As teachers welcome students back into the classroom it is important to consider environmental factors that may be distracting or overstimulating for students with autism. Reducing environmental stimuli makes it easier for students to focus on concepts being taught while reducing competing distractions. Often when students with autism are presented with too much visual or auditory input, processing may slow down, or if overloaded, processing may stop completely. Today's Regulation Rendezvous provides ways to reduce visual and auditory clutter with examples from across the Miami Valley.
Ways to Reduce Visual Clutter
- Consider how much information is posted on classroom walls and determine what is necessary for instruction.
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| Calendar Area Curtain Shanon Vance Valley Forge Elementary, Huber Heights |
- Put extraneous materials and supplies in cabinets, boxes, drawers, or folders.
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| Material Storage Pam Locker Washington Primary, Piqua |
- Cover open shelves with a solid fabric.
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| Shelf cover Rylie Jarrett Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
- During independent work, use a study carrel or an individual student work area (bordered by a wall or corner of the classroom) away from the other students. Use dividers to block areas that may be distracting when working.
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| Cardboard portable divider Jamie Minnish Prass Elementary, Kettering |
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| Portable folding divider Terri Weiss Kettering Middle School, Kettering |
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| Portable folding divider Washington Primary, Piqua |
- Natural lighting via windows can be beneficial. The use of blinds, curtains, or shades can control the amount of light coming into the instructional environment creating a warm and calm environment.
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| Classroom lamp Jackie Vollmer Driscoll Elementary, Centerville |
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| Student desk lamp Rachael Bissett Springcreek Primary, Piqua |
- Use a visual cue (e.g. gesture, visual cue ring, etc.) for behavioral redirection for all of the students within the classroom, including the student with autism.
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| Visual Behavior Cues Bridgette Powers Miami East Elementary, Miami East |
- Carpeting, area rugs, soft furniture, and gym mats absorb sound vibration.
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| Soft furniture and area rugs Kate Pennington Kettering ECEC, Kettering |
- Consider turning off the classroom P.A. system or cover it with foam to mute the sound.
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| Foam covered PA system Jennifer McGowan Smith MS, Vandalia |
- Use of headphones intermittently during independent work or while at the computer may be helpful.
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| Noise-dampening headphones Angie Kleinhans Stebbins HS, Mad River |
For more great examples of ways to decrease visual and auditory clutter in the classroom check out our previous post:
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