Fine Motor Skills

     
		
	
What it is

An area of student need, involving fine (small) physical motor skills of the fingers and hands.

Teaching Strategies

Instructional
• Implement school-based strategies provided by a Physical or Occupational Therapist.
• Use assistive devices, like pencil grips and various sizes of writing instruments.
• Create opportunities for paired writing activities with peers who have strong fine motor skills.
• Use assistive technology and computers.
• Provide copies of notes.
• Chunk written work into parts.
More...

Environmental

• Use preferential seating to use assistive technology (near an outlet).
• Provide a larger or slanted work surface.
• Use stress balls to massage tired hands and to strengthen hand.
• Substitute key lock for combination lock.
• Monitor the student for safety when working with science or art materials, especially if the student is unfamiliar with the specific materials used.

Assessment

• Provide extra time.
• Give oral tests/scribe answers for the student.
• Give tests with a variety of formats to reduce the amount of writing required (true/false, multiple choice).
• Use assistive devices (computer, assistive programs, specific paper/writing tools).
• Provide choice in assignments, including some with less writing demands (Power Point presentations, for example)



Resources
Student Needs IPRC Exceptionalites Diagnosed Conditions