Dear Melissa,
When I went to my child’s open house I personally felt overstimulated by my child’s classroom. I know OT’s are gurus of classroom design. What are your thoughts?
I know school system budgets are tight and teachers often do not have the luxury of consulting their school OT for many of the sensory kiddos in their classroom. Here are some simple modifications that can help kiddos who are 1) over-stimulated and sensory defensive OR 2) kiddos who are under-stimulated and need extra sensory input.
What doesn’t work for kids with SPD
Way back when, while I was in OT school, I had the privilege of being a literacy tutor. I attended masters-level classes with teachers. As an OT student I remember listening to lectures and often feeling like the techniques conflicted with what I was taught as an OT student. One example of this was the common guidance to teachers to design “welcoming” classroom environments that were overstimulating (see example below).
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| an overstimulating classroom |
The classroom above is bright, colorful, kid-friendly, and very inviting, right? Unfortunately, this is far from the ideal classroom for a child with sensory processing disorder (SPD). While all of the bright colors and patterns are inviting, they are often too stimulating for children with SPD. My advice: De-clutter! A much less distracting room would look something like this:
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| a sensory appropriate classroom for a child with SPD |
Yes, I know some might call this “boring”, but it allows for the child to focus on the task at hand rather than being distracted by the walls. Teachers might not be able to de-clutter to this extent, but several of the following simple techniques can help: 1) adding cabinets, 2) adding simple shelves with uniform bins, 3) covering materials with solid curtains, 4) using solid rugs, 5) decreasing extraneous patterns and pictures on the wall. Such adjustments can help locate the middle ground between inviting and over-stimulating.
Ideas about increasing sensory input
Theraband on chair legs and wiggle discs in chair seats
Kicking against the theraband and sitting in a wiggle seat allows a child to move his body without ever leaving his seat!
Exercise
Brain Breaks (YouTube has some great examples), dance, jumping jacks, frog jumps, walks to the office, stacking chairs, carrying stacks of books, yoga, etc. All of these will get their bodies moving, and all are free! Mounting scientific evidence shows the effectiveness of exercise for improving attention to task.
Fidget toys
Koosh balls, stress balls, finger traps, Slinkys, velcro stuck to desks… all will help keep little fingers moving while their eyes are on you, listening to the lesson.
Gum/chewing
Many children seek out calming oral input by chewing on their shirts, pencils, or other inappropriate objects. Gum is often the best way to achieve this calming oral input. Consider chew tubes or pencil toppers if gum is not allowed.
Ideas about decreasing sensory input
Preferential seating
Many interpret this term to mean sitting in the front of the class, but this is not always the case. Look for distractions such as windows, doors, pencil sharpeners, trash cans, or other high traffic areas that may distract the child and position him away from these. Also, many teachers have a gift for figuring out how to position a less attentive child next to a “positive peer” who can help keep him on track!
Cardboard study carrel
If you can’t eliminate distractions from the environment, create a personal environment for the individual child. Make it bright, colorful, and inviting on the outside but solid in the inside to help the child focus during quiet study times.
Quiet Corner
Everyone needs a quiet space to get away for a few minutes. It can be simply a few bean bags or throw pillows in a corner, or it can be a full mini-tent. Here is where you can get creative and let your imagination run wild! ALL of the children in your classroom will enjoy curling up with a good book in this inviting space.
Headphones/ear buds/hoodie
A student can create his own personal quiet space with headphones, ear buds or a hoodie pulled up to help damper out extra sound which may be distracting.
What approach works best when addressing sensory classroom concerns with your child’s teacher? I will address this in the coming weeks.
Do you have a question you would like me to address? Don’t hesitate to share! share@childrenstherapyteam.com
Resources:
Working with Schools, Sensorysmarts.com (Accessed August 2015)
Sensory Strategies for the Classroom, Occupational Therapy Advance (Accessed August 2015)
How Sensory Processing Issues Affect Kids at School, The Child Mind Institute (Accessed August 2015)