2016 · Page 35 of 45 · Sensory Intelligence Consulting

Children are under immense pressure to perform in all areas of their daily functions, including academics, sport, leisure and on the social front. They are under constant sensory input, primarily through the visual, hearing and touch systems.

No single class has children functioning on the same sensory thresholds – some children will reach their thresholds a lot quicker than others. The ability to adapt one’s central nervous system adequately to multi-sensory input is important for optimal learning and development. Regulation helps a child to take the relevant information from the environment, filter the irrelevant information out and to focus on the task at hand. It also helps a child to adapt to changes in the environment and to adjust his/her alertness levels for learning and action.

Most teachers want the very best learning experience for all the children in their care. Yet, in an average class of 25 pupils (and in some instances up to 50) this is no small feat, considering that each one comes with individual learning styles and needs. How then should a teacher attempt to make learning truly accessible to all and find the balance to accommodate the various sensory systems and thresholds that are present in a classroom?

Making Sense of it All

To ensure optimal learning it is firstly important to understand that both adults and children access their world differently through their various senses (all seven of them). At any given moment, we receive sensory input which impacts on us in many different ways. It is the way we make sense of the world around us and learn from whatever we come into contact with.

Taken an orchestra as example – for some, the beauty lies in the sound of the music, for others it is the sight of the conductor’s skill, yet for others it is the feeling of the tiny hairs on their arms that stand on end when the sound of all of the instruments harmoniously come together. Each person has a natural preference over one or more of their senses when it comes to assessing and learning from their world.

In the classroom, it is no different. Some children learn better when they can see what the teacher is explaining, and others are tuned in to what they hear, whilst others need to do a physical demonstration to carry out what has been explained.

How then, do we teach to such a variety of senses in the classroom to ensure that they can all progress equally and optimally?

Following are 12 practical tips for the classroom that may prove helpful:

When addressing the entire class, try to incorporate all of the senses by presenting the teaching material in a multi-sensory fashion – verbalise the instructions, while also showing it on the board and following it up with a practical demonstration.
Try to find out what works best for each child by presenting instructions to every individual in a visual, auditory and movement-oriented way. In this way they are exposed to all, but their sensory preferences will soon become apparent so that you can adapt your one-on-one teaching style accordingly.
Position children according to their sensory strengths:
a. the child who responds better to movement stimuli would need more space;
b. the child who responds better to auditory stimuli would benefit from being closer to the sound source; and
c. the child who responds better to visual stimuli would benefit from being in an unobstructed visual field to the board.
Give children with high sensory thresholds a movement break – 2-3 minutes of movement can increase a child’s ability to focus and function for about 15 -20 minutes (if possible take the kids on an outdoor task).
Adjust the tone of your voice depending on whether the child is sensitive to noise (speak softer) or louder for the child who needs more auditory input in order to follow through on tasks.
Be aware of the affect of different smells in the class and the impact they may have on a child’s ability to focus (perfumes, flowers, scented candles).
Large dazzling jewelry may be distracting for the visually inclined children in the classroom. The same could apply to clothing – bold patterns and designs could also be a source of distraction.
Decrease clutter in the classroom by making sure that books, toys, stationery and bags are all packed away neatly.
Decrease the noise levels in and around the classroom for the more auditory sensitive child – introduce a quiet area or hideout where children can calm their sensory systems for a short while.
Decrease visual displays such as posters and hanging mobiles.
Use deep breathing techniques with the entire class – it is a great way to regulate the nervous system.
Give children that are prone to distraction something to chew or suck on (e.g. chewing gum, crunchy foods or a lollipop) or make a selection of fidgety toys, like a stress ball or pom-pom available to them.

April marks Autism Awareness month. All around the world famous landmarks have been lit up with blue lights – a great way for the world to notice that autism is real, it impacts more people than we can imagine and there is still so much to learn about the condition. Ask any parent, adult, sibling or adolescent living with autism, about what aspect they find most difficult and they will mostly confirm that dealing with the sensory elements of autism is or was their biggest hurdle.

At every moment in our 24-hour day, our senses are inundated with new and old sensory input, which gets filtered appropriately in order for one to function effectively. Many autistic children have great difficulty with processing sensory input from the environment, and added to that they have great difficulty communicating what they don’t like about the sensory input.

Autistic children are typically sensory sensitive with either low or fluctuating thresholds, meaning that they are hugely affected, (often negatively), by sensory input from their environments. It is just too loud, too bright, too tight or too fast for them. They experience sensory overload on a constant basis and they really battle to cope with this. This video by the Interacting with Autism Project is a fantastic illustration of what somebody with autism must be experiencing when confronted with sensory overload.
Their withdrawal patterns and poor social skills are not necessarily caused by sensory overload, but augmented by their sensory issues. Children on the Autism spectrum need consistency, routine and structure.
Unpredictable and sensory overloaded environments (like shops and shopping malls) are very difficult for them to cope with, which typically will cause them to throw tantrums, get aggressive and/or withdraw from such environments.
Sensory meltdowns occur when there is some form of discordance that happens in one or more of the sensory systems (touch, taste, sound, sight, smell, movement). Low blood sugar levels are also of relevance, as lowered blood sugar levels heighten all the senses.
Remove the child from the distressing environment and take him to a safer and calmer place.
Parents should be aware of meltdowns, it happens so quickly and without warning – but try not to over protect them or to shield them from stressful environments.
Learn to anticipate which sensory system overloads the quickest and be prepared.
Exposure to new and uncomfortable environments needs to be done in a gentle and calculated way (when the child is calm and regulated) as it helps them learn to anticipate, to adapt to and to manage these environments.

A portable sensory toolkit can be taken with you whenever you are away from home and can include the following items:

Sunglasses (to decrease the effect of bright light).
A baseball cap or wide brimmed hat (for decreased visual stimulation).
An ice cold water bottle with a sport cap for sucking water or an ice cold juice with a straw.
A chewy snack, like biltong, dried fruit, chewing gum.
Soundproof headphones for very loud environments.
A change of clothing (long-sleeved t-shirt to avoid unwanted touch).
Deep bear hugs – for a calming effect.
Deep breathing – the universal calmer.

The senses are thus a vital key to coping with autism – it is the window to their souls and interactions. Understand it, use it wisely and learn to look at people and environments form a sensory point of view.

Year: 2016

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Making Sense of it All

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