Schools/Educators
It is important for educators to understand DCD and to help children acquire skills to facilitate learning and participation.
- Ideally, activities should be performed in the school setting and should focus on building capacity in educators to help children with DCD. ‘Pull-out’ interventions do not take advantage of opportunities to work collaboratively with educators and develop strategies and solutions to foster participation in the classroom.
- Universal Design for Learning principles and accommodations may help to foster participation.
- PTs can help the school promote a child’s resilience, foster positive interactions with peers, and promote self-esteem.
Management Strategies and Resources
- Share M.A.T.C.H. resources with classroom teachers.
- The M.A.T.C.H. flyer for physical educators provides suggestions to modify the tasks (e.g., change the size and the weight of the tools used).
- Organize a "Lunch and Learn" activity and discuss motor development and coordination difficulties with teachers.
- Learn more about Promoting Resilience in Schools.
Related Videos
These videos show a mother explaining why the therapist's participation in a school plan is important.
Criteria for a Resilient School
The Learning Partnership is a national charitable organization dedicated to championing a strong public education system in Canada through innovative programs, credible research, policy initiatives, executive leadership and public engagement.
They have a leadership strategy for resilience. More information available at their website.
They have also developed Criteria for a Resilience Promoting School.
Movement Matters website
A group from the UK adapted the EACD guidelines of the identification and treatment of children with DCD for the UK context. They are available at:http://www.movementmattersuk.org/dcd-dyspraxia-adhd-spld/uk-dcd-consensus.aspxThis website also contains many information and resources about DCD.
Question for Reflection
How do Universal Design principles differ from traditional techniques?
Click here for some thoughts on this questionHow do Universal Design principles differ from traditional techniques?
Traditional techniques have tended to focus interventions at the level of the child, whereas Universal Design focuses interventions at the classroom level. Universal Design emphasizes enabling performance development in the classroom through the promotion of changes within the physical and social environments. Universal Design is not just focused on improving one specific child's performance, but aims at easing the learning for all children.
