How does the ABC Programme work?

The ABC Programme is a collection of gross, fine, attention, balance and coordination muscle exercises, targeting areas of difficulty for children/persons with Dyspraxia/DCD or who struggle with poor attention, balance and coordination. The aim is to assist the body and increase attention, strength, balance and coordination.

Good attention, balance and coordination skills are essential for everyday life as well as learning.

So what is fine and gross motor skills?

Gross motor skills are required for walking, running, sitting at a desk, sitting on a chair, catching a ball etc. Balance is required for walking, running, hopping and general movement as well as for riding a bike/scooter/ skateboard. Coordination is required for walking/running, eating, brushing your teeth and so many other everyday actions.

Fine motor skills are required in order to hold and manipulate a pencil/pen required for writing, doing up buttons, eating with a knife, fork/spoon combing your hair etc.. When these everyday actions are fatiguing, learning and movement are very difficult and exhausting. This can have a negative flow on effect, thus creating a negative learning association. Frustration is common as the student often has good intellect, but becomes very frustrated when expressing this on paper or in the learning environment. When learning is difficult it is easy for the learner to give up. 

Extensive research has shown a strong link between specific exercise and positive outcomes inpeople with Dyspraxia.

The late Madeleine Portwood, Alison Patrick, Amanda Kirby, Geoff Platt are just some of the amazing people who have dedicated time and research into understanding Dyspraxia and its impact on individuals.

Extensive research has shown a strong link between specific exercise and positive outcomes in people with Dyspraxia.

I myself have the privilege of working with children 4 days a week, involved in a 10 minute a day exercise programme targeting gross, fine, balance, coordination and sequencing exercises. These exercises are part of the ABC Programme compiled by myself and additional exercises to provide variety.

There is no “cure” for Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder, and we are not claiming to do so, however, the ABC Programme aims to assist through increasing attention, balance and coordination in users. We have seen a flow on effect in the classroom with improved pencil/pen control, improvements in reading and comprehension, improved concentration and ability to sit at a desk and overall improvements in well-being and self-esteem. (I am currently writing a paper based on my findings using the ABC Programme in our local school).
(See writings by Amanda Kirby, Madeleine Portwood, Geoff Platt, and Alison Patrick to name a few.)

The ABC Programme focuses on small step achievement and every step must be celebrated.

My hope with the ABC Programme is to assist and support as many children as
possible who have Dyspraxia/DCD and attention, balance and coordination
difficulties, and to bring some fun into their everyday learning.

The ABC Programme Kit contains EVERYTHING that you need. No background training or understanding of Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder is required.

The ABC Programme is a transitional programme loosely based around the four school terms. The intention is to use the ABC Programme Kit, starting with the yellow cards, blue cards, green cards and finally orange cards.

Being a 10 minute a day programme, it can be implemented at any time of the day, each school day. Each exercise targets a different area, for example there are fine motor, gross motor, balance, coordination and attention exercises in each pack.  Each pack contains everything you need to carry out the given exercises for that day. Exercises can be completed inside or outside the classroom.

Once the child has completed all four card sets return to the yellow cards and repeat sequence.

All of the instructions are clearly written in everyday basic language thus making them user friendly, ideal for parents, teachers, teacher aides etc. The sequence is clearly laid out on the inside of theKit but even if the exercises are done out of order, this is ok.

The assessment sheets coincide with the exercises so progress can be traced, however, this is not compulsory (it is optional).

I am available for speaking engagements and workshops on behalf of the Dyspraxia Support Groupof New Zealand Inc. and for ABC Programme workshops. These are held in Orewa, Auckland, New Zealand. Please contact us for more information and upcoming dates.

Working Together
Neuro Diversity
Dyspraxia

I cannot thank you enough for bringing this knowledge out into the open.  I wish that I had this information earlier but I am thankful for knowing it now.  I can see the difference in my daughter.  Thanks again. 

Pollin K.

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