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Sensory needs (considering lighting, noise, textures, smells etc.) are now being seen as a central part of school design. It is widely recognised that overwhelming environments can block learning or trigger distress. Each learning environment presents its own opportunities and challenges to reducing sensory overload. Luckily, there are lots of small changes that can make a big difference to your learners!
Tip or Idea: There are a number of simple adaptations you can incorporate, such as prioritising natural light where possible; making noise-cancelling headphones available to learners; offering calm corners with weighted blankets and other sensory aids; opening windows to aid ventilation; and presenting a clear, clutter-free learning environment with visual timetables and signage.
Learning Village resource: Use our visual Classroom Instruction Flashcards to provide a clear visual structure to support students who process information visually.
Being able to understand and use a range of adjectives can help learners to communicate successfully. Adjectives are essential for adding information or interest to their spoken or written language. They also enable learners to differentiate between items.
It is widely recognised that young people and their families should be at the heart of their educational journey. The phrase “nothing about us without us” simply and powerfully reflects the need to include young people and their families in decisions that affect them. Pupil voice can provide crucial insights into the needs of young people with SEND. Parents can also provide a valuable overview of a child’s needs, strengths, and challenges. Using these insights to guide learning opportunities can enhance engagement, enjoyment and, ultimately, progress.
Graphic organisers can be a powerful tool for learners with dyslexia. They enable learners to plan and structure their ideas in a visual and accessible way. Focusing on getting ideas organised before navigating challenges with grammar and spelling can be a positive approach. The visual scaffold reduces working memory strain by keeping ideas clearly organised and structured. This allows more cognitive space for sentence construction and spelling, which might be challenging.