Classroom strategies for sensory regulation

Sensory dysregulation in primary classrooms is rarely flagged because it doesn't look like 'misbehaviour.' It looks like fidgeting, withdrawal, fatigue, or difficulty starting work. Naming it correctly changes the response.

What it looks like

• Hands always touching something (clothing, hair, equipment).
• Withdrawing to corners or under desks during noisy parts of the day.
• Particular distress at lunchtime, assembly, or any acoustically busy environment.
• Touching peers more than is age-appropriate, or being upset by accidental peer contact.
• Difficulty starting tasks after recess, when the nervous system hasn't reset.

Universal moves

• A reliably quiet five minutes after lunch / recess — silent reading, mindfulness audio, head-down rest.
• Soft-furnishing the classroom: rugs, fabric panels on hard walls, fewer plastic chairs scraping.
• A low-stimulation corner with a beanbag and a book box. Available to anyone, not assigned.
• Indoor lighting reduced where possible — natural light is better for most children with sensory differences.

Targeted moves

• Permission to leave the room briefly with a discreet card or hand signal.
• Noise-reducing earphones at the desk during deep-work time.
• Fidget tools that don't make noise — a piece of putty, a velcro patch under the desk.
• An alternative to whole-school assembly when needed (the side door, a job in the office).