on the young actor who portrays Oskar. I wrote about them previously...here. After seeing the movie, I still don't understand some of their ideas. Oskar's voice was not monotone; his voice had regular high and lows in his speech. It's obvious that he is very bright, numbers and counting seem to be his thing, and really had a small number of meltdowns, given what he was dealing with.
The Naysayers
Rotten Tomatoes has a collection of both positive and negative reviews. Here are links to some negative reviews:
Obviously, these reviewers have no knowledge of Asperger's and what a child with this disorder (not disease!) sounds like, acts like, or goes through in their life! The actor portraying Oskar does NOT have Asperger's, but he does a wonderful job (in my opinion!) imitating what a child would do. Also, this "isn't life wondrous" reviewer apparently did not watch the movie closely, because it's obvious that this boy is hurting as he even takes to pinching himself to make him stop hurting!
The Proponents
Here are links to some of the good reviews I have found:
Sadly, there were not many positive reviews to be found and I find fault with what the majority of the negative reviews on having 9/11 in the movie. In my opinion it works as it shows the phone calls and the struggles of a child trying to make sense of the impossible. It plays on fears of tall buildings, airplanes, noise. Separate the fact that his father died on 9/11 and many of the people helping him along the way would not be so willing to help a child.
On a Personal Level
As a mom of a child with Asperger's, I found this movie to be very emotional charged. Take the aspect of a child losing a parent on 9/11, which is already heartbreaking, but the mannerisms and words that Oskar uses throughout the film makes me visually replace him with my son. I ask myself, How would my son react? Would he hurt in the same way? Would he be able to go on?
Have you seen the film? Share your insights.
Building Bridges Art to Art, Heart to Heart
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| Asa and granddaughter having a great time creating. |
The arts can have profound effect on all persons. Children are especially open to how creative expression enhances their world. Experts agree that the arts are a natural means for children to play and learn. The benefits of arts participation and education are many: motivates children in learning, stimulates memory, facilitates understanding, enhances symbolic communication, strengthens problem-solving, develops imagination and critical thinking, builds self confidence and a sense of craftsmanship. The arts play a central role in cognitive, motor, language and social-emotional development.
When working with Spectrum children, the key is to allow the opportunity for creative expression. Given the nature of the condition, some children will easily engage in some activities OR they can strongly resist an activity for various reasons. As the caregiver, without judgment, consider what their interests and fixations are. Look for what they crave in sensory stimulation or what they resist. These become clues on how to proceed.
Allow Creative Freedom
A very important rule is to detach from outcome. In a results based society, along with a condition that is often measured by what is and isn’t being done, this rule can be very hard. However, when encouraging creativity, freedom is necessary. There is a balance between providing structure, so creative expression can occur, and imposing structure, so we get the results we think we want.
With children on the Spectrum, this is a process. Art is a process, though we tend to focus on the finished product - the painting, the dance, the song, the performance, sculpture, story, etc. We often confuse creative with artistic, and place high expectations on the results. What we want to do is allow fun - to PLAY. The art of play is quite therapeutic for the participant and the observer/helper.
Expression of the Heart
We are allowing parts of the brain to express in ways that might otherwise be limited. More importantly, we allow the heart to express. Projects are not to be stressful, but joyful. All forms of the arts can have a healing effect, simply because they allow the person to experience themselves in a wholer way. One person may have deficits in communication but sing beautifully or draw beautifully. He/she gets to share who they are in a different way - an expanded way. Another person may creatively express by lines or movements we don’t understand directly, but what is important is that the process occurs. When we encourage creativity, an amazing integration occurs on all levels for that person: body, mind and spirit.
A Bridge to Skill Building
Affirming the creative process for the Spectrum child allows a sense of personal achievement. Art is more than just an “extra” activity. It can open the heart and mind - for them and us. As we explore and play together creatively, we also improve skills in planning, organizing, problem solving, language, expression, self regulation, self esteem, confidence, willingness to participate socially, fine motor skills, math and reading. The arts can help a person to make sense of the world around them. The Arts build a bridge from heart to heart.
8 Helpful Tips
- Create a special place to create - protect surfaces if need be
- Gather creative supplies - think about Sensory needs of child; don't put too much out at first to avoid overwhelming or distracting
- Breathe. Relax. Play. Have fun.
- Observe more than instruct at first.
- In ALL activities be open and aware. Look for the moments to genuinely engage and interact. Truly ENJOY when the connection is visible. Other times know that simply being present and allowing is the real healing “art.”
- ”Art” takes many forms: Include cooking, gardening, decorating for holidays, movement games, dress up, building toys, etc.
- Fixations are opportunities - that special interest can be turned into a creative bridge - eg, one child only liked spinning plates. We painted letters and numbers on some plates. They took new interest and engaged in more ways afterward.
- Make characters from the stories they love. Puppets from socks or pictures in popsicle sticks are perfect. Encourage creative interaction. This works whether verbal or nonverbal and can help with reading abilities.
- Appreciate the beauty of the person you are with - they are a work of art…and so are You!
Read More from Robin
