In developing a comprehensive intervention plan for students with autism and other disabilities, it is important to mindfully plan sensory supports to meet their unique needs. District Occupational Therapists can provide guidance for individualized supports.
In addition to being purposeful in what supports to provide, the educational team should also be mindful of when supports will be implemented. We recommend proactive implementation of sensory supports to help reduce student stress levels and better prepare them for learning. One way to proactively provide supports is through scheduling proactive sensory breaks throughout the student's school day. These breaks should be consistently provided and should not be contingent upon work completion or behavior. Providing sensory supports for students should be viewed as equally important as academic instruction because we know that in order to perform externally, students must be internally regulated.
Initially, provide at least one proactively scheduled sensory break in the morning and one in the afternoon. Often these are scheduled immediately following or immediately before more difficult times such as big transitions (i.e. arrival, dismissal) or more sensory-rich times of day (i.e. specials, lunch, recess). The duration and frequency of sensory breaks may need to be increased for some students based on their individual needs. For some students, they may need sensory supports every 45-60 minutes in order to be at the optimal level of functioning. Educational teams should consult with the student's OT to know how frequently to schedule breaks and supports.
Today's Regulation Rendezvous highlights ideas for Proactively Scheduled Sensory Breaks for students across all age and ability levels.
Daily Routines
In some classrooms, sensory breaks are naturally embedded into the daily schedule. For example, a teacher may start the day with a calming movement routine, yoga, or a calming GoNoodle routine. These activities are often repeated after lunch to help students calm their bodies before focusing on their afternoon work.
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| Beth Young and Toni Cockerham Snyder Park Elementary, Springfield |
Transitions can also be a great time to embed sensory supports into the school day. Incorporate movement stations into the hallway or give students a heavy work job.
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| Leslie Mann Demmitt Elementary, Vandalia |
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| Emily Ottmar Brantwood Elementary, Mad River |
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| Terri Wheeler West Milton Elementary, West Milton |
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| Studebaker Preschool, Huber Heights |
Predetermined Activity
When first incorporating sensory breaks, it can be a good idea to select 1-2 predetermined activities (such as movement activities, brushing, or a special delivery job) to implement at designated times. This helps the team determine if the support is actually beneficial and can also make implementation less overwhelming.
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| Emily Ottmar Brantwood Elementary, Mad River |
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| Rylie Jarrett Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
Choices
As the team begins to identify several effective sensory supports, students can begin to choose which support they would like to use during their break. This is a great strategy for students who are resistant to adult-directed tasks and need more shared control in what activities they complete throughout the school day. Students can choose among equipment provided or can be given visual choices.
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| Traci Parker Forest Elementary, Troy |
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| Emily Ottmar Brantwood Elementary, Mad River |
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| Shannon Vance Valley Forge Elementary, Huber Heights |
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| Keelin DiMuccio Fairbrook Elementary, Beavercreek |
Sequences
Some students may need a longer break to provide more input or to give more time to decompress. Giving students a sequence of activities to complete during their break can be a nice way to structure this time. When providing sequences, we suggest starting with more active or movement activities (if needed) and always ending with calming activities such as heavy work or deep pressure.
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| Chelsea Thome Horace Mann Elementary, Springfield |
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| Emily Ottmar Brantwood Elementary, Mad River |
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| JFK Elementary, Kettering |
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| Allysson Rudnicki Tippecanoe High School, Tipp City |
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| Christina Barhorst Wright Brothers Elementary, Huber Heights |
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| Ashley O'Diam National Trail Elementary, National Trail |
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| Shannon Vance Valley Forge Elementary, Huber Heights |
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| Pam Ellender Mad River Middle School, Mad River |
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| Emily Ottmar Brantwood Elementary, Mad River |
Check-Ins
As student's begin to develop their own self-management skills, you can begin tying in their state of regulation with choosing what sensory support is appropriate. During their proactively scheduled sensory break, students perform a "check-in" to determine their current state of regulation and then they choose their support accordingly using visuals like those shown below. There are many specific programs such as Incredible 5 Point Scale, Zones of Regulation, or How Does Your Engine Run that teams can use for more guidance with check-ins.
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JFK Elementary, Kettering |
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