1. Welcome to The Learning Tree and The Greenspan Floortime Approach ™
by Jake Greenspan and Tim Bleecker The Floortime Center®

2. The DIR Model
“D” =Developmental
“I” =Individual Differences
“R” =Relationship-based

3. Functional Developmental Capacities Developmental Profile of the Child
The DIR Model
Functional Developmental Capacities
The Nine Developmental Milestones
Developmental Profile of the Child
Individual Differences
Sensory modulation and processing
Motor Planning and sequencing
Auditory processing
Visual-spatial processing
Relationships- Caregiver/Child
interactions and family patterns

4. DIR Model: The Learning Tree

5. Trunk: Development The 9 Functional Emotional Developmental Milestones
1. Staying calm and regulated, and shared attention.
2. Engagement and relatedness
3. Basic Intentional interaction and communication,
5-10 circles of communication.
4. Problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a
continuous flow.
5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas and words.
6. Building logical bridges between ideas.
7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking.
8. Grey area thinking
9. Reflective thinking off an internal standard.

6. Roots: Individual Differences
Motor Development
Motor Planning and Sequencing
Gross and Fine motor
Balance and Coordination
Auditory/Language Processing
Expressive and Receptive
Visual-Spatial Processing
Tracking and Scanning
Visual Thinking
Sensory Modulation and Processing
Over- and under- reactive sensory systems
Vestibular and proprioceptive systems

7. Relationships Caregiver/Child interactions and family patterns
Teacher/Child interactions
Therapist/Child interactions
All caregivers must reflect on self
What type of individual am I?
How do I react to different emotions?
Does child act differently around me?

8. Sensory room Safe environment
Cushions (clouds), mats, warm lights, mirrors
Tailor the room to their specific individual differences, look at child’s reactivities (reactions)
Higher platforms to play on
Not a disorganized or over-stimulating environment
Sensory/symbolic equipment (stuffed animals)
Swings, rocking toys or chairs, hammock, balance beam
Toys with different textures such as balls or blocks
Places to crash and hide

9. Play Room Some sensory toys
Symbolic toys that include blocks, dolls, figures, play houses, pretend food, trains and other vehicles, costumes, play animals, board games, mirrors, etc.
Make the environment warm and imaginative with décor such as lights, pictures, and music
Place most toys in organized containers with labels
Do not make the environment over stimulating

10. Establish a Positive Relationship
Have Fun!
Show interest and enthusiasm in child’s interests
Listen, don’t judge or lecture
Sympathize and Empathize

11. The Greenspan Floortime Approach Fundamentals
Follow the Lead
Challenge
Expand

12. Work on Regulation and the first three Developmental Milestones
1. Shared Attention
2. Engagement and relatedness
3. Basic Intentional interaction and
communication, (5-10 circles of
communication)

13. Being calm and regulated
Sensory and emotional systems, staying calm and regulated
Be aware of hyper sensitivities and sensory needs, both can limit attention and “disregulate” a child.
Emotional inputs and needs can also “disregulate” and limit attention.
We can use the two systems to balance each other.

14. working on shared attention
Follow the child’s lead
Observe what the child is doing and do it with them
Join their activity
Use motivating interests, activities and objects, to harness the emotional interest of the child

15. Engagement and relatedness
Affect
Using personal emotional energy, in the form of gesturing and vocalizing, to show interest in the child or the activity the child is involved in, to increase the child’s eye contact and gesturing with us.
Playful obstruction
Playfully using affect and creating obstacles in the form of physical obstructions to make the child acknowledge your presence.

16. Basic intentional interaction and communication (5-10 circles)
Sensory play
Use sensory pleasures to help the child enjoy relating and interacting, ex: deep pressure, swinging, spinning, etc.
Playing dumb
Playfully pretend that you don’t know how to do something or what the child is expecting.
This will entice the child to use more circles of communication and interaction to get you to do something for them.

17. Work on developmental milestone 4
4. Social Problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a continuous flow

18. Social problem solving, co-regulated interactions with a continuous flow
Create problems that need to be solved using many circles of interaction.
Take simple interactions and create extra circles.
Create interesting barriers/obstacles to your child’s goals.
Always change the problem and the solution within the same activity, so that your child is always learning something new.
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 child before they can complete the problem.

19. Work on developmental milestone 5
5. Creative and meaningful use of ideas and words
-Simple and Complex

20. Simple creating and using ideas
Help your child use ideas by fostering situations in which needs and desires are expressed. Remember WAA (Words, Action, Affect): Always combine your words or ideas with your affect (expressed feelings) and actions.
Initially, encourage your child’s imagination by staging familiar interactions during pretend play. Challenge the use of new plot twists. Ex: challenge his stuffed animals to feed each other, hug, kiss, cook, or go off to the park and play.

21. Complex Creating and expressing Ideas
Encourage more developed use of ideas, in reality and fantasy, and with emotions.
Follow your child’s lead and help him build more ideas by challenging him to expand what he is saying or playing.
Give your child choices about where to go or what to do.
Encourage opinions, not facts

22. Work on Developmental Milestone 6
6. Building logical bridges between ideas
answering W questions, having logical back and forth conversations

23. Building bridges between ideas and logical thinking
Challenge your child with open-ended questions; those beginning with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how”.
Provide possible multiple-choice answers if your child ignores or avoids responding to your open-ended questions. Throw in some silly possibilities for him to consider.
If his thinking becomes a little piecemeal or fragmented, get your child to be logical by acting confused yourself.
Work on your child’s opinions, not facts. (If you know the answer, it is a fact)

24. Developmental Milestones 7, 8, and 9
7. Multi-causal, comparative thinking
8. Grey-area thinking
9. Reflective thinking off an internal
standard

25. Multi-causal, comparative thinking
Ask for multiple reasons “why”?
Compare and contrast things: A vs. B
Have them place ideas and interests in a hierarchy of importance.

26. Grey Area Thinking
Moving away from polarized thinking (all or nothing thinking); finding a middle ground
Understand gradations, degrees, and magnitudes of things, like feelings

27. Reflective thinking off an internal standard
Get your child to express opinions about their own behavior and feelings. “I’m angrier than I usually am, in this situation.”

28. The Greenspan Floortime Approach™ Level 1 Certification
Next year we will be accepting applications to a hands on Floortime Certification course.
Over 4 days trainees will be educated and coached by The Floortime Center directors Jake Greenspan and Tim Bleecker.
Once Trainees show proficiency in The Greenspan Floortime Approach they will be allowed to provide The Greenspan Floortime Approach to the children they work with.

29. The Floortime Center®
Contact Information:
4827 Rugby Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301)
Website: