We continue to stay at home and learn. It is important to include in Flora's timetable different and creative activities aiming at developing her learning and life skills.
Last week we planned Story Time. For more information about the Story Time see here.
To see the activity that accompanies Story Time we see here.
How do we plan activities to develop life skills, such as making a toast?
Step 1: Making symbols
Before each activity it is very important to prepare the symbols of the objects we will need. The easiest way is to take a picture of the objects and write their names underneath.
Step 2: Creating the steps
If the activity aims to teach Flora how to do something we need to think of the steps we will teach her to follow and turn them into visual instructions. We need to take a picture of the action we want Flora to do and include the instruction, e.g. I put two slices of bread on the plate (instruction ) , two slices of bread on a plate (picture). It is good to put numbers next to the instructions so that Flora can follow the steps in the right order. After we have taken the photos, we place the steps of the activity in a vertical order on paper or cardboard. We use either velcro or blue tack so they don't come off.
Step 3: Demonstrating the activity
This step is important especially when we are showing the activity to Flora for the first time.
First we place all the items we need and the instructions-symbols in the workspace.
Then we name the objects, showing the objects and the pictures-symbols.
Finally, we take the instruction board ,read one instruction at a time by putting our finger on the instruction and do the action.
When we have completed the instruction shown in the picture, we peel it off and place it upside down in a container or envelope so Flora knows that this instruction is over and we move on to the next one.
We repeat the same process until we have completed the activity.
Step 4: Hand-over-hand
As Flora has never made toast before and has a hard time following the steps on her own, the first time we do this activity, we do it with her. Hand over hand we touch the first instruction, do the action and place the instruction upside down in the container. We continue doing the activity in the same way until Flora can follow the steps independently.
Step 5: The child's turn.
Now it is Flora's turn to do the activity as independently as possible. After several repetitions and as Flora shows us that she can follow the steps on her own we skip Step 3 and Step 4. Now each Toast Time, we give the instructions to Flora and she makes the toast herself.
The steps as well as the photos on how to make the toast can be found here.
It is important to give the child time to understand and learn the activity and the process we follow with the symbols. Flora does this activity 1-2 times a week.
More ideas on how to organize your child's timetable you can find here.
We will share more tips and activities in the future, so keep visiting us.
We are looking forward to hearing your views and experiences.
You can email us at florastophasma@gmail.com.