Explore the limitations of traditional teaching methods for sensory seeking students and uncover strategies to better support their unique learning needs in the classroom. This post ontains affiliate links.
Hi! My name is Marra, and I’m a mom of a toddler. I’m a mom first, but I’m also a licensed pediatric occupational therapist who has spent years working with children with sensory processing needs, autism, and other developmental concerns. I love my job and talking about anything related to sensory processing.
Do you remember looking forward to going back to school after a summer break? Getting to see all of your friends again! Well, for some children, this excitement can quickly fade as they’re faced with long days of sitting and attending to lessons that replace their active lifestyle in the summer.
Students who struggle with the traditional classroom environment may get quickly labeled as behavioral or not wanting to attend or learn. These negative comments can quickly lower their self-esteem and make matters even worth.
Sadly this happens every fall. A child who is excited to go to school quickly becomes a child who dreads going to school. Let’s look at why this happens and some strategies we can have in place that can prevent our sensory-seeking children from becoming discouraged as they return to school.
UNDERSTANDING SENSORY PROCESSING AND SENSORY SEEKING STUDENTS
To truly understand why sensory-seeking students struggle with traditional teaching methods, it’s important to recognize what sensory-seeking means and how they impact learning.
Sensory processing is our ability to take in all of the information from our environment through our 8 senses, process and understand it, and choose how to respond. If you would like to learn more about sensory processing, check out What You Need to Know About Sensory Processing.
For sensory-seeking students, they require a lot more sensory input in order to either register the information or keep their bodies in a calm state where they are ready to learn.
Think about when you are stressed, hungry, tired, and have a headache. Would you want to learn something new? We can think of sensory input like food. We need high-quality sensory input in order to maintain a healthy state where we are ready to learn.
Many sensory-seeking students need a lot of movement and proprioceptive input in order to get to a place where they are ready to learn. This is very challenging in a traditional classroom.
WHY TRADITIONAL TEACHING METHODS FALL SHORT
While traditional teaching methods have been the norm for decades, they are not always successful in meeting the needs of every student.
In fact, sensory seeking students can often find traditional teaching methods unable to meet their sensory needs, leading to difficulties with focus, attention, and emotional regulation.
Children learn best when they move their bodies. However, it is challenging for this to occur in a traditional teaching environment when the expectation is that children sit at their desks and attend to lessons.
This expectation of sitting and attending can ultimately hinder their ability to learn, even if they really want to learn. I believe that the majority of children want to learn.
Therefore, it’s important to acknowledge the shortcomings of traditional teaching methods when it comes to meeting the needs of sensory-seeking students.
Sensory balls are a fantastic tool for providing tactile stimulation and engaging children with autism in social play.
These balls come in various shapes, sizes, and textures, allowing therapists to customize the sensory experience to meet each child’s unique needs.
The tactile sensations offered by sensory balls can range from soft and squishy to bumpy and textured, providing a diverse sensory input that can be both calming and stimulating.
During play, you can use sensory balls in a variety of ways to promote tactile stimulation. For example, they can encourage children to roll the balls between their hands, feeling the different textures and noticing the changes in pressure as they squeeze and release.
This not only engages the sense of touch but also helps improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
THE BENEFITS OF SENSORY PROCESSING STRATEGIES FOR THE SENSORY SEEKING STUDENT
Implementing sensory processing strategies can have significant benefits for all students, not just those who are sensory-seeking.
By utilizing techniques such as flexible seating options, and sensory tools to provide them with additional sensory input, students can feel more comfortable and engaged in the learning process.
Additionally, creating a supportive learning environment that acknowledges and accommodates the needs of sensory-seeking students can lead to a more inclusive and effective learning experience for everyone.
By understanding the limitations of traditional teaching methods and embracing sensory processing strategies, students can thrive in the classroom and beyond.,
PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE SENSORY SEEKING STUDENT.
Implementing sensory processing strategies in the classroom can be a game-changer for sensory-seeking- students. Here are a few practical ways that teachers can implement these strategies:
But wait!!!! Before we talk about strategies that can help, it’s important to know that every child’s needs are different, and this list does not replace the important value of consulting with a school-based occupational therapist.
Children benefit from individual plans of care, and not every strategy works the same way for every child. It often requires a little trial and error. Ok, that being said, here are some strategies that may help sensory-seeking students.
5 STRATEGIES TO HELP THE SENSORY SEEKING STUDENT
Therabands can be a great tool to help students attend at their desks. Just tie it around the front 2 legs of their chair, and they can swing their legs against it for some resistance and calming proprioceptive input. Their body is receiving needed sensory input while their bodies are seated, calm, and ready to learn.
Sensory-seeking students often benefit from alternative seating arrangements. Placing a wiggle cushion on their chair can offer them some movement that they may be seeking while seated at their desk.
Weighted lap pads can be another great way for a sensory seeking student to reives more calming sensory input while they are seated at their desk.
Some sensory seeking students benefit by using fidgets as a way to keep their hands busy to improve their attention. Different fidgets work for different students. It’s best to try a bunch at home to see which one works as a fidget to improve attention and which ones are just distracting toys.
5. MOVEMENT BREAKS
Students should be able to request a movement break when needed. Empower your child to recognize how their body is feeling and when they need more sensory input. You can help them learn how and when to\ advocate for their own needs.
When trying out these different strategies, It’s important to remember the purpose. These are sensory strategies with the goal of increasing the student’s attention and ability to learn. If they are distracting, then they are toys, not sensory strategies, and should not be implemented for this purpose.
By implementing these simple strategies, we can create a more inclusive learning environment for all students, especially those who are sensory-seekers.
It’s important to recognize that traditional teaching methods may not work for everyone and that small changes can significantly improve learning outcomes.
I’d love you hear your comments and questions. Please leave them below.
