A special education teacher used the GOAT learning method with students who have cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder and traumatic brain injury. Each skill followed the same pattern: the student watched a video of the teacher performing the movement, practised it with guidance, then practised it independently. Videos of the students can't be shared for confidentiality.
Walking posture: 60° to 80° in three weeks
A student with cerebral palsy and low cognitive functioning, with gross and fine motor concerns, used a walker to get around. The teacher recorded a video of going from a slumped sitting posture to an upright one, and a second of walking upright across the room. The student watched the videos while hearing the cue "pull your chest up", practised walking across the room with the cue every two steps, then practised with no cues.
Over 3 weeks (15 days), averaging 2 hours a week in 20–30 minute sessions, the student's posture improved from about a 60° angle to about 80°, where 90° is straight up and down.
Stair climbing: +40% skill and 30% faster in two weeks
A student with autism and limited verbal communication walked on tiptoes on the edge of each step. The teacher recorded a video of stepping onto each step with the whole foot and pushing through to the next, and made three cue cards: lift, step, push. The student watched the video while the cards were flipped, practised in the air and on the floor, then on the stairs with the cards, which were gradually phased out.
After 2 weeks at 20–30 minutes per day, the student's physical therapist scored about a 40% increase on the stair-climbing rubric, and the time it took to climb the stairs dropped by about 30%.
Loading a fork or spoon, and bringing it to the mouth
A student with cerebral palsy, somewhat higher functioning cognitively, with gross and fine motor concerns, watched a video of the teacher loading a fork, then practised wearing blackout goggles with hand-over-hand guidance, then practised independently. Accuracy loading the fork or spoon improved by 50%. The same protocol for bringing the spoon to the mouth gave a 30% increase in accuracy, from a much higher starting point.
Daily-living skills: +67% in eight weeks
With students who have cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder and traumatic brain injury, the teacher applied the method to activities such as brushing teeth and other hygiene routines, tying shoes, washing hands and making food. Each activity was broken into a step-by-step curriculum, and progress was scored on a rubric based on the level of independence each skill required. Across a variety of students and skills, rubric scores rose by an average of 67% over an 8-week period.
Handwriting
A student with cerebral palsy and low cognitive functioning worked on writing her name one letter at a time. The teacher recorded a video of writing each letter. The student watched the video, practised in the air with eyes closed while the teacher guided her hand, then practised on paper, 20–30 minutes per day, spending three days on each letter. The final video showed the teacher writing her whole name, practised the same way.