Teaching Considerations for children with anxiety and sensory processing

difficulties:
An essay examining the case study of ‘John’
By Abigail Derrick

Introduction

Teachers often face many challenges when attempting to include children who struggle with social
and emotional difficulties and must draw on a variety of evidence-based strategies. The case study
examined below outlines the story of John, a year one student, and some effective strategies. John
has a social/emotional disability which manifests in sensory processing difficulties and anxiety,
particularly when there are changes in activities and at school drop off (Nationally Consistent
Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD), 2022a). Social/emotional disabilities
vary widely and affect a child’s thought processes; ability to regulate emotions and behaviour (NCCD,
2022b; Disability Discrimination Act, 1992). When planning to include John (and students with
similar difficulties), the teacher must consider how the difficulties impact learning and how they can
differentiate their teaching to cater for all their students.

Impacts of sensory processing difficulties and anxiety on learning

Sensory processing describes how a person manages incoming sensory information (Fernández-
Andrés et al., 2015). People who have sensory processing difficulties lack the ability to self-regulate
one’s reactivity to stimuli, and to disengage from stressful stimuli (Casenhiser, 2012). John’s sensory
processing difficulties often lead to anxiety and meltdowns. Noisy, chaotic classrooms can be
overwhelming and confusing for children like John and make it difficult for them to ignore
distractions and focus on what is important for learning (Biel, 2017; Casenhiser, 2012). This impacts
their ability to listen to instructions, participate in activities and engage with content. Without
teachers intentional planning to include children with sensory processing difficulties, they will fall
behind and become further excluded due to the learning difficulties and attentional problems that
result (Biel, 2017).

Anxiety can have a severe impact on children’s academic achievement and development. John’s
anxiety impacts his willingness to try new activities and his participation levels (NCCD), 2022a),
meaning he misses out on valuable learning opportunities. Children with anxiety often have negative
associations with school and its academic pressures; leading to a lack of motivation, which in turn

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results in low academic progress (Dolton et al., 2020; Westwood, 2015). Not only does anxiety
reduce motivation of students but it can also render a student incapable of engaging in deep-level-
learning (Casenhiser, 2012), further reducing academic progress. Childhood anxiety can lead to
health issues later in life (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010); the
repercussions of unmet needs seen throughout schooling and further education.

Considerations for teachers when planning and assessing

Before planning teachers should consider resources available to them and the school policies related
to the case. Teachers should consult with the principal and the inclusion coordinator about
resources, for example, specific programs to support children with social/emotional disabilities such
as the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) Curriculum, or the Social and Emotional
Aspects of Learning (SEAL) program. Policies to be considered include mental health and wellbeing
policy, family involvement policy and disability inclusion policy. The teacher should also consider
how they can collaborate with educational assistants, for example, if an educational assistant is
available to the teacher, they should be planned for in activities.

Teachers must also consider how the environment and activities they design can support children.
The environment includes the physical and emotional aspects of the environment and can be set up
in such a way to make students feel more comfortable (Robinson et al., 2018). John often becomes
upset and is “reluctant to try new activities” (NCCD, 2022a), and so providing consistency where
possible will help John to feel more ‘at home’ in the classroom. When planning activities, teachers
should consider John’s sensory processing issues by designing activities to be less stimulating,
arranging students effectively (placing John on the edge of bigger groups), and creating smooth
transition times (NCCD, 2022b). Creating a quiet, safe space to provide a soothing environment for
when children become overwhelmed and can help students return to a calm composure before
returning to learning (Biel, 2017). Studies show that creating a sense of safety through relationships
and environments allows children to learn effectively (Dolton et al., 2020; Berson & Baggerly, 2009;
Janson & King, 2006).

