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The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency™ (BOT™) was the first standardized test I came across on my first fieldwork placement as an occupational therapy student. Back then, it came in a clunky metal case and used real pennies for the coin activities (I'm showing my age now!) Like many therapists, I feel like I've "grown up with” the BOT so I'm thrilled to be part of the team bringing the original BOT's “grandchild” — the BOT™-3 — into the world! We are all excited about this new edition, and we think you will be too!

The notion of spring break might evoke images of whooshing down a mountain at a ski resort or lounging on a sun-drenched beach in warmer climates. However, the reality is that such adventures are out of reach for many families with school-age children, as they stay home due to work commitments or financial pressures.

Early childhood educators and allied professionals realize the benefits of fostering an environment that embraces every child’s distinctive self-expression. We also realize that children reach milestones at different times and in different ways.

However, part of our professional role is determining when some of our child’s individual “quirks” or reticence may indicate a need for further support. Assessments can help distinguish individuality or preferences from potential issues that might require intervention. While we never want to extinguish a child’s spark, early identification of developmental delays allows us to nurture areas where they might need an extra boost during prime learning windows and help set them on a positive path for their learning future.

Whether you’re looking for individual training, small group training, or perhaps training across your district, identifying and selecting the best delivery method for your team doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Pearson offers in-person, live webinar, and on-demand training, and since each of these options is unique, we’ve put together a few tips to help you decide which one will work best for you. 

The steady integration of technology in the classroom has ushered in a proliferation of digital assessments, which offer immense promise to reduce educator workloads and give them better insight into their students’ unique learning needs. Yet for all the ease they provide, digital assessments shouldn’t be deployed as a plug-and-play solution, at least initially. Without proper preparation, you run the risk of yielding inaccurate results, technical difficulties and even testing irregularities.

Training and professional development is not only a vital part of learning how to properly administer, score, and interpret the assessments you depend on, it’s also a critical part of our own professional growth. Obtaining that training directly from the source is the best way to ensure you’re using each measure with fidelity.