Welcome
Welcome to the balance, education and movement programme, which we call BEAM for short. BEAM is aimed at primary school children, ideally in reception year. It was developed by NHS paediatric chartered physiotherapists in Kent.
It takes six consecutive weeks during PE sessions and is designed to be a fun-to-use tool to help schools identify any children with potential balance and movement difficulties.
Co-ordination and balance are necessary for children to develop classroom skills, such as the ability to sit still, to concentrate and to listen, eye contact and tracking, as well as hand to eye co-ordination. BEAM uses minimal equipment to achieve its aims and is suitable for most children.
This guide provides clear instructions on how to effectively deliver BEAM. If you have any queries about the programme please contact your local paediatric therapy department.
BEAM works by using three distinct blocks of exercise, referred to as blocks A, B and C, as well as warm-up exercises and additional ball skills tasks. You are carefully guided through the timeframe for exercises and provided with a protocol, which explains what to do for children who do not make the expected progress – the programme will help you to identify children who need therapy advice.
Finally, you can use the progress sheets – more information is given later on in this booklet about them – to monitor how a child is doing with the exercises and you can refer to the language skills section, developed by NHS speech and language therapists, as part of BEAM.
You will find a DVD accompanying this booklet. The animated films on it can be used alongside the exercises explained here, so you will need use of a computer that can take DVDs and that can be easily seen by everyone during PE, perhaps on a whiteboard.
You will need to monitor this carefully as some children may be distracted by watching the films and this could impact on the quality of their movement and skills development.
BEAM is suitable for most children and is most effective when you use the whole package, so warm-ups, exercises, progress sheets and language information. If you have a child in your class with a medical condition, please seek advice from their paediatric physiotherapist; however children with a variety of conditions have successfully benefitted from the programme.
To help make BEAM easy to follow and for it to be fun for children, we use Mr BEAM and a series of characters throughout the six-week programme, so along the way you will meet Runner Bean, Chilli Bean, Jelly Bean and Beans on Toast to name but a few.
Download a certificate template that can be printed off, as appropriate, for children participating in BEAM.
We hope you have fun with BEAM and that, above all, it is an effective classroom aid.
Measuring progress
Part of the BEAM programme involves measuring the progress of the students in your class and this is an important part of helping you assess each child taking part.
There are four different progress sheets for BEAM.
You will need a copy of the progress sheet below for every child in the class. You can print off a copy and photocopy, as needed, before you begin your BEAM sessions.
If you identify any children as being less able to do the activities and needing small group work, you will need to use each of the progress sheets – one for each block – shown on the next page for every child needing extra support.
The progress sheets list all the activities for each block. When the children can fully achieve these, maintaining good balance and stability in these positions, you can date the activity on the sheet.
Children identified as being less able to do the activities, should be placed in a small group where they can work at their own pace and ability. Ideally, this should run for 20 minutes, three times a week with no more than three in a group, with one member of staff.
The progress sheets can be used as evidence for children who may need to be referred to NHS therapy services.
BEAM protocol
Please make sure that you read the protocol explained here before starting the BEAM six-week programme and refer to it frequently for reassurance, if you need to.
| BEAM protocol | |
|---|---|
|
Reception class screening. Ideally, in term two or three - two sessions a week for two weeks of blocks A, B and C – a total of six weeks. |
|
| Concerns observed | |
|
Older child with apparent co-ordination problems. Perhaps, missed reception class screening or arrived at a new school. Assess child over two weeks going through blocks A, B and C. |
| Major | |
|---|---|
|
- Pain. - Inability to perform skills, even when broken down to simple skill performance. - Problems other than co-ordination. - Deterioration of abilities. |
|
| Discuss with parents. Child may benefit from a consultation with their GP. |
| Minor | |
|---|---|
| Child is seen in a small group going through BEAM with no time constraints. Child should complete block A before continuing to block B etc. Emphasis should be on fun and achievement. Records should be kept of child’s progress. The small groups should run four times a week for 20 minutes. | |
| Do concerns still exist? | |
| No | Yes |
| With parental agreement, refer to paediatric physiotherapy. Referral should be on the correct form with evidence that the child has participated in small group BEAM for 50 sessions and that the child has been unable to achieve the skills. | |
Language skills
Attention and listening
Are your children all listening and thinking?
Are they all looking and waiting for their turn?
Understanding
Can your children understand simple sentences?
Auditory memory and sequencing
Can they all remember and carry out your instructions in the right order?
Developing vocabulary
It is helpful to consider a range of categories:
Body parts: Do your children know major body parts, for example head, arm, leg? Have they progressed to elbow, shoulder or even heel or fist etc?
Verbs: Consider all the action words, which can be experienced actively, for example run, sit, jump, hop, skip, curl, stretch, bend, kneel, push, balance, throw, catch, put on and take off.
Size: Make sure that concepts such as wide, tall, high and thin are experienced practically.
Position: Many concepts can be experienced during relevant BEAM activities, for example on, off, up, down, under, behind, in front, towards, straight, between and middle.
Time: Ideas of time and sequencing are introduced through first, next, stop, finish, then, start, before, after, always, never.
Movement: Your children’s expressive language can be developed through description of movement, such as slow, quick, fast, jerky, stiff and springy.
Common phrases: Some of these may be unfamiliar to your children, such as run on the spot, jump, move to, do a log roll, shake all over, find a space, stand still like a statue etc.
Expressive language
Can your children use key words appropriately in simple sentences?
Can they use language to comment, describe, instruct others etc?
| Remind your children to listen and think about the words you are saying. Use tactile, visual (pictures and symbols) and verbal cues so they know when it is their turn. | Make sure that all your children are looking at you before demonstrating or describing any BEAM activity. Encourage turn-taking during BEAM ball skills and when lining up. |
| Remember to speak slowly and clearly, using short simple sentences and encourage your children to repeat back your instructions, if necessary, to check their understanding. | During BEAM activities, observe whether your children understand the instructions or are copying the rest of the group. You should work towards them remembering two or three short instructions. The BEAM beans can usefully and enjoyably be used in this way. |
| Prepare by identifying relevant vocabulary and check understanding of these words. Select a few key words at any one time from different categories. Make sure that opposites are understood to avoid confusion. Be aware that some children may confuse pairs of opposites, for example front/behind. Stress key words, for example lie down on a mat and stretch your arms and legs at the same time as you demonstrate the actions. Frequently revise new key words and in a variety of contexts and rehearse after BEAM. | BEAM includes a huge amount of vocabulary, all of which can be experienced practically. Your BEAM group is an ideal opportunity to teach or reinforce key vocabulary. |
| Find other opportunities to re-inforce vocabulary using everyday phrases during classroom activities. | Some children may take everyday phrases literally, for example find a spot. Such phrases can be demonstrated during BEAM and visual cues can be used to aid understanding. |
| Encourage your children to copy actions and describe what they are doing. | You can extend the maturity of your children’s language and encourage sentence formation, for example the child may say: “Jump line,’’ and then the adult would say: “Yes, you jumped over the line.’’ At appropriate times during or after BEAM, ask your children what they have been doing. As they become more confident with BEAM, encourage them to take turns to be teacher and explain the activities to the rest of the group. |
Useful contacts
We welcome all feedback on BEAM and its effectiveness for your needs.
You can give your feedback via an online form.
If you would like any more information about the BEAM programme or have any queries about it, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your local paediatric therapy department.
Original animation
The original animation model by Punkramenaz for Blend Swap.
The BEAM brand, book and promotional material design by the Communications Team, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust .
No part of this book or the BEAM brand can be reproduced without permission from Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.