Assessments and daunting tasks can be triggers for students with anxiety (Monash University, 2022).
Teachers should, therefore, consider how to make assessments more enjoyable and less daunting.
AllPlay (2022) encourages teachers to normalise mistakes, prepare students for tests, and praise
student effort rather than student output. Teachers should implement the Universal Design for
Learning (UDL), considering how they can provide multiple means of engagement, representation
and action and expression (CAST, 2018). When designing assessments teachers can adjust

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assessments by breaking them down into more manageable tasks and by providing time for students
to complete them (AllPlay, 2022; Westwood, 2015). Another important consideration for teachers
when assessing is ensuring asessments aligned with the Principles of Assessment outlined by the
School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) (2014). Assessment Principle 3, “assessment
should be fair” is particularly relevant as it requires teachers to consider the diverse needs of all
students (SCSA, 2014) and make adjustments where necessary.

Responsible people

Although there are several individuals responsible for the inclusion of students with disabilities like
John, the teacher leads the inclusion. Each teacher has an obligation to make reasonable
adjustments and collaborate with others to effectively include every student (Disability Standards
for Education, 2005; ). To be able to make adjustments effectively, teachers must engage in
professional development to learn about the specifics of the disability and how they impact learning
(Westwood, 2015; AllPlay, 2022). Teachers collaborate with all individuals involved including
specialist teachers, parents/carers, principals, and other professionals. Teachers must engage
effectively in conversations and meetings with parents to communicate about students’ needs and
strategies (routine plan for school drop off), as well as discussions with and observations of the child
(Afolabi, 2014; AllPlay, 2022; Anderson & Minke, 2007). Listening to children and giving them a voice
is vital in including them effectively, as it gives respects their autonomy and views (Clark, 2011;
Dolton et al., 2020), and provides opportunities to get to know the child. It is the responsibility of the
teacher get to know their students, to be alert to how children are managing, and to identify student
needs and triggers. These responsibilities are part of developing secure, respectful, and effective
relationships with all individuals involved.

Parents and carers have a direct influence on the success of inclusive education (Afolabi, 2014;
Westwood, 2015). For inclusion to be successful, it is imperative that parents/carers are actively
involved (Anderson & Minke, 2007). It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to attend meetings
and contribute to discussions about the needs of their child and the potential strategies to be used.
When teachers and parents create consistency between the home and school environment by
adopting similar strategies and expectations for students it creates a stability that allows students to
transition from environments more seamlessly (Afolabi, 2014; AllPlay, 2022; Anderson & Minke,
2007). This transition is particularly difficult for John as he struggles with separation, and therefore it
is his parent’s responsibility, alongside the education assistant or teacher, to make this time easier
for him. The teacher will collaborate with parents to develop a plan and a routine for these times,

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and it is the parents’ responsibility to follow this routine (AllPlay, 2022). It may help John to settle
into the day if he has extra time in the morning and it would be the parent’s responsibility to bring
John to school early.

The teacher must also collaborate with and communicate students’ needs to relevant school staff
such as education assistants, specialist teachers, relief teachers, the school principal, the disability
inclusion leader and the school psychologist (Ashman & Elkins, 2005; Anderson & Minke, 2007). The
principal’s role is to support the teacher by providing professional development opportunities and
resources and to help facilitate, where needed, meetings between personal ( Ainscow & Sandill,
2010). Specialist teachers are to communicate with the classroom teacher and implement strategies
discussed. Education assistants are an asset to teachers as they can provide students with one-on-
one time teaching self-regulation strategies or help them separate from parents in the morning
(Ashman & Elkins, 2005). It is the relief teacher’s responsibility to use the strategies and resources
provided to them by the teacher (AllPlay, 2022). The disability inclusion leader reviews school
processes, provides inclusion and disability expertise and gives advice to teachers about effective
adjustments. The school psychologist is responsible for running one-on-one sessions with students
like John to teach self-regulation strategies, to give students a voice and to help the teacher with
strategies. All school staff that work with students have a responsibility to include them in the school
community and help create a safe and supportive school environment ( Ainscow & Sandill, 2010).

