Sensory processing disorder occurs when one's body is unable to deal successfully with the information that it receives through its senses. The manifestation of this inability can appear in many ways, but, in order for the disorder label to apply, it must occur with frequency, intensity, and/or duration. Such dysfunction generally appears through…

There are various forms of therapies for children with disabilities, including physical therapy, speech therapy, and alternative therapies such as music and dance therapy. Each form of therapy has its benefits for those with disabilities, but ultimately the success of the therapy rests on the attention paid to the individual. Especially for…

Every teacher expects optimum level of processing in mind of them students. The level of processing is mainly depends upon memory process. Most of the students have retrieval difficulties on past learning. Memory difficulties directly related to sensory integration. In these circumstances the investigator made an attempt to construct Multisensory…

This article is intended to assist teachers and researchers in designing studies that examine the efficacy of a particular intervention or strategy with students with sensory disabilities. Ten research designs that can establish causal inference (the ability to attribute any effects to the intervention) with and without randomization are discussed.

Alyssa Conklin-Moore discusses normalization in the child under three from several perspectives. She takes an extensive look at the child, including orienting parents to the Montessori environment, the child's entrance into the environment, addressing the sensitive periods, and fostering independence, contribution, and community. She reminds the…

Young children with autism benefit from various adaptations made to an early childhood classroom. This article includes modifications for both teacher-directed and child-initiated activities. Adaptations are given for the classroom environment, daily schedule, sensory needs, transitions and general teaching strategies. The techniques described are…

Imagine that a teacher and her class are standing in the middle of Times Square, in the heart of New York City. If they were standing there together, they would probably describe the dazzling and sometimes blinking lights, the myriad of bright colors, the vast crowds, the towering buildings, the ever-present sounds, and perhaps some interesting…

This article outlines a three-step process to help teachers determine whether or not the function of a student's stereotypical behavior is sensory-based and if so, how to select and monitor an appropriate sensory intervention to promote instructional engagement. In particular, characteristics of students who are seeking to gain sensory input in…

Barbara Luborsky explores the commonalities between occupational therapists and Montessori guides, such as their focus on the prepared environment, following the child, task analysis, and multi-sensory learning. She describes many types of sensory processing disorders including their symptoms, treatment, and the many resources and adaptations that…

When Abe joined the program as an infant, the teachers in the classroom began to notice issues that made caring for Abe just a little more sensitive. As Abe grew into a mobile toddler, he would cover his ears when classroom noise got loud, cry when other children touched him, and often hide under tables to get away. Luckily for Abe, the staff and…

The teaching brain is a new concept that mirrors the complex, dynamic, and context-dependent nature of the learning brain. In this article, I use the structure of the human nervous system and its sensing, processing, and responding components as a framework for a re-conceptualized teaching system. This teaching system is capable of responses on an…

Learning is the acquisition and storage of information as a consequence of experience. The human brain is designed in such a way that thousands bits of sensory data are processed each minute. The brain pays attention to what is relevant to daily life, always asking: "What's going on?" and "How is it important relevant to me?"…

Some of the characteristics and behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such as difficulty with social interactions and sensory integration, make physical education instruction difficult. Children with ASD also encounter movement difficulties, such as motor-planning and anticipatory deficits. One way to enhance the ability of…

Normally functioning sensory systems develop through sensory experiences. Children are stimulated through their senses in many different ways. Even though a person's sensory system is intact, he or she may have a sensory processing disorder (SPD), also known as sensory integration dysfunction. This means the person's brain does not correctly…

The role of caregivers requires that they continuously assess the needs and performance of children and provide the support necessary for them to achieve their potential. A thorough understanding of child development, including the role and impact of sensory development, is critical for caregivers to properly evaluate and assist these children.…