In reference to functional skills, grading refers to the adjustment of muscle force used for different activities.
Grading is often automatic, like when you correctly choose the amount of force needed to lift up a feather versus a large rock. Grading is important for ADLs like eating; we have to adjust how quickly we bring the fork to our mouths or could hurt ourselves! Issues with grading force can be subtle, like pushing too hard when coloring causing the crayons to always break. Consider reaching out to our occupational therapists if you have questions or concerns!
In reference to therapeutic activities, grading refers to adjusting the difficulty of a given task based on client outcomes.
If a child quickly succeeds at a task, it can be graded more difficult to challenge the child’s skills. Alternatively, if a child cannot complete a task at all, the provider can adjust the task to facilitate success and prevent frustration and avoidance. This relates to the “Just Right” Challenge tactic.
