Individual Child Support

Notice the photo to the left. This teacher recognized that the child needed additional support to remind them how to grip the pencil. Stickers were placed at the pencil’s tip for a child who is beginning to move from a palm grip to a tripod grasp, making the finger position more obvious. 

 A slant board helps with pencil grasp. Providing an elevated surface guides the student to extend their wrist and allows more muscles to be used for writing. It should also help ease writing fatigue.

The next photo is of a child who struggles to turn pages in a book. Popsicle sticks are glued to the pages, making them easier to turn. 

The broken crayons are easier for small hands to hold, and the small size encourages children to use a tripod grasp with their fingertips. This can improve their ability to control pressure when writing with a pencil or pen.

This modification refers to the use of special or adaptive devices that allow a child to participate or increase the child’s level of participation. The child does not need an IEP to gain access to the equipment or receive the benefits.

 In the photos, we see a pair of loop scissors available for a child who struggles with cutting,  a homemade stretchy band placed around the legs of a chair to give a child who squirms when sitting a way to move as he bounces his feet quietly on the band,, and a wedge seat cushion allows slight movement and sensory input for a child who does not sit still and struggles to attend during circle time.

In this modification, peers model and offer encouragement to support the child’s participation and membership.

In the first photo, a new child who is a dual language learner and rarely speaks during class is paired with a peer who speaks the child’s home language. 

In the second photo, a child who does not attend and follow the rules of circle time, such as raising a hand instead of calling out to share, is seated next to a peer model who is strong in both skills. 

In the last photo, we see a child who does not know how to start a story activity in the listening center paired with a peer who can move through the steps.