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Managing Multiple Sensory Needs While Homeschooling- Inside a 2-1 Mentoring Session with a Mom of 4
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Homeschooling Just Got Easier!
Managing Multiple Sensory Needs While Homeschooling- Inside a 2-1 Mentoring Session with a Mom of 4
Teaching children with varying sensory needs and learning preferences simultaneously can be difficult. However, as a mother of four who homeschools and has expertise in child education and music, CJ has educated herself about sensory sensitivities to support her children’s needs better.
Using her mastered techniques, she has successfully adapted her homeschooling approach to cater to children with different sensory requirements. CJ has generously offered to share these techniques with others.
Parenting Kids with Sensory Differences
As a parent, it is essential to be mindful of each child’s needs when teaching and interacting with them by speaking in a low voice, maintaining eye contact, offering frequent breaks, providing clear and simple directions, avoiding sudden loud noises or bright lights, setting realistic expectations for the day, being aware of body lage, and avoiding punishments.
When creating an environment conducive to learning, it is essential to offer options that make students feel welcome and comfortable, such as:
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Providing noise-canceling headphones
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Adjusting the lighting in different areas
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Offering a variety of flexible seating options
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Providing preferred writing materials.
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Turn off distractions such as TVs and radios during lessons
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Playing calming music in the background
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Using essential oils can also promote relaxation
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Offering anxiety-reducing activities such as coloring books, fidget toys, and puzzles.
When parenting children with sensory sensitivities, it’s essential to be patient and understanding. Remember that each child has unique needs and may require different learning approaches.
Creating a Successful Learning Environment
It is crucial to create an environment where children can learn at their own pace and in their own unique style. CJ recommends dividing the lesson plans into smaller sections and assigning them to one or two children at a time to increase their focus while caring for their sensory needs and preferences.
Encouraging children to take charge of their education by letting them select educational activities that captivate their interests is recommended. Providing hands-on learning opportunities such as creating clay models or writing stories with plenty of positive feedback and encouragement as children learn.
These techniques have helped CJ manage her children’s needs and preferences, improving the learning experience for everyone involved. With these tips, parents can also utilize them to create a thriving learning environment for their kids with different sensory requirements.
Engage Children In The Process Of Designing Their Own Sensory Environment
To help your children communicate their sensory needs, encourage them to express how they feel and what they sense in their environment. You can ask them to rate the noise level or other sensory input on a scale from one to ten, which will help you choose appropriate activities for each child.
Creating a sensory profile or reference chart for each child can be helpful. For instance, you could incorporate quiet tasks into daily activities if a child is sensitive to sounds. Alternatively, you can choose activities with louder or movement-based components for a child that isn’t as sensitive to sounds.
Connecting Primitive Reflexes And Sensory Needs For Homeschooling
To your child’s sensory and bodily awareness, encourage them to participate in activities that cater to their needs. Start with a high-intensity movement stimulation activity before you begin homeschooling, but balance it with proprioceptive feedback and allow your child to choose.
If your child is sensitive to auditory distractions and needs sensory regulation, activities like rolling on the floor or using weighted objects can be beneficial while using listening programs such as The Listening Program by Advanced Brain Technologies and the Safe and Sound Protocol. These programs can help regulate your child’s auditory responses.
We have some more ideas to share that might help:
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Astronaut Training Program: simultaneously delivers visual, auditory, and vestibular stimulation.
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Over-Under Exercise: involves lifting an object over your head and tapping it behind your head. Then you maneuver the ball to pass it down under your legs and repeat this sequence several times. The twisting side-to-side exercise also includes passing a ball back and forth, providing rotary vestibular input.
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Starfish Exercise: place a weight on your right arm and right leg, and move them simultaneously like a starfish. Then switch the weights to your left arm and leg and repeat.
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Robot Zapping Game: ask the child to touch the same finger in different directions while someone stands behind them. Alternatively, stick some stickers on the wall and have the child locate and touch specific ones while reaching across their body.
Finally, children with difficulty controlling their hand movements may act silly or restless to avoid specific tasks. It’s essential to check if they have a persistent palmar grasp reflex, as this can affect their hand movements and responses. This reflex could signal tactile sensitivity issues, which can cause discomfort.
Suggestions For Your High-Energy Sensory Seeker
Children require a lot of stimulation, so it Is vital to create well-defined boundaries and routines to assist them in meeting expectations. Additionally, their sensory preferences may change daily, so it’s beneficial to be adaptable to their schedule.
Here are some suggestions to assist children who have high energy levels:
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Use a visual schedule to map out your lesson time and break times.
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Develop a sensory diet to prepare your child’s body and mind to learn.
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An emotional regulation program, like the zones of regulation and frequent check-ins.
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Break the task into smaller steps to make it more achievable.
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Allow plenty of time for movement breaks throughout your lesson plans.
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Provide tactile/fidgets during learning time.
Managing multiple sensory needs while homeschooling can be daunting, but it is possible to create a successful learning environment with the right strategies and tools.
Meeting All Children’s Needs Simultaneously
The Zones of Regulation program is a valuable resource that can be tailored to suit each child’s specific needs, aiding in teaching emotions and sensory activities. It assists children in recognizing how their body responds in various circumstances, leading to improved regulation of their physical reactions.
Additionally, creating obstacle courses can be an enjoyable family activity that engages every child. It also offers a sensory routine with distinct actions for each child while exercising their Praxis skills.
To help older children stay engaged, suggest that they create obstacle courses based on their interests. Each child can take turns constructing and designing the courses, and then all can participate in each other’s creations.
Your child will experience more sensitive days and other days when things go smoothly. It is crucial to remain patient and empathetic to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met.
You can devise effective ways to homeschool children with diverse sensory requirements by utilizing creative problem-solving techniques. With affection and perseverance, you can foster a learning atmosphere that ensures their comfort, confidence, and enthusiasm to learn.
BORING, BUT NECESSARY LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
While we make every effort to share correct information, we are still learning. We will double check all of our facts but realize that medicine is a constantly changing science and art. One doctor / therapist may have a different way of doing things from another. We are simply presenting our views and opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties and what we have found to be beneficial that will be as evidenced based as possible. By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or your children. Consult your child’s pediatrician/ therapist for any medical issues that he or she may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Rachel Harrington, Harkla, Jessica Hill, or any guests or contributors to the podcast, as well as any employees, associates, or affiliates of Harkla, be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast.
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast.
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