Meeting a student's sensory needs has proven to be a need in our educational environments. Research has shown that up to 88% of students with an identified disability have difficulty processing sensory input. Additionally, up to 90% of individuals with autism have difficulty processing sensory input. Based on these statistics, a student’s sensory modulation style can have an impact in the school and/or home environment. Proactively embedding supports throughout the day can help a student self-regulate across all environments.
The current educational demands posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic can make it hard for students to have their sensory needs met. Prolonged screen time during remote instruction, limitations on movement within the classroom, and concerns about sanitizing sensory tools and equipment can all impact the student’s sensory processing which then impacts their academic performance. Today’s Regulation Rendezvous will provide ideas for Meeting Sensory Needs During In-Person and Remote Learning During COVID.
COVID Challenge: Prolonged Screen Time
Research shows that students have limited amounts of time that they can concentrate on a lesson in one sitting. Elementary students can typically concentrate for 10-15 minutes while middle school and high schools students can focus for 20-30 minutes. Keep in mind, these are the general guidelines for typically developing students, therefore students with disabilities may have shorter attention spans.
- Schedule Class-wide Brain Breaks: Schedule brain breaks at regular intervals for students. During in-person learning, you can project movement videos for students to do in their assigned area. While video conferencing with students remotely, you can screen share these videos for everyone to do a movement break. Brain breaks can also be embedded into the student’s asynchronous remote learning times.
- GoNoodle: GoNoodle is a video site with a variety of guided dance, movement, yoga, and mindfulness videos for students. To find the best fit for your student, navigate the video options using the Categories.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga: The Cosmic Kids Yoga host, Jamie, leads students through yoga, mindfulness, and relaxation videos geared towards young kids. Many of the videos incorporate popular kid’s characters and themes.
- Moovlee YouTube: Moovlee is an animated monkey who leads students through movement videos. Each video is clearly labeled “calm” or “alert” making it easy to tailor to specific student needs.
- Unicef Kid Power: Unicef Kid Power videos are similar to GoNoodle, however for each video played students can earn virtual coins to trade in for food and medical supplies to donate locally or globally. Specific Kid Power videos can be assigned to students so it is easy to differentiate their sensory supports.
- The Body Coach YouTube: Joe aka The Body Coach has developed videos focused on fitness for kids. He has quick workouts in his Kid Workouts to Do at Home playlist and longer fitness routines in his PE with Joe series.
- Virtual Scavenger Hunt: During group or individual video conferencing times, ask the student to find items within their house for a virtual scavenger hunt. This can be a creative and fun way to incorporate a student’s special interests while embedding movement into their routine. You can also ask them to find items related to the lesson such as something beginning with a specific letter or a certain number of items. Keeping your student motivated and engaged will allow an activity like a virtual scavenger hunt to be an effective sensory support. Click the image below to access this great visual from Exceptional Students in the Classroom.
- Consult with Parents for Sensory Activities at Home: Share with parents what you have found works for the student at school. Work with the student’s OT and the family to brainstorm ways to replicate effective sensory strategies at home. Encourage parents to embed these sensory activities before a scheduled virtual session to prepare the student to focus and throughout long periods of remote learning to help the student stay regulated. In the spring, we published a blog post focusing on Indoor and Outdoor Sensory Strategies that can be implemented at home with convenient handouts to share with parents. Access that post here:
COVID Challenge: Limitations on Movement
Social distancing within a classroom setting causes limitations on movement options for individual students and whole group classes. These restrictions can make it challenging to meet the movement needs of your students.
Information from our tactile (touch), vestibular (movement), and proprioceptive (heavy work/deep pressure) sensory systems provides our body with the information it needs to create skilled motor output. Skilled motor output is needed for many academic tasks such as writing or completing fine motor activities as well as daily living activities such as getting dressed, completing chores, or eating a meal.
Before completing a requested task, the student may benefit from increased sensory input. Below are some ideas for how to engage in activities that increase sensory input for your student. If they have additional goals (gross motor (PT), fine motor (OT), etc.), feel free to reach out to your student’s related service providers for specific activities to incorporate.
- Schedule Sensory Breaks for the Student: Some students may need sensory breaks outside of the classroom in order to get sufficient movement and access sensory equipment (i.e. steamroller, sensory swings, trampoline, body sock, etc.) that may not be accessible in the classroom. These sensory breaks should be scheduled into a student’s day and should not be contingent upon good behavior or work productivity. Rather, sensory supports should be viewed as important as time spent on academics. Promoting and maintaining self-regulation throughout the school day provides that student the opportunity to focus and learn.
