Children act out in the classroom for a variety of reasons. They may be tired, bored, frustrated or dealing with sensory overwhelm. Parents and teachers are becoming increasingly aware of the connection between sensory triggers and challenging behaviors, particularly in a classroom setting. Minimizing sensory triggers can lead to improved behavior and an inclusive environment for all students. With these tips, teachers and parents can formulate a plan to address concerns while meeting the needs of the child.
Learn the Signs of Sensory Overwhelm
For many children, sensory sensitivity can create several problems in the classroom. Children with autism and ADHD often feel sensory experiences more fully than others, which can lead to sensory overwhelm. Adults can empathize with the experience by imagining how they might feel if asked to complete certain tasks under very bright lighting, with loud noises surrounding them. Sensory overwhelm can present in a variety of ways, including:
- Covering eyes or ears
- Hiding under blankets or tables
- Crying
- Refusing to talk to others, including teachers and peers
- General increase in irritability
Certain conditions can increase the likelihood of sensory overwhelm even if the environment is designed to minimize sensory triggers. Children who are hungry, tired, frustrated or feeling sick may be more likely to react to sensory triggers.
Minimize Sensory Triggers in the Classroom
With an understanding of the common signs of sensory overwhelm, teachers and parents can start to evaluate the classroom for common sensory triggers. Avoiding sensory overwhelm does not mean that the classroom should provide no sensory stimulation. Rather, the environment should be structured to reduce the number of triggers that children have to deal with at any given time. Common approaches might include:
- Keeping spaces tidy and delineated for specific tasks
- Reducing lighting to minimum reasonable levels
- Using alternative light sources instead of overhead lighting
- Increasing soundproofing to avoid disruptions from other classrooms
- Focusing on one sensory experience at a time, such as sound or touch
- Increasing structure in the classroom and the schedule
For sensory experiences that are unavoidable, teachers should consider implementing supports to prepare children for the experience. Using visual schedules, social stories or communication devices can help children understand what to expect and communicate their needs.
Perform a Functional Behavior Assessment
Fundamentally, challenging behaviors usually have a function. A child might be overwhelmed, overstimulated, concerned about an issue or struggling to communicate a need. These problems present as acting out, such as making noises, stimming, failing to listen to directions or trying to leave the space.
Performing a functional behavior assessment can identify the problem, creating opportunity for effective solutions. With an FBA, a parent or teacher makes a note of the actions preceding the behavior, the behavior and the consequences of the behavior. The person conducting the assessment should provide as much detail as possible to provide necessary context for creating a behavior intervention plan.
Formulate Plans for Behavior Concerns
Even if the challenging behaviors result from completely understandable circumstances, parents and teachers may still need to work to minimize these occurrences. With the information from the FBA, they can identify possible solutions to the problem and put it into a behavior intervention plan. Teachers and parents can get ideas by researching tips for handling conflict.
A behavior intervention plan identifies the cause of the behavior, the specific behavior that the teacher is trying to address and the desired results of the incident. Ideally, the BIP specifies a course that will allow the child time and experience to make improvements with measurable goals that teachers can follow to determine progress toward achievement.
Coping with a classroom full of children can be difficult at times, especially when students are facing several sensory triggers. By evaluating the classroom and tailoring it to students with sensory sensitivities, teachers can create an environment that is comfortable and conducive to learning.
Silke Lessner is a dedicated psychologist with a specialization in Educational Psychology. Lessner has more than 15 years of experience in teaching and training, and has worked with both students and adults in continuing education programs. Before holding a position as Head of Training and Development at a company with more than 6,000 employees for five years, Lessner was a self-employed Corporate Trainer and Coach. Her expertise lies in fostering professional growth and educational development across diverse settings.
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