Students in special and general education alike may have sensory differences that make participating in the school environment challenging. The way in which our brains process, interpret and then respond to sensory input from the environment impacts how we learn. As a school-based occupational therapist, I often collaborate with teams to find strategies that can support all students in their classrooms. One of the most common questions I receive relates to how to support students who are “sensory seekers”. These are students who are seeking extra sensory input [from one or more of the sensory systems] beyond what is naturally provided by their classroom environment. Below are some of the tools I frequently recommend, but please remember: always consult your school’s occupational therapist for customized suggestions to meet your student’s unique needs!
Alternative Seating for Sensory Seekers
There are tons of different seating options to support sensory seekers. Many general education classrooms already offer flexible eating options, however, making sure that the child maintains proper positioning is of the utmost importance. This is especially true if we are requiring the child to produce a legible written response. Check out Taylor’s blog on proper positioning for some basic principles that should always be followed when looking at a desk set up regardless of your setting. I have many students who use Bouncy Bands [affiliate link] on the bottom of their chairs on desks to allow for additional “kicking”/”bouncing” movement and input through their joints to improve in seat behavior. I like these because they are typically pretty discrete [not easily noticed by classmates], and they are easy to offer on a variety of different seats.
For students who might not need as much deep pressure/input to their joints, but are looking for more movement than their traditional seat allows, consider trying a wobble stool or seat cushion! Again, these are not for everyone, and they might not be best used all day every day. Mix it up! Wobble stools require a significant amount of core strength, so students may fatigue on them easily.
Are you looking to add some more dynamic/flexible seating into your classroom? Michelle shares some great ideas for flexible seating in the special education classroom! Many of those same tools can be used in general education as well!
Oral Sensory Seekers
Students, both in special and general education, may “mouth” classroom materials (such as pencils, their shirts, etc.) for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons might be that the student is seeking additional tactile or proprioceptive sensory input.
Heavy Work
Proprioception is a complex sensory system that helps a person know how and where their body is moving. Deep pressure to muscles/joints really activates this system system (like the input to your jaw when chewing). If you’d like more information on proprioception, Taylor has a great blog discussing this internal sense and “heavy work” activities that help to meet these sensory seeking needs!
Consider grabbing the Sensory Self Regulation Toolkit to support students in independently using sensory strategies for self-regulation!
Replacements
You may be able to decrease unsafe chewing behaviors with heavy work activities as they are both calming/regulating and target the proprioceptive system. However, there are times when a safer replacement may be necessary. Keep in mind the age-appropriateness of the item as well as school rules/policies. You might consider trying:
- Chewing gum
- Drinking thick liquids through a straw
- I have some students who use water bottles with silicone straws (ex: CamelBak®)
- Crunchy/chewy snack breaks or foods with strong tastes/cold temperature
- Chewy tubes/necklaces on breakaway lanyards
Tactile Sensory Seekers
Fidgets have become pretty commonplace in general education classrooms. I always go over how to use a fidget [or any sensory item] as a “tool and not a toy” before introducing it for classroom use. Often, we have teachers talk to the entire class about how everyone needs a little something different to help them learn best; just because one student has access to a fidget, doesn’t mean the whole class needs one!
Utilizing multi-sensory approaches in teaching and learning activities can also meet the needs of all your students! Consider incorporating multi-sensory strategies as UDL in your classroom! Use scented markers or play dough to add an olfactory component! Use iPad apps with music/sound effects to meet auditory seeker’s needs. I’m a huge proponent of incorporating a variety of your senses into learning experiences. Check out my blog on multi-sensory letter formation for some more ideas!
Sensory Rooms or Paths
Lastly, if your student’s sensory needs don’t seem to be able to be met within the general education classroom, consult with your occupational therapist (OT)! There might be some other strategies or spaces within the school that your student can utilize! My district has sensory rooms in each building which are available to all students with the supervision of a trained staff member. We also got a grant to fund sensory paths in each of the elementary school buildings! Learn how we prepared for the sensory paths and then implemented them in my blog series!
Need more sensory-based strategies/ideas for your classroom setting? Check out some of our other Simply Special Ed blogs below:
- How to Create a Sensory Room on a Budget
- 15 Must Haves for Your Sensory Room
- Sensory Bins in an ECSE Classroom
- Holiday Sensory Bins
- Spring Sensory Bins with Academic Skills
- DIY Sensory Room Tour
- 4 Ideas for A Calm Down Corner
