Elaborated curriculum: Functional Movement, Expressive Arts and RME
Attainment outcomeFunctional movement
Strand / 56 / Progress to sittingNotes
Targets / Programme of study/teaching strategies/resources
1 / … will lie on side or back, raising head - range of head movement
… will sit with support
… will, on tummy, use hand to push over and sit with help / Place pupil on one side and encourage to move head to see interesting objects or people. Repeat on the other side, and do similar activities with pupil lying on back. Use a small pillow if appropriate. Use 'sound beam' to encourage head movements
Place pupil in a sitting position on floor and support from behind with your own body. Try long-legged sitting, side sitting, cross-legged sitting. Place pupil in sitting position supported by a piece of soft play equipment or use a corner sitter or a floor sitter
With pupil lying on back, facilitate to place one hand on the floor at side, and pushing on that hand, come sideways into a sitting position
2 / … will sit alone on floor - legs apart
… will sit alone on floor holding objects
… will sit on chair with arm and front support / Build on floor sitting activities as in step 1, gradually removing facilitation and supports
When pupil is sitting on floor, encourage to play with variety of toys and to practise grasping and fine motor skills in this position
Use a chair where prompts can be reduced from chest height down to hip heights and gradually removed altogether, just leaving chair back for support. Ensure that chair is the correct size for the pupil so that hips and thighs, thighs and calves, ankles and feet can be maintained at 90 degree angles
3 / … will rise to sitting position from lying down
… will sit on floor and reach
… will sit alone on regular chair / Encourage pupils to take the lead when they sit up after being changed - facilitate as at the end of step 1. Gently push pupil off balance and help to regain a sitting position
With pupil sitting on floor, place motivating toys or objects to front and side, encourage and/or facilitate pupil to pick them up or touch them. Gradually begin to place the objects further away until they are just at the edge of the pupil's reach
Build on chair sitting activities from step 2, noting the differences between the pupil sitting in a relaxed position, perhaps in a Kirton chair, and sitting in a functional working position leaning slightly forwards at a table or desk
Work on sitting skills using a slatted stool, encouraging to regain balance when gently moved forwards, backwards and to the side, so maintaining a good sitting position
4 / … will balance and control body to sit down on chair
… will bend down to pick up object / Facilitate to sit down onto a chair from a standing position - this will involve the pupil moving to the chair, turning round so that their back is to the chair, stepping backwards to the chair and finally bending knees and lowering self onto chair. Each of these steps may need to be taught separately
A starting point may be to stand leaning on plinth or table, bend forward, lower self to chair and sit
Facilitate pupil to retrieve objects from the floor whilst they are seated on a low chair or stool. Build into bending down from a standing position to pick up a toy or object. Ball play is a good activity for encouraging this skill
5 / … will squat to play and rise without using hands
… will maintain balance on gently moving objects - rocking chair, toy car / Facilitate into squatting position and getting up again. Use games like "I'm a wee, wee mouse", "Atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down". Play relay games of picking up toys and going to put them in a box or bucket. Gradually remove facilitation and prompts
Sit pupil on therapy horse and facilitate to balance whilst it is gently pushed. Use a variety of sit and ride toys, gradually reducing help given to pupil to balance. Make all these activities great fun!
6 / … will maintain balance while co-ordinating other movements, eg sitting on tricycle and using pedals to move / Use a wide variety of activities ranging from, eg sitting on a stool and using games like "Simon says" for clapping, hands in the air, arms out in front and so on. Facilitate to catch a ball without overbalancing from sitting position
Use a wheeled toy that the pupil can sit on and push along with feet on floor. The steps are balancing on toy, propelling it and steering it
Progress to sitting on a trike or in a pedal car, balancing, steering and propelling it with the pedals
For wheelchair users with good upper body function encourage to propel own wheelchair, steer it and manoeuvre it in small spaces
7 / … will be an expert rider of trike, doing U-turns
… will maintain balance on swing, seesaw, horse / Build on skills with sit and ride toys from step 6. Start with propelling in straight line, move on to placing obstacles in the way so pupil has to make a detour. Gradually build up the complexity of a "Trike course" to teach the skills of turning round tighter and tighter corners, increasing and decreasing speed and starting and stopping
Provide a wide variety of experiences on large equipment, in each case facilitating the pupil as long as necessary to maintain balance and increase their confidence. Examples of equipment are chute, 'Wombler', therapy horse, real horse, see-saw, swing, waterbed, bouncy castle, etc
Elaborated curriculum: Functional Movement, Expressive Arts and RME
Attainment outcomeFunctional movement
Strand / 57 / Progress to walking and effective mobilityNotes
Targets / Programme of study/teaching strategies/resources
1 / … will, on tummy, lift up head and chest and lean on arms
