Sensory solutions in the classroom: teacher’s guide to fidgeting, inattention and restlessness

Every teacher knows them - the students who are continuously balancing on their chair legs or who prefer to hide in their hoodies all day long. These students are using all kinds of tricks to be able to stay focused, as they are under- or overresponsive to sensory input and trying to restore their balance. Children who struggle with processing sensory input can experience a wide range of symptoms, including hypersensitivity to sound, sight and touch, poor fine motor skills and easy distractibility. Using this accessible, science-based guide, school staff can support these students by understanding their symptoms and how they impact their learning. Teachers can learn to look at students in a different way: through so-called 'SPi glasses', introduced in the book. With these glasses on, you learn to recognize behaviours linked to sensory processing and respond quickly, easily and with more understanding, without using a diagnosis, medication or therapy. The techniques provided help children feel settled and soothed at school, enabling them to learn and communicate better. Creating the perfect learning environment for all students - a sensory supportive classroom - this tried and tested guide is an essential tool for teachers (with or without prior knowledge of SPD), to better support and understand their students and their sensory needs.