Movement enhances learning! (Traci Pedersen, University of Central Florida) Along with movement, Danny Raede and Hayden Mears, both on the "spectrum", are convinced that sensory issues need to be dealt with before anything else can happen.
Our school is a K-6 elementary school with high poverty, a number of homeless students, and a high transiency rate.
Many students are here in the United States for the first time, and English is not their first language. While my resource students are performing in reading, writing, and math below grade level, they also have trouble with focusing. Many have sensory integration problems that need to be addressed. Our school does not have a budget to provide materials that will allow movement and address sensory issues.
My Project
I bought one therapy ball with my own funds and brought it into my classroom. The students take turns sitting on the ball. I have seen huge improvements in their focusing skills when using the ball. If I had five more, they could sit on the balls during small group instruction and independent work. The balls would allow movement, without distraction, and are also good for posture. There are different academic levels in my classroom and several small groups being taught at once. This can cause noise that can be distracting. The students have been asking for headphones for noise reduction, but I do not have the funds to purchase them. I also have some fidget toys that the students use to get out nervous energy for focusing, but they are getting old and need to be replaced.
New therapy balls, headphones, and fidget items will help satisfy the movement and sensory needs of my students so they can be calm and learn.
I could not envision my classroom being a calming, productive environment without these items. More and more research is showing that students, particularly ones with special needs, need movement and sensory integration therapy to be able to participate and function in the classroom.
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