… will move on floor by rolling / Place younger pupils in prone position and facilitate into propping on forearms. Use sound making toys or similar to encourage pupil to raise head. If appropriate to begin with, use low wedges or rolled up blanket under chest for support
Place pupil on side with interesting objects within view or hearing, gently roll onto front facilitating movement from the shoulder or hip. Repeat, singing "Roly poly pudding" song, etc
Where necessary help move arms and legs into position to avoid pupils becoming stuck. Repeat from the other side
Use similar activities to encourage rolling from front to side and onto back and then to the other side, building into a complete roll
Be sensitive to how appropriate and functional these activities are for older pupils
2 / … will bear own weight and rock to and fro on hands and knees
… will be held standing, step and bounce on feet
… will tolerate prone stander
… will bear weight through feet / Facilitate pupil into all fours position and play rocking games, singing rhymes like "Horsy, horsy"
With small pupils 'dangle' them up and down as you would an infant, to give the sensation of feet on the floor. With older pupils stand or kneel so you are supporting them from behind and use your knees to prompt stepping out, another person may have to facilitate this
Place pupil in prone stander for short spells using interesting materials, activities, or favourite music to build up tolerance. Ensure that time is given for this to be practised several times daily
Support pupil as in paragraph 2, facilitating straight legs to encourage weight bearing
3 / … will crawl - hands and knees
… will side step around furniture
… will stand alone for a few minutes
… will lift one foot supported / Place toy in front of pupil to encourage crawling - crawling pattern may need to be facilitated limb by limb. Play crawling games or races with the pupil
Place pupil in standing position with hands on table at suitable height. Place objects around table and encourage to side step to reach them, make it fun! Adult may have to facilitate this movement at first
Stand pupil with back to a wall or solid surface, give support from the front. Gently let go. Begin to do this away from the wall. Stand in front with pupil holding onto a small pole, let go of pole so pupil is standing alone. Gently push pupil slightly off balance and help to regain standing balance
Prompting pupil from shoulders or hips, facilitate the transfer of weight from one side of body to the other, until pupil is able to lift one foot from the ground
4 / … will lift feet in walker
… will walk well - feet slightly apart
… will walk up and down stairs with helping hand
… will run in straight line / Prompt up and down lifting of feet with pupil in walker, singing "Up, down" or "Step by step". Give pupils time to lift feet themselves
Facilitate walking by supporting from hips or shoulders or using appropriate prompts in a gait trainer or similar walker. Gradually reduce prompts as appropriate
Facilitate to step up or down with support from adult. Start with one foot going onto a step and the other coming to join it. Make use of routines such as getting on and off bus, going into therapy pool, stepping up and down kerbs
Use gym, hall or playground with adult or other motivator at either end to encourage running in straight lines. Make a game of 'catching' pupil at the other end. Play 'chase' games
5 / … will run safely avoiding obstacles
… will push and pull large wheeled objects
… will walk up and down stairs two feet to a step with rail / Set up obstacle course in gym or in playroom. Tell the pupils about obstacles in their path using words such as "look", "careful", etc. Facilitate them to move safely round the objects, gradually reducing prompts
Give the pupil opportunities to play with large wheeled objects such as toy cars. Make a game of pushing and pulling, emphasising words
Build on activities for going up and down stairs from step 4, gradually reducing the support given, and increasing the number of steps to be climbed, move from pupil relying on adult for support to using a handrail for support. Give the pupil time to use steps and stairs
6 / … will run round corners
… will increase and decrease speed in a controlled way
… will walk alone upstairs with alternate feet / Set up an obstacle course to encourage pupil to practise walking and running round corners and controlling speed. Play stop and start games with music, and use different rhythms or music to encourage change of speed. Make use of music and movement programmes to encourage more control of movement
Build on stepping up and down activities from steps 4 and 5, moving on to alternate feet on succeeding steps. Start with appropriate facilitation and gradually withdraw help given
7 / … will climb ladders and soft play equipment
… will use walker alone
… will stand, walk and run
… will balance on tiptoe
… will hop for 2 - 3 yards / Use group activities in gym and soft play areas to encourage climbing skills. Adult can join in by playing "Follow my leader" games. Make use of primary school pupils to model movements. Set up 'assault' courses with benches tunnels, etc
Build on activities in step 4, facilitating stepping in a walker, and gradually increasing distance to be covered. Ensure that equipment is set with minimum prompt level which pupil can cope with
Extend standing, walking and running skills by gradually reducing facilitation given
Encourage balancing on tiptoe with games such as 'musical statues'. Encourage pupils to reach to get object off a high shelf, or look in a mirror placed high on the wall
