Creating a Sensory-Friendly Classroom Environment for All Learners
Regulation. That is where it starts. Everyone’s body works to keep it regulated throughout the day. For some, this is easy for their body to do. For others, it is a struggle. Being regulated, at the core, is what allows us to focus, be productive, and accomplish tasks throughout the day¹. So what happens when our bodies are out of sync, and not regulated? What happens when our bodies struggle to regulate itself?
When our body struggles to regulate itself, we lose the ability to focus, function, and complete the tasks in front of us. Tapping your pen, shaking your leg, strumming your fingers, humming, the list is endless. All of these are ways your body subconsciously works to keep itself regulated. The fact is we all have to work to keep ourselves regulated. Regulation works hand in hand with the sensory system. And we all, at some level have sensory sensitivities.
The regulatory system relies on the sensory system in the body. The sensory system gives information to the regulatory systems which in return determines how your body responds and reacts, to put it simply. When this is unaligned or not functioning properly, it is our job to assist the body. If we assist our bodies in regulation, we will be able to be at our best, able to perform, focus and complete our tasks.
If all people experience sensory sensitivities, it only makes sense that we should incorporate a sensory-friendly environment into our daily lives, including the classroom. And the best part, it is easier to do than you might think! Teachers across all age groups - from preschools to high schools and beyond - can adopt and adapt these strategies to fit the needs of their students. Sensory needs may change as we age, but utilizing some of these strategies can help everyone, regardless of age, perform at their best.
So what does a sensory-friendly classroom look like? There are two areas to think about when creating your sensory-friendly environment. You should focus on the five senses - touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell. The second area of focus would be the classroom structure meaning routines, communications, and activities. By paying attention to these two areas, you can help to keep your students regulated and ready to take on the day! Let’s look at these areas in detail.
A quiet reading nook is perfect for students who need a quiet place to refocus. Add a carpet and a timer and this is a perfect place to read in class or simply take a break.
Strategies for your sensory-friendly classroom. Let’s break down the two focus areas and look at how to prepare your classroom to help all students reach their full potential. The first is the physical classroom setting, which incorporates the five senses. The first three are the most significant focus areas, but the last two should also be given thought.
Touch: When considering what should belong in your classroom, it is important to consider the physical texture. While some items are standard, as we understand more about sensory needs and body regulation, more adaptive materials have become available. One of my favorite things to have in the classroom for my students is different forms of seating. Many people fidget to help stay regulated and focused and this stability ball chair and wiggle seat are an all-time favorite for students. You may also want to consider a bin of quiet fidgets where anyone who needs one can go get one. I enjoy shopping on Antsylabs but your local store is likely to have fidgets in the toy section as well.
Sight: Lighting is very important to our visual sensory needs. You will want to find the balance between using the lighting provided by the building you are in and some dimmer settings. Visually, the layout of the classroom is important as well. Having a reading nook with soft seats right next to the doorway leading to the hall isn’t always a good idea. The hallway is a distracting area in more ways than one. The room needs to be sectioned off in a way that limits distractions and has a smooth flow for both traffic and transitions. The key to keeping our sensory needs regulated visually is balance. A clean crisp look will help eliminate overstimulation. Keep it decorated, but not cluttered.
Hearing: Following suit in keeping the classroom visually aesthetic for our learners, it’s also important for our auditory needs. Having a quiet reading nook would not be a good placement by the hall door, but it would be a good placement in the back of the class away from high-traffic areas. When working in small groups, allowing students to wear noise-reducing headphones helps those who are sensitive to loud noises. For those students who need a little noise, having soft instrumental music going in the background or white noise can help improve focus.
Smell: This is something that often goes overlooked. Even something as simple as trashcan placement can trigger a sensory sensitivity. Let’s say you allow your students to have a snack midway through the lesson. One student brings in a tuna sandwich which they did not finish. It ends up in the trashcan next to a student who has a sensitive sense of smell. This student is now distracted by the smell for the remainder of class unable to focus. When thinking of trashcan placement, you want to make sure they are placed away from seating. The same goes for air fresheners or anything with a strong fragrance.
Taste: Now you might be thinking, how does taste apply to the classroom? Well, it is not common but there is always a chance it will. Are you someone who likes to have a jar of snacks available, or do you use food as a means of teaching? It is important to always keep allergies in mind but also to think about the textures of foods and how available you want food to be. Is the food going to be a distraction or is it going to benefit the teaching and learning in the room?
The classroom structure is next. The routines, communications, and activities that happen in the classroom. Out of all of these, communication is the most important. Humans, by nature, are creatures of habit. We thrive when we know how our day is going to unfold. Having a clear schedule laid out for your class will prevent any sudden surprises or upsets for students who rely on routine. Communicating ahead of time that transitions will occur can prepare the students for the change and allow them to be ready to clean up and move on to the next activity.
Taking a moment at the beginning of each new subject or at the beginning of class to give a quick rundown of what they can expect will give the students the ability to prepare their minds. Some students will need to know ahead of time if they are doing group work. Group work could be something that makes them nervous, and they may need a little extra time to prepare for that. If the activity planned involves transitioning to a new room, some students will need time to prepare for going into the halls where it is loud.
The key to keeping the classroom structure sensory-friendly is open communication. Over-communicate, both verbally and non-verbally, what will be happening, but keep the communication clear and concise. Have schedules on the board, and if possible, add room transitions to the schedule. If something is going to be very out of routine, give plenty of time for the class to prepare. Have the special event posted in the room, make announcements throughout the day and week, and ask the students how they feel about the event. All of this allows students to prepare for the changes.
Looking at these techniques for a sensory-friendly classroom, it is easy to see how important keeping bodily regulation is. And many of these techniques can be used beyond the high school level. As we become more aware of the importance of body regulation and sensory needs, companies² are even starting to be open to some of the techniques that our young learners are using. The reason behind it: they get better results. Their staff is more energized, focused, and ready to produce results. A sensory-friendly classroom environment has proven time and time again to be the best for everyone all around. It minimizes classroom behavioral issues while allowing students to perform at a higher level, and why? All because you, the teacher, gave them a safe place to keep their body regulated and their sensory needs met.