Adjustments and modification: Evidence-based strategies

Adjustments, according to the Disability Standards for Education 2005, are the measures or actions
taken by the educator to assist the student with a disability to be able to participate in education.
These adjustments can be divided into three tiers of support according to the Response to
Intervention (RtI): Tier one includes high quality instruction; Tier two includes additional support;
and Tier three includes intensive intervention programs (Westwood, 2015). Listed below are
evidence-based strategies, grouped within these tiers, that are effective when assisting children, like
John, who struggle with anxiety and sensory processing issues.

Tier one strategies :

 Use visual representations of instructions in addition to verbal and written instructions (Biel,
2017; Ashburner et al., 2008)
 Increase the predictability of activities by providing a visual timetable to students to refer to
(Biel, 2017; NCCD, 2022a)

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  Minimise the amount of stimulation in the room by using neutral colours on walls and in
displays, having an ordered and uncluttered space, have a designated quiet space and by
using noise absorbing materials and natural light as much as possible (Biel, 2017)
 Monitor all children for signs of distress, and disengagement (Ashburner et al., 2008)
 Create a safe environment through secure relationships, clear expectations, and providing
adequate supervision (Biel, 2017)
 Teach content that is engaging and relevant to students, using effective teaching strategies
such as group work, explorative play, games and explicit instructions
 Respond consistently and sensitively to students, acknowledging their feelings and needs
(Casenhiser et al., 2012)
 Normalise mistakes within your classroom by praising student efforts rather than student
outcomes (AllPly, 2022)
 Assign seats and involve John in this process by allowing him the opportunity to pick a desk
which he is most comfortable at.

Tier two strategies:

 Explicitly teach self-management strategies including monitoring, recording, and reinforcing
performance (Westwood, 2015; Casenhiser et al., 2012)
 Create contextual social stories to help explain to the student/s different situations in which
they may become anxious and how they can manage their emotions (Garwood & Van Loan,
2019).
 Role play scenarios that have happened or may happen in the future to help prepare
students (Garwood & Van Loan, 2019).
 Place louder students further away from students with sensory processing difficulties (NCCD,
2022a)
 Place students with sensory processing difficulties on the edge of group activities that
involve movement or loud noises (NCCD, 2022a)
 Allow extra time for completion of tasks (AllPlay, 2022)
 Develop a morning routine for students who struggle with separation, for example, student
arrives early and goes through the day’s expectations and activities with an educator (NCCD,
2022a; AllPlay, 2022)
 Adjustments to the assessment environment, for example, having opportunities for breaks,
sitting the assessment in a separate room, or giving assessments that aren’t timed (AllPlay,
2022).

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Tier three strategies and programs:
 School psychologist works one-on-one with student to develop goals, and teach self-
regulation strategies
 The PATHS curriculum is an intervention model effective in improving students’ ability to
discuss and understand emotions and manage difficult emotions (Greenberg et al., 1995)
 The SEAL programme is another intervention model that aims to improve behaviour and
foster student wellbeing (Westwood, 2015)
 Teach strategies to manage emotions such as deep breathing, asking for help, taking a break,
recognising
 In collaboration with responsible people, develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Communication with Parents

Listed below are several ways that teachers can communicate information with parents below:

 Email provides a written record of communications and is useful when organising meetings
and reiterating what has been discussed in person.
 Communication books are useful for parents to be able to communicate concerns and
questions and allows them to leave when other parents do (NCCD, 2022a).
 When making adjustments it is important to have a formal meeting with parents to
communicate expectations and strategies (NCCD, 2022a).

Conclusion
The case study examined above featured John, a student struggling with an emotional/social
disability that impacted how his learning and how he engaged with content. The teacher was to
consider the environment created and the opportunities provided so that she or he could effectively
make adjustments for John, assisting him in overcoming some obstacles created by his disability. All
the people responsible for his inclusion were to help create a supportive, consistent and safe
environment. Strategies suggested included effective teaching strategies, adjustments for
differentiation and intensive intervention programs. It takes a whole school and community
approach that includes effective communication and collaboration to support the inclusion of
children with emotion/social disabilities.

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