SENSORY IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING ASD STUDENTS
Characteristics of the Sensory System 7 basic sensory stems within nervous system
– Sound Movement
– Touch Body Position
– Smell Vision
– Taste
Location of Systems
Tactile Vestibular Proprioceptive
Visual Auditory
Touch - Skin Balance – Inner Ear Body Awareness –
Muscles and Joints
Sight – Retina of Eye Hearing- Inner Ear
Location of Sensory Systems
Gustatory
Offactory
Taste – Chemical Receptors in tongue
Chemical Receptors in tongue.
Dunn’s Model for Sensory Processing Model characterizes patterns of responding Based on:
– 1, neurological thresholds- continuum runs from low to high thresholds
– 2. Self regulation strategies – a behavioral continuum runs from passive to active strategies
Neurological Threshold
Represents amount of input nervous system requires before responding.– High threshold = takes considerable input– Low threshold = takes very little input
Self Regulation
Represents range of strategies used in responding to: task and environmental demands.– Passive strategies – lets things happen – Active strategies – generates responses to
control input
Intersections of Continuums
Creates 4 basic patterns of sensory processing:
1. Low registration
2. Sensation Seeking
3. Sensory Sensitivity
4. Sensation Avoiding
Low Registration
Uninterested Self absorbed Sometimes dull affect
Sensation Seeking
Very Active Continuously engaging and excitable Pleasure from Sensory experiences Generate sensory experiences for
themselves. These students need to move and pace
while others are seated
Sensory Sensitivity
Distractible Notice and comment on sensory events Low threshold enables them to have hyper
awareness of what is around them. Have passive strategies – allow things to
happen rather than move themselves away. Sound and sight sensitive
Sensation Avoiding
Rule bound Ritual driven and appear uncooperative Engage in behaviors that limit sensory input Engage in active self-regulatory strategies
to understand and organize the sensory input.
This sensory input is often threatening
Combinations
Children do not have a single sensory processing pattern
Rather have several patterns in their repertoires
Sensation avoider for auditory stimuli but have moderate responses for other sensory system input.
Sensory Processing Concerns
Present in:– Autism– OCD– ADHD– Tourette-Syndrome– Schizophrenia
Implications for School
School environments include sensory information that is familiar but different in intensity and duration.
Difficulties
Elementary Classroom
furniture – need for movement
visually stimulating environments- distracting
Cafeteria – smell
Difficulties
Middle and High School Multiple passing periods Myriad hallways Lockers opening and closing Different numbers of teachers Different teaching styles and expectations Cooperative learning activities -
Strategies
5 strategies1. Priming
2. Working Independently
3. Visual Supports
4. Home Base
5. Social Stories
Priming
Priming – preview activity – presents materials and task process in advance of instruction (predictability)
Decreases anxiety and subsequent behavioral responses to anxiety
Working Independently
Initial instruction of strategy Plenty of practice Adjust if necessary Complete a task without assistance or
reliance from anyone to initiate, persist, and terminate
Visual Supports
Supports which are a concrete representation – Reduce ambiguity – Help anticipate– Organize physical space– Help with transition– Help to understand expectations– Can convey directions
Home Base
Access to a place apart from routine environment
A positive atmosphere not punishment or escape from tasks
May have to have more than one across contexts
Allows person to:– Plan – Regroup – Recover
Social Stories
Short stories from child’s perspective\ Describe social situations Include relevant social cues Very visually descriptive Less directive Help address – fears, obsessions, anxiety
Summary
ASD kids have complex needs Necessitate creativity to recognize reasons
and think of solutions Use their strengths Recognize their weaknesses Resist giving up