Core Skills Analysis
Occupational Therapy and Life Skills
Olivia took part in an occupational therapy activity with Dee. Through this experience, Olivia engaged in a session focused on occupational therapy, which supports participation in everyday tasks and activities. At age 14, Olivia could build awareness of how therapy activities can help develop practical skills and independence. The activity also provided an opportunity to work collaboratively with Dee in a supportive learning setting.
Tips
Tips Extend Olivia’s learning by inviting Olivia to choose a familiar everyday task—such as organizing a backpack or preparing a simple snack—and talk through the steps involved. With Dee’s guidance, Olivia could identify which parts feel easy or require practice, then try the task and reflect on what helped. A simple progress journal or a visual checklist can make strategies easier to remember, while a conversation about how these skills support independence can connect therapy to daily life.
Book Recommendations
- The Survival Guide for Kids with Learning Differences by Gary Fisher and Rhoda Cummings: A practical, encouraging guide to understanding learning differences and developing strategies for everyday challenges.
- Smart but Scattered Teens by Richard Guare, Peg Dawson, and Colin Guare: A guide for teens and families to understand and strengthen executive-function skills used in daily life.
Try This Next
- Create a visual checklist for one familiar daily task, then let Olivia personalize the steps.
- Write a short reflection prompt: “What strategy helped me most during today’s activity?”
- Draw a map showing the steps involved in completing a chosen everyday task.