Occupational Therapy / Arbeidsterapie

Occupational Therapists working at Prospectus Novus School:

Anestacia Wathen            Head of Department

Eune du Plessis                 Therapist

Charmaine Ingwane         Therapist

Sumarie Naude                 Therapist

Lane Viljoen                       Therapist

The following aspects are evaluated and treated by the Occupational Therapist:

  • Problems with visual perceptual skills
  • Visual-motor co-ordination problems, including weak pencil grip and control, weak / slow writing.
  • Slow motor speed.
  • Poor posture and low muscle tone.
  • Poor balance and equilibrium reactions.
  • Poor physical endurance.
  • Gravitational insecurity – insecure on heights and moving surfaces.
  • Tactile hyposensitivity.
  • Tactile hypersensitivity.
  • Poor gross and fine co-ordination.
  • Bilateral Integration – the two halves of the body are not used in an integrated fashion.
  • Poor midline crossing, adjusts the body and the book to be able to cross the midline.
  • Gravitational insecurity
  • Poor letter and number recognition and formation.
  • Sensory Integration problems – 4 of the Occupational  Therapists are  SI qualified / 5 has  SI experience.

The above mentioned aspects, all of which are very important for sufficient scholastic progress, are addressed by the therapist.

WHO RECEIVES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

If possible all learners from Grade R – 3, in need of therapy as well as all new learners in  Grade R – 3, are accepted for therapy.   Parents of all Grade 4 learners can attend a study method workshop at the beginning of each year.  Grade 4-5 learners receive group therapy.  Grade R-9 learners receive assistive devices to overcome barriers to learning.

TYPES OF THERAPY

Individual Therapy

  • A therapy session lasts one period of 30 minutes.  One to two individual therapy sessions per week are presented.
  • The number of therapy sessions per week will depend on the seriousness of the learner’s disabilities and also on the number of learners taken for therapy in total.

Group Therapy

  • Learners from Grade R – 3 are taken in small groups for therapy.
  • The following groups are presented:  Sensory Integration groups, Perception groups, Gross motor groups and Fine motor groups.
  • Groups consist of 2-3 learners.
  • Groups receive therapy once a week

Class Therapy

  • All Grade 3 learners receive two consecutive periods of class therapy per week.

The following groups are presented:

  • Gross motor groups
  • Fine motor groups
  • Social skills groups
  • Functional skills groups which could include domestic, self care and craft groups.

Our duties as Occupational Therapists at Prospectus Novus include the following:

  • Evaluations – formal and informal evaluations of new and current learners in the school.
  • Appropriate referrals
  • Therapy – individual and group therapy.  Treatment groups include:
    • Neuro Development Theory
    • Sensory Integration Therapy
    • Sensory-motor therapy
    • Visual perception therapy
    • Group therapy and group managing techniques
    • Independence training
    • Socializing skills
    • School related worksheets
    • Perceptual-motor therapy
  • Parental guidance and interactions are of the utmost importance
  • Team discussions and IEP’s – we form part of the inter-disciplinary team and participate in the formulation of the IEP’s
  • Audio-aid
  • Amanuenses / accommodations

What is news?

Since November 2012 Mimio-Teach interactive boards were installed in each therapist office.  This systems possibilities are never ending through which the learners are actively involved in the latest technology.

Prospectus Novus School was selected as a Resource Centre to assist and aid teachers and learners of 5 full service schools. The staff are actively involved in lectures presented to teachers of the full service schools.  Topics presented by this department include:

  • Sensory integration in the classroom
  • Alert programme – Theory of self-regulation.
  • Handwriting basics

A workshop for the parents of Grade 4 learners is presented each year to empower parents concerning study methods.  Themes include information regarding:

  • Self-regulation
  • Know your child better
  • Your child’s learning style
  • Brain dominance
  • Time management
  • Organisation
  • Memory principles
  • Understanding exam papers
  • Mindmap

We are part of the general activities at the school like playground duties, coaching sport activities eg. soccer and athletics.  We are also involved with extra classes to learners.

During October each year a week is spent to promote eye care awareness to the learners.

Once every two years an optometrist spend 3 days at the school to screen new learner’s eyes.  Appropriate referrals are done for follow up eye tests.

