by Thérèse Woodcock

We now come to making contact with the child’s world during the session. The first thing to remember is what I would like to call the Total Response (a term, incidentally, that Lowenfeld first used with regard to the Mosaics and which I briefly mentioned before). This Total Response that I am speaking of should he thought about in terms of the whole session.

The Total Response is simply what it says. You try to grasp the style of approach the child adopts towards the request to make a World. It will tell you a great deal about how this child relates to her world in reality. Is she enthusiastic or would you say impulsive, cautious or would you say suspicious? Is he thoughtful or methodical? Is his response directed towards pleasing you or pleasing himself? Is you request treated as a demand or a command? Or is he simply drawn by interest?

This of course would eventually appear in you summary judgement, but unless you were looking out for it in the first place, you might have missed vital clues. Remember to describe it first, then summarize it as a judgement. This judgement is yours and would be recorded under Manner, one of the headings for your write-up.