Welcome to

“DIR/Floortime”

The Floortime Center™by Jake Greenspan and Tim Bleecker

The DIR ModelThe DIR Model

““D” =DevelopmentalD” =Developmental

““I” =Individual I” =Individual DifferencesDifferences

““R” =Relationship-basedR” =Relationship-based

The DIR ModelThe DIR Model

Developmental Profile of the Child

Functional Developmental

Capacities

The Nine Developmental Milestones

Individual Differences

•Sensory modulation and processing

•Motor Planning and sequencing

•Auditory processing

•Visual-spatial processing

Relationships- Caregiver/Child

interactions and family patterns

DIR Model: The Learning DIR Model: The Learning TreeTree

DevelopmentDevelopment The 9 Functional Emotional Developmental MilestonesThe 9 Functional Emotional Developmental Milestones

1. Staying calm and regulated, and shared attention.1. Staying calm and regulated, and shared attention.2. Engagement and relatedness2. Engagement and relatedness3. Basic Intentional interaction and communication, 3. Basic Intentional interaction and communication,

5-10 circles of communication.5-10 circles of communication.4. Problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a 4. Problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a continuous flow.continuous flow.5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas and words.5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas and words.6. Building logical bridges between ideas. 6. Building logical bridges between ideas. 7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking.7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking.8. Grey area thinking8. Grey area thinking9. Reflective thinking off an internal standard.9. Reflective thinking off an internal standard.

Individual DifferencesIndividual Differences Motor DevelopmentMotor Development

Motor Planning and SequencingMotor Planning and Sequencing Gross and Fine motorGross and Fine motor Balance and CoordinationBalance and Coordination

Auditory/Language ProcessingAuditory/Language Processing Expressive and ReceptiveExpressive and Receptive

Visual-Spatial ProcessingVisual-Spatial Processing Tracking and ScanningTracking and Scanning Visual ThinkingVisual Thinking

Sensory Modulation and ProcessingSensory Modulation and Processing Over- and under- reactive sensory systemsOver- and under- reactive sensory systems Vestibular and proprioceptive systemsVestibular and proprioceptive systems

RelationshipsRelationships

Caregiver/Child interactions and family Caregiver/Child interactions and family patternspatterns

Teacher/Child interactionsTeacher/Child interactions Therapist/Child interactionsTherapist/Child interactions

All caregivers must reflect on selfAll caregivers must reflect on self What type of individual am I?What type of individual am I? How do I react to different emotions?How do I react to different emotions? Does child act differently around me?Does child act differently around me?

Sensory roomSensory room Safe environmentSafe environment Cushions (clouds), mats, warm lights, mirrorsCushions (clouds), mats, warm lights, mirrors Tailor the room to their specific individual differences, Tailor the room to their specific individual differences,

look at child’s reactivities (reactions)look at child’s reactivities (reactions) Higher platforms to play onHigher platforms to play on Not a disorganized or over-stimulating environmentNot a disorganized or over-stimulating environment Sensory/symbolic equipment (stuffed animals)Sensory/symbolic equipment (stuffed animals) Swings, rocking toys or chairs, hammock, balance beamSwings, rocking toys or chairs, hammock, balance beam Toys with different textures such as balls or blocksToys with different textures such as balls or blocks Places to crash and hidePlaces to crash and hide

Play RoomPlay Room Some sensory toysSome sensory toys Symbolic toys that include blocks, dolls, figures, Symbolic toys that include blocks, dolls, figures,

play houses, pretend food, trains and other play houses, pretend food, trains and other vehicles, costumes, play animals, board games, vehicles, costumes, play animals, board games, mirrors, etc. mirrors, etc.