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Die volgende aspekte word deur die Arbeidsterapeut geëvalueer en aangespreek tydens terapie:

  • Uitvalle t.o.v. visuele perseptuele vaardighede
  • Visueel-motoriese koördinasie uitvalle. Dit sluit in swak potloodgreep en –beheer, swak en stadige skrif
  • Stadige motoriese spoed
  • Uitvalle t.o.v. visuele perseptuele vaardighede
  • Visueel-motoriese koördinasie uitvalle. Dit sluit in swak potloodgreep en –beheer, swak en stadige skrif
  • Stadige motoriese spoed
  • Swak postuur met verlaagde spiertonus
  • Swak balans- en ekwilibriumreaksies
  • Swak fisiese uithouvermoë
  • Tassensitiwiteit
  • Tashiposensitiwiteit
  • Swak growwe en fyn koördinasie
  • Bilaterale Integrasie – gebruik nie die twee liggaamshelftes geïntegreerd nie
  • Midlynkruising – kruis nie die midlyn nie, maar pas die lyf en die boek aan om die midlyn te kruis
  • Gravitale onsekerheid
  • Swak letter- en syferherkenning en swak letter- en syfervorming
  • Sensoriese Integrasie uitvalle – verskeie van die Arbeidsterapeute het Sensoriese Integrasie kwalifikasies en / of ervaring

Die terapeut skenk aandag aan al hierdie onderliggende vaardighede wat belangrik is
om skolasties te kan vorder.

WIE ONTVANG ARBEIDSTERAPIE?

Indien moontlik, word alle leerders van Graad R-3, wat terapie benodig, sowel as alle nuwe leerders, in Graad R-3, vir terapie geneem.

TIPES TERAPIE:

Individuele terapie:

  • ‘n Terapiesessie duur vir een periode van 30 minute elk. Een tot twee
    individuele terapiesessies per week word aangebied afhangende van die tipe
    uitvalle, asook van die hoeveelheid kinders wat in totaal vir terapie geneem
    moet word.

KLEIN GROEPSTERAPIE

  • Leerders van Graad 3 word in groepe geneem
  • Die volgende groepe word gehou: sensoriese integrasiegroepe,
    persepsie groepe, grof-motoriese groepe en fyn-motoriese groepe
  • Groepe bestaan uit 2-3 leerders
  • Die groepe vind een keer per week plaas

KLASTERAPIE

  • Alle leerders van Graad 3 ontvang twee aaneenlopende periodes klasterapie
    per week

Die volgende groepe word gehou:

  • Grof motoriese groepe
  • Fyn motoriese groepe
  • Sosiale vaardigheidsgroepe
  • Funksionele vaardigheidsgroepe.  temas vir die funksionele vaardigheidsgroepe sluit in:  huishoudelik (kook-en-bak), selfversorging en handvaardigheid.

Wat doen die Arbeidsterapeut by Prospectus Novus?

  • Evaluerings – formeel en informeel
  • Verwysings
  • Terapie: individueel, groepsterapie, klasterapieTerapie sluit o.a. in:
    • Neuro Ontwikkelingsterapie
    • Sensoriese Integrasie Terapie
    • Senso-motoriese terapie
    • Visuele Persepsie terapie
    • Groepsterapie en groephanteringstegnieke
    • Onafhanklikheidsopleiding
    • Skoolverwante werksvelle
    • Perseptueel-motoriese terapie
    • Funksionele lewensvaardighede
  • Ouereleiding en kontak
  • Spanbesprekings en Individuele Opvoedingsplan (IEP)
  • Oudiohulp
  • Amanuenses

Wat is nuus?

Die skool is as ‘n “Resource Centre” geidentifiseer.  Die Arbeidsterapeute bied lesings aan 5 “Full service Schools” ten einde die onderwysers in klasverband te ondersteun. Onderwerpe wat aangebied word is o.a.
Sensoriese integrasie in die klaskamer

  • Sensoriese integrasie in die klaskamer
  • Alert profgram: Teorie van selfregulasie
  • Basiese beginsels van handskrif

‘n Werkswinkel vir die Graad 4 ouers word jaarliks aangebied om die ouers te bemagtig m.b.t. studiemetodes.  temas wat hanteer word is:

  • Selfregulasie
  • Ken jou kind beter
  • Jou kind se leerstyl
  • Breindominansie
  • Tydsbestuur
  • Organisasie
  • Geheuebeginsels
  • Hoe om vraestelle te lees en te beantwoord
  • Breinkaarte

Arbeidsterapie is deel van die algemene skoolaktiwiteite soos speelgronddiens, beamptes en afrigting van sport, soos atletiek en sokker.  Hulp word ook verleen met ekstra klasse.

In Oktober elke jaar word ‘n week gebruik om oogsorgbewustheid aan die leerders aan te moedig.

Elke twee jaar doen ‘n oogkundige oogsifting en die nodige verwysings word gedoen.