DIR Model – The Preferred Model for Total Child Development

In order to help young kids learn better, there are many schools in the US that employ a wide variety of proven learning methods. One of them is the wildly popular DIR model, which stands for Developmental, Individual Difference, and Relationship-Based model. It was developed by clinical professor and child psychiatrist Dr. Stanley Greenspan in 1979, and was first put forward in his book Intelligence and Adaptation.

So, how is it different from other educational models?

The main focus of DIR model is to build strong foundations for the development of intellectual, social and emotional capabilities of a child. The core of this model is Floortime, a unique technique that demands parent-child interaction in the grassroots level. It encapsulates the general philosophy of including other therapy, such as speech and occupational therapy, in-line with the features of Floortime.

Interaction is one of the key features of the DIY model, which can help the child gain focus and obtain insightful ideas on development and learning. It is widely believed that the DIR/Floortime model has a set of pre-defined milestones that must be achieved for effective growth of a child. These milestones include:

1. Evoking Interest: The child should be interested in his/her surroundings and follow it up with interactions involving movement, touching, sight and hearing.
2. Ability to Relate: The child should try to develop a sense of intimacy, caring and empathy in his/her relationship with family members, teachers, classmates and other people they come in contact with.
3. Ability to Communicate: The child should be able to respond to someone communicating with him/her, including ability to express emotions and desire, which should be reciprocated by the person he/she is communicating with.
4. Advanced Communication and Problem Solving: A child should be able to communicate in a series of steps, such as asking help in different stages to achieve a final need. It helps them develop social attributes and improve problem-solving skills.
5. Creating Ideas: Encourage the child to relate themselves to the real world, such as engaging in communication, invoking desires and emotions, creating ideas and collaborating on such aspects by the attributes of logical reasoning and concentrating on planning and modulating impulses.

Hence, the DIR milestones ensure that the child is on the right path in terms of complete development. These act as a developmental ladder, with each milestones adding a new layer of capabilities in children.

Read More: What Makes Floortime Therapy Effective?