Teachers can help reduce the time to wiggle and squirm by providing a child with an inflated seat cushion, which allows a small amount of movement and satisfies the need to wiggle without the need for gross movements. The cushions have a natural bounce that allows the child to move and sit still at the same time. Alternately, a teacher can build short movement breaks into her lesson plans, allowing the children time to stretch, bend and do jumping jacks or jog in place, helping to release built-up energy.
Children with sensory deficits often are challenging for teachers. They may have difficulty participating in classroom activities due to being easily distracted. They tend to do better with less distractions and more opportunities to move and vent their pent-up energies. Activities involving movement help to increase their ability to focus and participate. For example, building models, going on fields trips and role playing may be more successful. Limit classroom distractions by sitting the child away from the door and windows. Keep him seated up front near the teacher where there are more opportunities for him to be engaged by what she is doing rather than what the other children are doing. Additionally, teaching to children's learning styles is important in helping them focus and participate. Provide well-designed visual aids such as charts, maps and photos and keep materials clear and easy to see. Lots of colors help improve comprehension and encourage student participation in class.
Some children have sensory deficits that cause them to have problems following directions. Providing these children with activities that engage both auditory and visual learning styles often helps them grasp the material more easily. Oral, written and pictorial directions can ease a child into comprehension with greater success. In addition to providing instructions in several ways, asking the child to repeat back what he's been told is another way to reinforce instructions and make sure they were heard. For children who have difficulty following directions on tests, some may benefit from being given additional time to finish or sitting facing a wall to help them concentrate and not fall off task.
Certain children experience sensory integration dysfunction surrounding their sense of touch. They may have problems differentiating what they feel. Activities to help increase their awareness of how different objects feel may be helpful. For instance, provide children with a variety of objects and have them describe the differences in texture, shape, length and weight. Make a game of placing objects in a brown paper bag and asking a child to identify what she feels in the bag by touch.