A-LIST Spotlight: Physical Therapist Michelle Gardner from MCESC

This week's featured A-LISTer is Michelle Gardner! Michelle is a Physical Therapist for the MCESC. Michelle does a fabulous job of remaining positive and making learning fun and engaging for her students. We were so excited to feature her as this month's A-LIST Spotlight because we knew she would have some fabulous ideas to share with us. 

Ball-A-Vis-X
Michelle is doing some awesome research using Ball-A-Vis-X. She shares, "I am currently working on a research study, in collaboration with a Title I reading teacher & the University of Dayton's DPT program, to examine the effects of using a physical therapy technique called Bal-A-Vis-X (pronounced Bal-uh-vis-ex), to improve oral reading fluency in elementary school students with delays in reading.

Bal-A-Vis-X is a program developed by a teacher named Bill Hubert, which consists of a series of exercises using sand-filled bags and racquetballs. Most of the exercises are completed while standing on a rocker board. All of the exercises are heavily rooted in rhythm. The sandbags and racquet balls are tossed, passed, or bounced, individually and with a partner, in rhythmic patterns which facilitate focused attention, concentration, midline crossing, motor planning, right/left awareness, laterality, eye-hand coordination, balance, bilateral coordination, and body/spatial awareness. Additionally, a key component of the program involves the remediation of eye tracking & visual pursuit deficits."

Bowling

Michelle does a great job collaborating with school staff and teachers. Furthermore, she has even collaborated with the local bowling alley to get resources for her students! Check out what she has shared about Troy Bowl below:

"This ramp was on loan from Troy Bowl, for use with a student who was learning to roll a ball to a target. Prior to use of the ramp, the student had difficulty figuring out how to roll a ball & was generally uninterested. Use of the ramp captured the student's interest & attention. Physically rolling the ball down the ramp, paired with repeated verbal cues to "roll" the ball, helped the student gain an understanding of the concept of "rolling"."

Treatment Area

Michelle has created a great treatment areas in her districts where she works on balance, coordination, strength, motor planning, body control & attention to task, with all of her students. Look at these great pictures from the obstacle courses she has designed!

A special thank you to Michelle for sharing these wonderful strategies from her work with her students. They are so lucky to have you!