Quick Start Rater Guide: Scissor Skills Assessment (Hybrid Scoring)

Welcome to the Scissor Skills Assessment! This tool is designed to track scissor cutting accuracy in children using age-based cutting lines. Use this quick-start guide to ensure scoring consistency and fidelity.

Assessment Overview

• Each cutting line corresponds to a developmental milestone (in months).

• Each cutting line contains 12- 14 checkpoints ("snowballs") . The area between the snowballs is considered a "segment". The snowballs are white and sit on top of grey boundaries that vary in width. 

• The child is asked to cut inside the grey boundary, starting at the left arrow, and follow the snowballs.

Scoring Scale (Hybrid Method)
Each segment between two snowballs is scored based on the accuracy of the child’s cut:

• 1 Point: The cut stays entirely within the grey boundary for the full segment. There is a continuous cut from the beginning and ending segment.

• 0.5 Point: The cut enters the grey boundary at least once during the segment but is inconsistent. 

• 0 Points: The cut does not touch the boundary at all or grazes the edge without entering.

Note: If unsure or borderline, lean in favor of the child (award the higher score).

Step-by-Step Rater Instructions

1. Prepare Materials

   • Laminate or print rater scoring rubric.

   • tudent worksheet printed in portrait orientation.

   • Dry erase marker for reusable scoring sheet.

2. Observe and Score in Real-Time

   • As the child cuts, score each segment (between snowballs) using 0, 0.5, or 1.

   • Mark the score under each corresponding snowball number on the rater sheet.

3. Total the Score

   • Count up the scores for all 12-14 segments.

   • Record the raw total on the rater sheet (e.g., 10.5 / 14).

4. Input Into MyTherapyWizard

   • Log in to MyTherapyWizard and select the Fine motor coordination< Scissor Skills domain.

   • Enter the raw score for the selected line.

   • MyTherapyWizard will handle age adjustment, score conversion, and reporting.

Scoring Tips

• Use a comparison sheet if needed to evaluate choppy or jagged cuts.

• Allow one redo only if technical issues (e.g., dropped scissors) interfere.

• Ensure the child starts at the correct end (left arrow) unless redirected.

• Do not award points if the cut direction is in the wrong orientation. 

Visual Examples

FAQs
Q: What if the child skips a segment?
A: Score 0 for that segment.

Q: Can I score .25 or .75?
A: No. Only use 0, 0.5, or 1.

Q: What if snowballs are hard to interpret?
A: Use a fresh worksheet and overlay it to clarify alignment.

Thank you for helping bring precision and fun to the fine motor magic of cutting!

• The MyTherapyWizard Team ✨
  

• The video below is from when we were branded OT Wizard, but the message is the same. 

Clinical protocols built in

MyTherapyWizard is an EMR with clinical protocols built in. Every Guided Evaluation, questionnaire and standardized template follows a structured scoring protocol:

• The quantitative areas (the items you rate) are scored on the back end with the same defined criteria, rules and performance bands for every client.
• The qualitative areas (your comments, observations and narratives) go into the report as you wrote them.
• Once the plan of care is active, its goals populate into your session notes. Each goal gets a Goal Performance Index (GPI) that combines accuracy with the support needed, so 70% independent and 70% with maximum assistance score differently. Each session gets a Session Performance Index (SPI), the average of its GPIs.
• AI never assigns or changes a score. It only helps put finished results into words, and you approve every line.

Learn more: Understanding Performance Bands · Myth vs. Fact: structured scoring and AI