Make the environment warm and imaginative with Make the environment warm and imaginative with décor such as lights, pictures, and musicdécor such as lights, pictures, and music

Place most toys in organized containers with Place most toys in organized containers with labelslabels

Do not make the environment over stimulatingDo not make the environment over stimulating

Four PatternsFour Patterns

Floortime StrategiesFloortime Strategies

for children at different for children at different developmental levelsdevelopmental levels

Pattern 1Pattern 1

Working on first three Developmental Working on first three Developmental MilestonesMilestones

1. Staying calm and regulated, and 1. Staying calm and regulated, and shared attention shared attention

2. Engagement and relatedness2. Engagement and relatedness

3. Basic Intentional interaction and 3. Basic Intentional interaction and communication, (5-10 circles of communication, (5-10 circles of

communication)communication)

Pattern 1 Pattern 1 1. Staying calm and regulated, working on 1. Staying calm and regulated, working on

shared attentionshared attention

Sensory and emotional systems, staying calm Sensory and emotional systems, staying calm and regulatedand regulated

Be aware of hyper sensitivities and sensory Be aware of hyper sensitivities and sensory cravings, both can limit attention and “disregulate” cravings, both can limit attention and “disregulate” a child.a child.

Emotional inputs can also “disregulate” and limit Emotional inputs can also “disregulate” and limit attention.attention.

We can use the two systems to balance each other.We can use the two systems to balance each other.

Affect for shared attentionAffect for shared attention Using motivating interests, like objects and Using motivating interests, like objects and

activities, to harness the emotional energy of the activities, to harness the emotional energy of the childchild

Pattern 1 Pattern 1 (continued)(continued)

2. Engagement and relatedness 2. Engagement and relatedness

AffectAffect Using personal emotional energy, in the form of Using personal emotional energy, in the form of

gesturing and vocalizing, to show interest in the child gesturing and vocalizing, to show interest in the child or the activity the child is involved in, to increase the or the activity the child is involved in, to increase the child’s eye contact and gesturing with us.child’s eye contact and gesturing with us.

Playful obstructionPlayful obstruction Playfully using affect and creating obstacles in the form Playfully using affect and creating obstacles in the form

of physical obstructions to make the child acknowledge of physical obstructions to make the child acknowledge your presence.your presence.

Pattern 1 Pattern 1 (continued)(continued)

3. Basic intentional interaction and 3. Basic intentional interaction and communication (5-10 circles)communication (5-10 circles)

Sensory playSensory play Use sensory pleasures to help the child enjoy relating and Use sensory pleasures to help the child enjoy relating and

interactinginteracting, ex: deep pressure, swinging, spinning, etc., ex: deep pressure, swinging, spinning, etc.

Playing dumbPlaying dumb Playfully pretend that you don’t know how to do Playfully pretend that you don’t know how to do

something or what the child is expecting.something or what the child is expecting. This will entice the child to use more circles of communication This will entice the child to use more circles of communication

and interaction to get you to do something for them.and interaction to get you to do something for them.

Pattern 2Pattern 2

Working on developmental milestones 4 Working on developmental milestones 4 and 5and 5: :

4. Problem solving, co-regulated 4. Problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a continuous flowinteractions with a continuous flow

5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas and wordsand words

Pattern 2 Pattern 2 (continued)(continued)

4. Problem solving, co-regulated 4. Problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a continuous flowinteractions with a continuous flow Create problems that need to be solved using many Create problems that need to be solved using many

circles of interaction.circles of interaction. Take simple interactions and create extra circles. Take simple interactions and create extra circles. Create interesting barriers/obstacles to your child’s goals.Create interesting barriers/obstacles to your child’s goals. Always change the problem and the solution within the same Always change the problem and the solution within the same

activity, so that your child is always learning something new.activity, so that your child is always learning something new. Be aware of your child’s level of frustration as it builds when we Be aware of your child’s level of frustration as it builds when we

challenge. Sometimes you will need to step back and calm your challenge. Sometimes you will need to step back and calm your child before they can complete the problem.child before they can complete the problem.

Pattern 2 Pattern 2 (continued)(continued)

5. To facilitate creating and using ideas5. To facilitate creating and using ideas

Help your child use ideas by fostering situations in Help your child use ideas by fostering situations in which feelings or intentions need to be expressed.which feelings or intentions need to be expressed. Remember WAA (Words, Action, Affect): Always Remember WAA (Words, Action, Affect): Always combine your words or ideas with your affect combine your words or ideas with your affect (expressed feelings) and actions.(expressed feelings) and actions.

