Tips & Techniques for Biting & Chewing Skills (Book)

Tips & Techniques for Biting & Chewing Skills is a compact, spiral-bound guide by Debra Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP, the speech-language pathologist who invented the ARK Grabber. It explains how, when and where to use the Grabber and other ARK chew tools to support feeding development. It is written for therapists, school staff and parents who support children and young people with SEND and oral motor needs.

How it helps

The book gives detailed instructions and illustrations, so adults can feel confident using chew tools with purpose rather than guessing. Its 26 pages cover the key stages of biting and chewing development, and the spiral binding lets it lie flat on a table during feeding development and oral motor activities, leaving your hands free.

Topics covered

• Mouthing and oral exploration
• The concept of biting and chewing
• Jaw strength and stability
• Rotary chewing and tongue lateralisation
• Rhythmic chewing
• Tongue and jaw dissociation
• Lip closure

For schools

• A practical reference for teaching assistants supporting pupils' oral motor plans.
• Helps staff use ARK chew tools consistently across the school day.
• Lies flat during sessions, so it is easy to follow step by step.
• Compact enough to keep in a therapy bag or classroom resource box.

For parents and home use

• Explains how to use the Grabber and other ARK chews at home.
• Clear illustrations make techniques easier to follow.
• Helps you continue activities recommended by your child's therapist.

Supporting SEND and learning differences

Children with special educational needs and disabilities may develop biting and chewing skills at a different pace. A shared, easy-to-follow guide helps parents, school staff and therapists work in the same way, so practice is consistent from one setting to the next.

Why structured practice helps

Biting and chewing draw on jaw strength, tongue movement and lip closure working together. Breaking these skills into clear stages, with matching activities, gives adults a structured way to support steady progress.

If you would like help choosing chew tools to use alongside this book, our team is happy to help.