Early assessment and intervention
can maximise the progress your
child makes.
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Individualised Education
Home-based intervention programmes share a common focus on increasing socially-appropriate
behaviours and decreasing non-functional or stereotypical behaviours. Each child has a different profile of strengths and
weaknesses, thus each programme needs to be tailored to the child's unique cognitive profile.
A neuro-developmental assessment will determine the child's current level language
skills, motor skills, cognitive, social-emotional, and adaptive functioning, and provide a baseline for a developmentally-appropriate
individualised programme.
My typical Individual Education Programmes (IEPs)
cover five learning domains:
Cognitive Domain, Social-Emotional Domain, Language and Communciation, Academic Learning Domain, and Motor Domain
Cognitive
skills involve perception of stimuli, auditory and visual memory, problem solving skills,
and executive functioning. The type of tasks (activities) chosen to develop these skills include pattern sequencing, memory
games, sound lotto, matching games, and imitation games.
Social-Emotional skills
include learning about ones own body, linking emotion to behaviour, social rules for communication, adaptive
functioning, self-help and hygiene skills,
and shared play. These skills are targetted using routines, songs, and scripts.
Communication
involves receptive language (word knowledge and understanding), non-verbal decoding (understanding body language),
expressive language (abilility to make sounds) and pragmatics (understanding the purpose and rules of communication). Communication
is targetted using a picture exchange communication system (e.g., PECS™ or Boardmaker™ symbols,
and/or Makaton™signing, and a visual cue system (e.g., photographic schedule). Speech is encouraged using
oral-motor exercises, imitation drills, and songs. Augentative communication tools such as TechTalk™ are also introduced if these methods do not lead to verbal
communication.
Academic learning involves learning how to organise information
(e.g., categories, function of items, and features). Most academic programmes focus on pre-reading and pre-writing skills,
and numeracy skills. I focus on conceptual understanding. Matching and grouping tasks form the backbone of an academic
programme.
Gross motor skills involve using large muscles (e.g., jumping, runing,
climbing). Fine motor (manipulative) skills involve
moving fingers and hands in a coordinated manner. Fine motor skills are vital if the child is to develop writing skills.
Hand-eye coordination is targetted with a variety of games,
including catching balls, hitting balls with a bat, inserting pieces, pushing, pulling, and finger imitaiton games.