how sensory integration can assist in effective teaching ...€¦ · sensory integration is a...

How sensory integration can assist in effective teaching

and learning

Rita NelSES Department of Education Free state province Motheo District.

A Practical Approach

Explaining the senses• Vision

• Visual System

• Hearing• Auditory System

• Touch• Tactile System

• Smell• Olfactory System

• Taste• Oral System

• Vestibular• Sensory Information received from our middle ear that is related to balance and

movement

• Proprioception• Sensory information we receive from our muscles, joints and body parts

How does your senses work together to open a doorknob

1. Look at it ( Visual)2. You place your hand on the doorknob

(Visual and Tactile)1. You squeeze the knob with proper pressure and turn it (tactile

and proprioceptive)2. You pull the door with the right strength (vestibular,

proprioceptive, visual, tactical)3. If the door makes a sound you hear it (auditory)4. You walk through the doorway, stepping over the door-jamb

(visual, vestibular, proprioceptive)B.Arwine (2005) Starting Sensory Integration Therapy. USA. Future Horizons

So what is sensory integration then?

Ayres said that: “Sensory integration is a neurobiological process that organizes sensation from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively within the environment. Sensory integration is information processing.”

Ayres, A. J. (1986 and 1989). Sensory integration and Praxis Tests. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.

Why Sensory Integration?

Sensory integration theory is supported by three hypothesizes: 1. Learning is dependent on the ability of the student to receive

sensory information, process the information, and integrate the information into a plan and organized behavior;

2. If the student has a deficit in processing and integrating sensory input, then there will be a deficit in planning and producing behaviors; and

3. Providing students with opportunities for sensory experiences enhances the ability of the central nervous system to process and integrate sensory information.

Botts, B. (2006). Snoezelen: Empirical review of product representation. Unpublished dissertation.

Everything we do relies on our central nervous system (our brain and spinal cord and nerves). Then we get all our information from our

senses and their individual systems. These senses provide

our brain with all the information it needs to grow, learn and develop

all of our actions, skills and preferences.

Thorpe, H (2015). Sensory processing resource pack: for schools keystage 1- 4.Accessed on 24 July 2019

{https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/Library/SensoryProcessingresourcepackforschoolsKS14August2016.pdf}

https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/Library/SensoryProcessingresourcepackforschoolsKS14August2016.pdf

• Sensory Integration is a speciality field of Occupational Therapy. If you think that a learner needs professional help with sensory integration, refer them to a Occupational Therapist who specialises in the field.

• The identification factors and techniques in this presentation is designed to assist learners with sensory integration in a classroom session.

How do I know learners need sensory input?

• Under responsiveness• Individuals who are under-responsive to input are often seen as passive, quiet,

uninterested, or lazy. They do not respond to sensory input unless it is intense.

• Over responsiveness• Individuals with over-responsivity to sensation may withdraw from certain types

of touch, cover their ears in response to everyday sounds, and/or avoid movement activities that are typically enjoyable. They may also have limited diets, easily get overwhelmed in certain environments, demonstrate strong emotional reactions to sensory stimuli, and engage in disruptive behaviors when demands become too great.

Jordan, K.A (2019) Sensory Strategies for the Classroom Sensory Under-Responders accessed on 20/06/2019 {https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/IRCA/SensoryUnder-Responders.pdf}

Parham, L. D., & Mailloux, Z. (2005). Sensory integration. In J. CaseSmith (Ed.), Occupational therapy for children (5th ed., pp. 356–409). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby (Original work published 1985).

https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/IRCA/SensoryUnder-Responders.pdf

How can I identify learners that need sensory input and how can I

assist them in the class?

Auditory system

• Over responsiveness

• Covers ears during lessons or on the playground.

• Is bothered or distracted by background noise

• Asks other learners to keep quiet, even when they are whispering

• Refuses to participate in activities where there is a lot of noise.

Abrahams, D. (2019) Cheat Sheets for Sensory Processing. Accessed on 21/06/2019 {https://lemonlimeadventures.com}Thorpe, H (2015). Sensory processing resource pack: for schools keystage 1- 4.Accessed on 24 July 2019 {https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/Library/SensoryProcessingresourcepackforschoolsKS14August2016.pdf}

https://lemonlimeadventures.com/


How to assist these learners:

• Seat the student away from other learners and close to the

teacher.

• Avoid playing loud music or the radio

• Play calming music (White noise/ soft music)

• Allow to use headphones when doing individual work

• Have a noise meter in the class to make all learners aware of

noise levels

Auditory system




• Under responsiveness

• Prefer loud music.

• Always uses an “outside voice”

• Makes loud noises in quiet settings

Auditory system




• How to assist these learners:

• Sing songs to get attention

• Use musical instruments when available and necessary

• Provide pre-recorded books / hand-outs

Auditory system





• Easily distracted by visual stimuli – to many posters on classroom walls.

• Sensitive to bright lights

• Will have difficulty to concentrate in a room where there is bright,

contrasting colours.

• Scared of moving objects

Visual system





• Remove clutter from room

• Paint classroom in “calming” pastel colours.

• Use natural light in the classroom, but avoid learners sitting in direct sunlight.

• Allow learners to sit in cubicle to avoid looking around.

• Give a eye break

Visual system





• Stares at bright light.

• Stares at moving objects.

• Frequently loses place on a page.

• Moves and or shakes head while writing

Visual system





• Use sensory bottles / calming jars

• Have a visual daily programme

Visual system





• Avoids certain textures

• Doesn’t like messy play

• Avoids hugs / physical contact


• Using sensory bins

• Using Sensory dough

Tactile system





• Always seems dirty / messy

• Hurtful to other learners by hitting,

pushing

• Puts things in their mouths

Tactile system





• Squeeze “stress balls”

• Weighted activities : Sammy snake / glove with rice in it. Backpack with

books.

• Chewy on back of pencils.

• Rubber band on back of pencil

Tactile system





• Scared of Movement activities

• Fearful of playground equipment

• Appear clumsy

• Dislikes being turned upside down

Vestibular system





• Encourage swinging

• Encourage jumping on Trampoline

• Weighted items

• Slow, controlled movement and movement with rhythm.

Vestibular system





• Unable to sit still

• Needs to be in constant motion

• Can be very impulsive

• Takes unsafe risks

Vestibular system





• Games like freeze dance

• Spinning

• Movement cushions

• Tennis balls attached to chair

Vestibular system





• Appears lazy

• Avoids active activities

• Avoids touching activities

• Prefers to sit still

Proprioception system





• Bear hugs (Self hug)

• Animal walks

• Carrying / Lifting boxes





• Under responsiveness in

• Runs into people or things

• Uses extreme force

• Poor personal space

• Chews clothing, pens, fingers






• Stress balls

• Therapy putty / Gloop

• Wall push-ups

• Therapy ball to sit on

• Elastic and ball

• Tennisball in sock

• Chewy on Pencil





Share your thoughts

Discuss with the person next to you ways that you can adapt your classroom to assist learners with sensory integration.

Acknowledgements• Martie du Plessis school:

• The SI kits• Occupational Therapy team who developed the SI-kit.• Occupational Therapist: Petro du Plessis for her inputs and

assistance with all the terminology and making the practical activities work.

• Gr 1-3 teachers for their valuable input.

Rita [email protected] 082 494 2585

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