Autism & ADHD: Sensory Regulation in the Classroom

The pupil who can't stop wriggling and chatting looks like they need calming down. Often they need the opposite: more sensory input, so they can concentrate. Reach for the wrong strategy and things get harder for everyone.

There's a simple way to tell whether an autistic or ADHD pupil is getting too much sensory input or too little. They come from a presenter who is autistic and has an autistic daughter, and they work in an ordinary classroom without disturbing anyone. Try 'pointy palms', silent fidgets, ear plugs that cut background noise but not your voice, or a job carrying a pile of books to the office.

Most of it costs nothing. When a pupil moves to a new teacher, you'll also know how to pass on what works.