Lesson SEN 7
Task: Walk with a smooth stride.
Prerequisites: COG 6, SEN 1
Concept: As with the previous lesson (SEN 6), this skill may require the assistance of a physical therapist or similar professional. The assumption made in this lesson is that basic balance and minor muscular control are related to why the student has an unsteady gait. Physical guidance through a process of motor patterning (repeated physical practice) is the basic activity in this lesson. The intended outcome is that when the student is walking, he or she does not feel self-conscious due to the fact that his or her stride is obtrusive (calls attention to itself). If the student does not appear self-conscious about his or her stride, this lesson should not be performed.
Behavioral Objective: When the student is walking, his or her stride will be smooth enough that it does not draw attention to itself and the student does not appear self-conscious about it to a 90% accuracy level for 20 trials.
Materials: Paper cut in the shape of footsteps and tape.
Task Analysis:
1. First verify that the student appears to desire to walk with a smoother stride. If the student is verbal (or can otherwise communicate), simple discussion will suffice. If the student does not readily communicate, observe for visual signs of being self-conscious about his or her stride. (Note. If the student does not seem concerned about his or her stride, the baseline assessment should be changed from not independent to not applicable, and the activity should not be continued.)
2. Attach the paper footprints to the floor spaced in a normal stride pattern. Slowly help the student to walk on these footsteps, using physical guidance as needed.
3. Continue Step 2, gradually increasing the speed the student uses until a nor-mal stride speed is obtained.
4. Continue Step 3, removing every other paper footstep.
5. Continue Step 4, reducing physical guidance until none is needed and only verbal encouragement or praise is used.
6. Remove all forms of prompting, including all paper footsteps, and continue until the objective is met.