A Sense of Direction: Activities to Build Functional Directional Skills (1999). By Laura Sena. Imaginart, Inc., 307 Arizona St., Bisbee, AZ 85603. $44. Reviewed by Diana Newman, Glastonbury, CT.

This workbook features carefully selected, purposeful activities designed to help develop directional skills. Sena has created an organized set of 42 fun, multisensory activities that provide children opportunities to experience, practice, and learn spatial concepts.

An introduction provides a basic understanding of how one develops a sense of direction and its importance in daily life. This background information is appreciated to fully understand the purposes of the activities. Additionally, specific examples are provided of how weaknesses in directional skills manifest themselves in the school-aged child.

The workbook is divided into four levels of directional skill development: body awareness, self as a reference point, environment as a reference point, and others as a reference point. Each level is presented with an introductory explanation about the general purpose of the activities, how these skills are seen in daily living or school tasks, and suggestions for complementary experiences. Materials to be photocopied are provided or are readily available. Questions for observation and suggestions for further activities are also included in each lesson.

Several informal assessments are thoughtfully included in the workbook. "Quick Screen"-a brief checklist of 10 items sequenced by level of difficulty in directional skills-is provided to help determine the need for intervention and to guide treatment planning. Four pre-post tests are also included for use as tools to measure progress.

Sample goals and objectives are provided, though the author suggests that they be modified for the needs of the individual child. The appendix also includes individual planning and progress guides (with completed samples) for those working in the school setting, answer sheets for the activities, and a glossary of terms used in directional skills programs.

As an occupational therapist, Sena has created a workbook guided by principles universal to speech-language pathologists and teachers as well. The activities have meaning and opportunity for teaching strategies. Sena states that at about age 4 or 5 "motor responses are no longer driven by sensory input but are increasingly language directed." As a functional disability occurs when directional confusion interferes with independence in daily living, speech-language pathologists should be aware of directional confusion and include addressing these needs in their programs. This workbook is recommended for those working with children ages 5-12 who demonstrate weaknesses in directional skills.