Palmer Assessment

Interactive worksheet • parent + child responses

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THE 5-MINUTE PALMER FUNCTIONAL BRAIN DOMINANCE TEST

Test yourself first as a demonstration for your child and record your selection. Then test your child doing the same test and score your child's response.

1

Is your child more Right brain, Left brain, or Both?

(See page – 2 The Brain Guide before you answer this)
Your brain
Child
2

Which ear does your child hold the phone to?

Your ear
Child
3

a) Which eye does your child look through an empty toilet paper roll to see outside?
b) Using the roll, which eye does the child use to read with close up?

(examples: R _ _ L _ _ OR R _ _ R _ _ OR L _ _ R _ _ OR L _ _ L _ _)
Your eye R L Child R L
Tip: You can type letters/numbers that match how you record the worksheet.
4

Which side does your child swing a bat from?

The shoulder the bat rests on.
Your
Child
5

What hand does your child use to write/color with?

Your hand
Child
6

Is your child right or left footed?

(Place the ball on the same spot after each kick. Kick the ball with the preferred foot towards a designated target. Repeat 5 times and score the foot used most out of 5 kicks.)
(Ignore soccer practice training)
Your foot
Child
Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5
(Below please use R, L, or B for both)
Your Brain:
Ear
Eye
Hand
Child's Brain:
Ear
Eye
Hand
Foot
What have you discovered about you and your child's unique foundation for learning? You can test other family members and friends!
Brain image

Results Report

Learning Style Compass • LS1

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Dominant Hemisphere
Left
Dominant Ear
Right
Dominant Eye
Right
Dominant Hand
Right
Dominant Foot
Right
This is a fully aligned left-brain profile. Children with this pattern process information sequentially, rely heavily on verbal structure, and thrive when instructions are clear, predictable, and well-organized. They do best when expectations are explicit and when tasks follow step-by-step logic.

What This Looks Like Day-to-Day

  • Strengths in Calm Conditions
    • Understands and remembers step-by-step directions
    • Works well with routines, rules, and structured environments
    • Strong recall for vocabulary, facts, and definitions
    • Produces neat, consistent work when expectations are clear
    • Comfortable with sequences, sorting, listing, and organizing
    • Learns well through explanation, modeling, and repetition
  • Hidden Vulnerabilities
    • Hesitation when starting unfamiliar tasks
    • Slowing down because they want to "get it right"
    • Difficulty with open-ended, abstract, or imaginative assignments
    • Rigidity around changes in routine or unclear expectations
    • Frustration with visually busy worksheets or diagrams
    • Trouble reading social cues or emotional tone
These challenges arise from left-brain overload, not from lack of effort or motivation.

Calm vs. Stress Pattern

  • When Calm
    • Clear verbal explanations
    • Organized desk and neat handwriting
    • Strong listening accuracy
    • Steady, persistent effort
    • Confident with routines and repetition
  • When Stressed
    • Mishears multi-step directions
    • Checks and re-checks work
    • Freezes when unsure or afraid to be wrong
    • Appears rigid, literal, or overly cautious
    • Slows down dramatically when expectations shift
A common pattern is "perfection paralysis"—the child knows the answer but cannot begin until they feel absolutely certain.

School Moments to Watch

  • Grades K–2: Needs reassurance, resists routine changes, struggles with inference
  • Grades 3–5: Difficulty with open-ended writing, overwhelm with visual clutter
  • Middle School: Group work without roles, prioritizing multi-part assignments
  • High School: Excellent with structured content, needs models, templates, and rubrics

Supportive Routines at Home and School

  • Provide short, numbered, predictable steps
  • Use checklists for multi-step tasks
  • Reduce visual clutter on pages and workspaces
  • Teach first-step initiation strategies
  • Pre-teach vocabulary before lessons
  • Model before expecting independence
  • Prepare in advance for changes in routine

Study Flow (10–15 Minutes)

  • Read directions aloud together
  • Highlight or number the steps
  • Complete only the first two steps
  • Reset for 20–30 seconds (breathing, stretching)
  • Continue with the next steps
Predictability keeps the left-brain system regulated and reduces hesitation.

How an Occupational Therapist May Help

  • Motor Planning and Timing: timing, sequencing, bilateral coordination, writing endurance
  • Visual-Motor Integration: letter formation, copying, layout organization
  • Executive Function Support: task initiation, planning, organization

Research Supporting This Learning Style

  • Left-Brain Sequential Processing: Gazzaniga, 2011
  • Impact of Visual Clutter: Fisher et al., 2014
  • Timing and Academic Output: Cosper et al., 2009
  • Predictable Environments: Evans & Wachs, 2010

A Few Future Career Glimpses

  • Technical writing
  • Coding fundamentals
  • Quality control
  • Accounting or data systems
  • Tutoring or structured teaching roles

Notes & Disclosures

  • Educational use only. Not a substitute for medical, therapeutic, or legal advice.
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