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| First-Then Schedule with Sensory Break Keelin DiMuccio Fairbrook Elementary, Beavercreek |
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| First-Then Schedule with Sensory Break Mandy Whitfield MCESC-Learning Center East, MCESC |
- Walk outside: A walk outside is a calming sensory support strategy that allows a student a brief break from demands in their classroom environment. They provide a student with the calming proprioceptive and vestibular input needed to help a student calm and refocus before returning to class. A walk can be scheduled proactively or used as an “in the moment” support. This can also be a great class-wide support to allow all students some movement in a well-ventilated space.
- Heavy Work Jobs: These can be a fun and engaging way of incorporating calming proprioceptive (heavy work) input into a student’s daily routine. Examples of heavy work jobs can include classroom duties, making deliveries, custodial activities and work tasks like sequencing books or stapling papers. For more ideas on heavy work jobs check out our previous blog post:
- Allow Access to Sensory Tools at Student’s Desk: In addition to scheduled sensory breaks, some students may need access to sensory supports while working in the classroom. These supports will allow them to maintain focus and regulation in order to complete assignments and attend to lessons.
- Proprioceptive Supports at Desk: Many students who seek proprioceptive input (deep pressure) may do so by seeking out hugs or squeezes from others. This can cause concern when considering social distancing requirements. It is important to still meet these needs through alternative activities such as weighted blankets, lap pads, lap buddy, or vests. Students can also receive proprioceptive input through desks activities like palm presses, chair push-ups, and dots and squeezies.
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| Weighted Bobcat Lori Bicknell Mound Elementry, Miamisburg |
- Vestibular Supports at Desk: Students seeking vestibular input (movement) are oftentimes the students who struggle to remain seated for extended periods of time. They are often fidgety and restless which results in rocking or tipping their chair, bouncing their legs, or falling out of their chair. These needs can be met through alternative seating options like a Zuma rocker, rocking chair, glider stool or Hokki stool. Foot fidgets or bouncy bands are other options for meeting vestibular input needs while sitting at a desk.
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| Zuma Rocker Edison Elementary, Dayton |
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| PVC Swinging Foot Fidget Lori Mackintosh Valley Forge Elementary, Huber Heights |
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| Hokki Stool with Study Carrel Greene County ESC, GCESC |
COVID Challenge: Sanitizing Sensory Tools and Equipment
In some classrooms, access to sensory supports may be limited therefore students traditionally have had to share tools and equipment. However, in the current climate of COVID this could pose a definite issue when it comes to keeping items sanitized.
- Designated bin of calming tools: Rather than sharing calming tools (i.e. fidgets, vibrating toys or massagers), students may need to have their own designated bin of tools for a set period of time which are only used by them. These tools may remain consistent for the student all year or they may be traded out. When trading out tools, staff should follow district guidelines for washing, sanitizing, and quarantining the item before giving it to another student.
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| Trotwood ELC |
Regularly Scheduled Equipment Sanitization: Before and after using communal sensory equipment, students should wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer. Additionally, communal sensory equipment should be sanitized after each use. Work with building custodial staff to determine the best method for sanitization for each piece of equipment. Additionally, develop a schedule of when equipment will be deep cleaned by custodial staff.
- Passive environmental supports: Even with COVID challenges there are still effective environmental supports that can be implemented within a classroom to help support the sensory regulation needs of your students. Dimmed lighting or use of natural lighting can be a great way to provide a calm environment. Opportunities to work in a study carrel or designated workspace can help limit distractions for a student engaged in independent work. An aroma diffuser with calming scents like vanilla or lavender can be an inviting welcome to the classroom. To block out extraneous noise or to provide a calm environment in your classroom consider playing soft, calming background music.
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| Environmental Supports (Lighting, Diffuser, Calming Music) Taylor Ruef Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
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| Study Carrel Sandy Beck Broadway Elementary, Tipp City |
Additional Resources:
Dunn, W. (2007). Supporting children to participate successfully in everyday life by using sensory processing knowledge. Infants and Young Children, 20(2), 84-101.
Schoen, S., Miller, L., Brett-Green, B., & Nielson, D. (2009). Physiological and behavioral differences in sensory processing: A comparison of children with autism spectrum disorder and sensory modulation disorder. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 3, 1-11.
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