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School Survival Tips

The school environment should be adapted to reduce stimuli and provide the external structure needed to help students process sensory information. A well-designed, predictable environment promotes learning for children with sensorimotor difficulties.

Seating

Place the student's desk away from windows and doors to minimize distractions.
Be sure the student's desk and chair are the correct height. (The child's feet should be flat, knees and hips bent at 90-degree angles, and the desk surface should be two inches above the elbow.)
If the child's feet do not touch the floor when sitting at a desk or table, place an old telephone book under her feet!
Allow the student to stand at his desk while working on an assignment.
Use alternative seating arrangements: T-stools, large therapy balls, beanbag chairs, or inner tubes. (Seating arrangements that allow the trunk to move help increase the muscle tone needed to maintain a better sitting posture.)
Let the student use a 20-degree inclined writing surface (large three-ring binder works great.) when working on assignments.
Allow the student to take frequent breaks from sitting at a desk.

Movement

Allow children to get up and move around the room, go to the bathroom, or get a drink when they are doing seat work. When you first introduce this idea, there may be some minor chaos but the novelty will soon wear off.
Do some wake-up activities before starting instruction. Some calisthenics, movements to music, running, and jumping in place are all good. Similar activities can be used for a minute ot two throughout the day whenever you sense the need.
Include movement in instruction as much as possible.
Keeping children in for recess as a consequence of not getting work done is counter-productive. Children who do not finish their work and are not allowed to move in ways they need will be less likely to finish the work.

Behavior

Remember that you cannot take away a behavior without replacing it with another similar, noncompatible behavior. For example, if a child makes annoying oral noises, reinforce the child for chewing gum quietly or sucking on hard candy.

Give the child advance notice when difficult situations are coming up.

Use firm pressure when touching children. Never use light touch. Be sure the child is expecting your touch; never surprise a child.

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