Initially, encourage your child’s imagination by staging Initially, encourage your child’s imagination by staging familiar interactions during pretend play. Challenge familiar interactions during pretend play. Challenge the use of new plot twists. Ex: challenge his stuffed the use of new plot twists. Ex: challenge his stuffed animals to feed each other, hug, kiss, cook, or go off to animals to feed each other, hug, kiss, cook, or go off to the park and play.the park and play.

Pattern 3Pattern 3

Working on Developmental Milestones 5 and Working on Developmental Milestones 5 and 6:6:

5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas and words and words

looking to help the child use ideas in a number of ways, looking to help the child use ideas in a number of ways, including; pretend play, descriptions of feelings, and including; pretend play, descriptions of feelings, and reality based conversationsreality based conversations

6. Building logical bridges between ideas6. Building logical bridges between ideas answering W questions, having logical back and forth answering W questions, having logical back and forth

conversationsconversations

Pattern 3 Pattern 3 (continued)(continued)

5. To facilitate creating and using ideas5. To facilitate creating and using ideas

Encourage more developed use of ideas, in reality Encourage more developed use of ideas, in reality and fantasy, and with emotions.and fantasy, and with emotions.

Follow your child’s lead and help him build more Follow your child’s lead and help him build more ideas by challenging him to expand what he is ideas by challenging him to expand what he is saying or playing.saying or playing.

Give your child choices about where to go or what Give your child choices about where to go or what to do. to do.

Pattern 3Pattern 3 (continued) (continued)6. To facilitate building bridges between ideas 6. To facilitate building bridges between ideas

and logical thinking:and logical thinking: Challenge your child with open-ended questions; those Challenge your child with open-ended questions; those

beginning with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” beginning with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how”. and “how”.

Provide possible multiple-choice answers if your child Provide possible multiple-choice answers if your child ignores or avoids responding to your open-ended ignores or avoids responding to your open-ended questions. Throw in some silly possibilities for him to questions. Throw in some silly possibilities for him to consider.consider.

If his thinking becomes a little piecemeal or fragmented, If his thinking becomes a little piecemeal or fragmented, get your child to be logical by acting confused yourself.get your child to be logical by acting confused yourself.

Work on your child’s opinions, not facts. (If you know the Work on your child’s opinions, not facts. (If you know the answer, it is a fact)answer, it is a fact)

Pattern 4Pattern 4

Working on Developmental Milestones 7, 8, Working on Developmental Milestones 7, 8, and 9:and 9:

7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking

8. Grey-area thinking8. Grey-area thinking

9. Reflective thinking off an internal 9. Reflective thinking off an internal standardstandard

Pattern 4 Pattern 4 (continued)(continued)

7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking

Ask for multiple reasons “why”?Ask for multiple reasons “why”?

Compare and contrast things: A vs. B Compare and contrast things: A vs. B

Have them place ideas and interests in a Have them place ideas and interests in a hierarchy of importance.hierarchy of importance.

Pattern 4 Pattern 4 (continued)(continued)

8. Grey Area Thinking8. Grey Area Thinking

Moving away from polarized thinking (all or Moving away from polarized thinking (all or nothing thinking); finding a middle groundnothing thinking); finding a middle ground

Understand gradations, degrees, and magnitudes Understand gradations, degrees, and magnitudes of things, like feelingsof things, like feelings

Pattern 4 Pattern 4 (continued)(continued)

9. Reflective thinking off an internal standard9. Reflective thinking off an internal standard

Get your child to express opinions about their own Get your child to express opinions about their own behavior and feelings. “I’m angrier than I usually behavior and feelings. “I’m angrier than I usually am, in this situation.”am, in this situation.”

The Floortime Center™The Floortime Center™

Contact InformationContact Information::

4827 Rugby Ave.4827 Rugby Ave.

Bethesda, MD 20814Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: (301) 657-1130Phone: (301) 657-1130 Email: Email: info@dirss.com

jake@dirss.com tim@dirss.comtim@dirss.com

Website: Website: www.dirss.com