Teach standing on one leg and hopping skills with games like "Simon says", demonstrating the actions. Use drama, dance and gym activities to practise skills
Elaborated curriculum: Functional Movement, Expressive Arts and RME
Attainment outcomeFunctional movement
Strand / 58 / Fine movementNotes
Targets / Programme of study/teaching strategies/resources
1 / … will grasp ring and hold on a little if it is pulled
… will shake/bang objects
… will hold with palmar grasp
… will deliberately hold and then release object / Give pupil a ring or toy and encourage to grasp - if necessary, facilitate to hold. Gently pull the object making this into a game. Tie a string to the object and pull the string, at the same time encouraging the pupil to hold on to the object
Demonstrate shaking and banging of objects. Initially exaggerate the movements and encourage and prompt pupil to imitate
Provide a wide range of appropriately sized objects for pupil to grasp. Provide a box of favourite items for pupil to hold at any 'free' time
Play at dropping objects into boxes, helping pupil to release them. Be imaginative - pretend it is fish into a pond, or bones into a kennel
2 / … will pick up with palmar grasp
… will point at object with index finger
… will smoothly release large objects - not for small / Provide a wide variety of appropriately sized toys to grasp. Move from handing objects to pupil to encouraging them to pick them up themselves
To encourage isolation of index finger provide objects that can be activated by one finger such as the telephone dial switch. Use activities like finger painting, wet sand, etc. Use rhymes like "Tommy Thumb". Provide opportunities and encouragement to point during daily activities like story time, using touch screen, etc
Continue with games for releasing objects, using a variety of different sized toys. Encourage pupil to explore objects in a mystery bag or box
3 / … will bring both hands together
… will manipulate an object in each hand at once and relate (eg bang) them / Encourage pupil to maintain flat hands using variety of activities - finger painting, drying hands with towel on knee, etc
Use games and activities which encourage pupil to bring hands to midline, eg squeezing or catching a big ball, praying. Use a range of clapping activities such as "Clap-a-handies" with adult facilitating. Encourage clapping hands during a variety of activities, eg music times, in praise, applause, singing rhymes and songs, turn taking or imitation
Place objects in midline position on table or tray and encourage pupil to pick up with both hands together
Encourage pupil to pick up smaller objects, one in each hand. Demonstrate, facilitate and encourage activities likes banging objects together. Use suitable and motivating objects, eg two pan lids
4 / … will use pincer grasp to manipulate objects
… will pick up a button / Encourage pincer grasp through a variety of activities such as threading, putting pegs in a board, picking up sweets or 'Hula Hoops', taking one sweet at group time, placing sweets on plate, picking up a pencil
Provide a variety of objects for twisting, grasping. Examples include wind-up toy, screwing rod, etc. Facilitate pupil to make these actions, gradually withdrawing help
Encourage picking up of small objects such as a chocolate 'Button' from a plate. Be aware of safety implications with small items. Use games which involve picking up and placing counters or markers
5 / … will unwrap a sweet
… will pour water
… will thread large beads / Loosely wrap a sweet or toy in paper and help pupil to unwrap it, gradually withdrawing help. Wrap the object more tightly and gradually reduce its size until pupil can manage to unwrap a shop bought sweet
Provide sand and water play activities for pouring. Introduce a jug with a small amount of water to pour into a cup. Encourage pupil to pour their own and their friend's drink at snack time
Begin threading by using a rigid or plastic coated thread and introduce string for threading as pupil becomes more competent. Use lacing toys and pegboards
6 / … will use manipulative skills for complex tasks, eg cutting with scissors
… will establish hand dominance for pencil, spoon and cup / Provide a wide range of activities to encourage manipulative skills such as 'Mobilo', 'Lego', threading, playdough
Introduce training scissors and cutting activities. Prompt and facilitate pupils to cut into paper, building into cutting along a straight line, controlling the length of cut, cutting along a curved line, controlling round corners. Make use of expressive arts activities such as cutting shapes for collage work
Offer objects in midline and note which hand pupil uses each time. If a pattern of using one hand more than the other appears, begin to offer objects on the side that appears to be dominant
7 / … will thread small beads
… will screw and unscrew
… will have improving manipulative skills / Gradually reduce size of beads for threading. Ensure that the activity remains fun and motivating for the pupil. Make real necklaces and gifts for people
Encourage screwing and unscrewing with toys such as screwing rod, putting a favoured item into a jar where pupil has to unscrew a lid to open it, unscrewing toothpaste top at hygiene time, unscrewing lid of juice bottle and pouring drink at snack time. Make these activities purposeful, rewarding and fun
Use activities like putting a tape into a personal stereo, opening a packet of biscuits, fastening buttons and zips and tying laces. Where necessary start with suitable prompts and fade them appropriately
Elaborated curriculum: Functional Movement, Expressive Arts and RME
Attainment outcomeFunctional movement