Our last FACE Meeting saw Natalie from DiscoverOT come and talk about how Occupational Therapy can help  students who may be encountering difficulties in the classroom with learning. Below are some of her very informative notes. THank you Natalie for a wonderful session.

OT is about enabling children to take part in everyday school life — learning, playing, making friends, and being independent. When we support participation and engagement their confidence grows which sets the foundation for academic and social success.

Consistency unlocks new skills and neural pathways for children – they are constantly learning

Children's development really is quite complex and so interconnected

• Academic learning and school success is the integration of motor, sensory, cognitive, language, and social-emotional systems. When a child struggles, it’s not about “trying harder” — it’s about identifying which layer of skills is breaking down and supporting it.

There are so many underlying skills required for students to sit, attend, and actively participate in classroom Learning

1. Postural & Motor Foundations

• Core strength & endurance → to maintain upright seated posture.
• Postural control & balance → so they don’t slump, lean, or fall off their chair.
• Bilateral coordination → stabilising paper with one hand, writing with the other.
• Fine motor readiness → pencil grasp, scissor use, tool handling.

2. Sensory Processing & Regulation

• Proprioception & body awareness → knowing where their body is in space to sit in chair appropriately.
• Vestibular processing → tolerating stillness without constant movement-seeking.
• Tactile tolerance → coping with clothing, seated surfaces, nearby peers.
• Auditory filtering → attending to their teacher’s voice while tuning out background noise.
• Self-regulation strategies → calming big emotions, staying alert but not overstimulated.

3. Attention & Executive Functioning

• Sustained attention → focusing on task or instruction for minutes at a time.
• Selective attention → tuning into the relevant stimulus (teacher, task) over distractions.
• Working memory → remembering multi-step instructions.
• Impulse control → resisting urge to call out, get up, or switch tasks suddenly.
• Cognitive flexibility → shifting from one task or idea to another without any issues of not finishing to their level of “perfection” or mastery.
• Planning & organisation → knowing what materials are needed, sequencing steps to complete work.

4. Communication & Receptive Language

• Listening skills → attending to verbal instructions.
• Receptive language → understanding vocabulary, directions, and concepts.
• Processing speed → taking in information quickly enough to respond in real time before next question or topic is discussed.

5. Social-Emotional Skills

• Turn-taking & waiting → raising hand, waiting for a turn in discussion.
• Understanding social rules → group work etiquette, classroom expectations.
• Self-confidence & help-seeking → knowing when/how to ask for help without giving up.
• Emotional regulation → coping with mistakes, frustration, or change in routine.

6. Motivation & Engagement

• Task initiation → starting work without excessive delay.
• Persistence → continuing even when the task is challenging.

Interest & curiosity → being able to connect learning to personal meaning

It is clear that OT Supports a Child’s Education in many ways:

• Classroom Participation – building attention, listening, and regulation skills so a child can follow instructions and join in learning.
• Fine Motor & Handwriting – supporting grasp, strength, coordination, and endurance for writing, cutting, and tool use.
• Gross Motor & Posture – developing strength, balance, and coordination to sit at a desk, move safely around the classroom, and join in playground activities.
• Sensory Processing & Regulation – helping children manage their emotions, energy, and attention so they can stay calm, alert, and ready to learn.
• Organisation & Independence – building executive function skills like planning, sequencing, and problem-solving for schoolwork and routines.
• Social & Play Skills – supporting positive peer interactions, teamwork, and confidence in group learning.

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