M.O.V.E.

MOVE, or Mobility Opportunities Via Education, is a top down activity based curriculum designed to teach students basic, functional motor skills needed for adult life, in home and community environments.

MOVE was developed in America in the 1980’s by Linda Bidabe, a teacher who was disillusioned at the current rehabilitation programmes which were based on withdrawal therapy and a developmental approach, but with poor results. Instead the MOVE programme focuses on incorporating skills such as sitting, standing, transferring and walking by practising the skills in functional situations throughout a normal day.

Since it’s beginning the programme has spread around the world and it is used by thousands of individuals in hundreds of different settings. It is now used not just in school but also in nursing homes and rehabilitation centres.

The programme has been in place at Kimi Ora School since 2002 and during this time many of the students progress has been far beyond anyone’s expectations. Therapy and education have become more integrated, changing the way the school functions.

Kimi Ora School is working with MOVE International to become a MOVE Model School. MOVE International has approved Kimi Ora's status as a Model School in principle. Kimi Ora School is currently working on rebuilding the Thorndon site. MOVE International will formally make Kimi Ora School a MOVE Model Site once this rebuild has occurred . 

The MOVE programme is made up of six steps:

• Assessment involving family, teachers, therapists and any other key people involved with the student.

• Goal setting, specific to each student, their lifestyle, and dreams.

• Task analysis, what skills are important to achieve those specific goals.

• Measuring prompt, what assistance is required to undertake these skills currently.

• Prompt reduction, a plan to reduce prompts to achieve each specific goal.

• Teaching the skill, a programme to teach the skills incorporated within the classroom routine.