When I meet with children, I work on multiple skills at the same time without them noticing that they are actually learning school readiness skills such as pre-writing skills, following instructions, staying on task, sequencing, phonics, and last but not least we are working on their behavioral challenges.
Children enjoy hands-on learning. They are less resistant and more likely to engage when the activity presented is attractive and adapted to their skill level. Children with skill challenges will very likely attempt to avoid repetitive, drill-based activities that reinforce their perception of not being able to complete what is presented. Therefore, my job is to ensure that we build motivation and make learning fun. Arranging a highly preferred activity following a less preferred or skill-demanding activity is also the way to go!
Throughout the session, I also work on their behavioral challenges. I come across children who have difficulty following rules in class or following instructions at home. Children may also walk away from activities and leave them unfinished, while others have difficulty transitioning and moving on from a preferred activity.
Sessions are a great place to encourage children to follow the exact instructions that were given and to complete projects without walking away. It also teaches them to accept that even though they are enjoying an activity so much, they need to finish it and move on. These are all common problem behaviors that children exhibit at home and at school, that can be worked on during a 1:1 behavioral therapy session, and then generalize to other settings.