The Learning Tree Workshop: The Learning Tree Workshop: Regulating - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Learning Tree Workshop: The Learning Tree Workshop: Regulating Sensation Series on Learning Differences, Learning Challenges, and Learning Strengths Transcript by Stanley I. Greenspan M.D. Narration by Brian MacDonald

Sensory Modulation � Reactions to different sensations � Touch, sound, smell, taste � Children with emotional and social difficulties had � Children with emotional and social difficulties had challenges with sensory modulation � Discovered by psychologists Sybille Escalona and Lois Murphy � Sensory integration difficulties � Coined by Jean Ayers, occupational therapist � Three response patterns � Sensory seeking � Hyper reactive � Hypo reactive The Learning Tree Workshop 2

Three Patterns of Three Patterns of Sensory Reactivity � Hyper reactive � May be sensitive to certain variations of sounds, touch, or sights or sights � May shut down, retreat, disregulate, be impulsive � Hypo reactive � May be under reactive to touch and sound � May require increased stimulation to enjoy experiences (e.g. swinging) � Sensory seeking � May be hyper reactive or hypo reactive � May have trouble sitting for long periods of time M h t bl itti f l i d f ti The Learning Tree Workshop 3

How Does Sensory Reactivity How Does Sensory Reactivity Affect Learning? � Hyper reactive � May act silly, retreat, or get impulsive because overloaded by noise y � Hypo reactive � May zone out because no one is grabbing their attention or energizing them attention or energizing them � Sensory seeking � May squirm or fidget because they need frequent breaks for activity breaks for activity � Inattentive children are often labeled as 'behavioral problems' but what they have are sensory differences sensory differences. The Learning Tree Workshop 4

Helping the Child Be the Helping the Child Be the Master of His Senses � Hyper Reactive � Provide regulating experiences, firm pressure, soothing sounds, subdued lighting, rhythmic movement sounds, subdued lighting, rhythmic movement � Use swing for tactile and proprioceptive support � Hypo Reactive � Provide sensory support, such as massage, energetic voice, Provide sensory support such as massage energetic voice and movement � Sensory Craving � Provide limit-setting and constructive ways to take action Pro ide limit setting and constr cti e a s to take action � Respect the child’s need for activity, touch, sound, and movement � Help the child find ways to meet his sensory needs in an Help the child find ways to meet his sensory needs in an organized and respectful way The Learning Tree Workshop 5

Use Pretend Play � Have the child explore and verbalize what their sensory systems feel like: what their sensory systems feel like: � What does sound feel like coming in? � Does it make you feel overloaded or � Does it make you feel overloaded or overwhelmed? � What does it feel like when you want to � What does it feel like when you want to move and you’re asked to be still? The Learning Tree Workshop 6

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Level 1 Shared Attention and Regulation � Help the child regulate his sensory � Help the child regulate his sensory world � For the under reactive child: For the under reactive child: � Energize up in a gentle way in order not to overwhelmed overwhelmed The Learning Tree Workshop 7

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Level 2 Engagement � Enjoy shared smiles and activities j y � Be in synchrony with the child � Meet the child at his level and then adjust � Meet the child at his level and then adjust your speed in order to help him regulate “ The relationship allows the child to regulate his sensory system through his relationship with the other person where we’re always synchronizing to some degree ” where we re always synchronizing to some degree. The Learning Tree Workshop 8

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Level 3 Purposeful Back-and-forth Interaction � Exchange gestures and facial expressions � Counter regulate with voice, touch, signals � Let the child communicate his sensory system requirements equ e e s � Let the baby learn, through the caregiver’s responses, that he can have an impact on the world � Find an organized game where the child can be in Find an organized game where the child can be in control � Child realizes he can change the way the world reacts towards him therefore mastering his sensory system towards him, therefore mastering his sensory system The Learning Tree Workshop 9

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Level 4 Shared Social Problem Solving � Challenge the child to use his signaling g g g system in more complex ways � Organizing patterns � Communicating with facial expressions and gestures � Communicating with facial expressions and gestures � Taking you to where he wants to go � Challenge the child to use their motor system t to get what they want t h t th t � Create treasure hunts and games with movement movement The Learning Tree Workshop 10

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Level 5 Creating Ideas � Child can put words to how he is feeling � Pretend play can be used to explore physical activity and different emotions � Words and ideas can be matched to the W d d id b t h d t th sensory patterns � The child can now symbolize his inner world � The child can now symbolize his inner world, so that he can communicate his sensory needs The Learning Tree Workshop 11

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Level 6 Bridging Ideas � The child can explain why he feels a certain � The child can explain why he feels a certain way or why he needs something � The child can feel that he is in charge of his The child can feel that he is in charge of his sensory world � Feelings are externalized and become less g threatening The Learning Tree Workshop 12

Through the Safety of Pretend Expand the child’s sensory world by experimenting in a safe pretend play experimenting in a safe pretend play world � Help a sensory over reactive child become � Help a sensory over reactive child become more assertive � Help a sensory craving child become more Help a sensory craving child become more empathetic to other people’s feelings and under more regulation and control The Learning Tree Workshop 13

Using the Emotional, Social, and Using the Emotional, Social, and Intellectual Capacities: Levels 7,8,9 Multi-causal and Gray Area, Comparative, and Reflective Thinking � Child can say which sounds are scary and how scary they are � Child has the ability to say why he likes activity Child h th bilit t h h lik ti it “A” better than activity “B” � Child can talk about how he feels different than he usually does and the possible cause � Sensitive � Finicky Finicky � Tired The Learning Tree Workshop 14

In Summary Recognize how the child’s sensory system 1. works Help regulate through engagement and 2. counter regulation Let the child feel that he has power to have Let the child feel that he has power to have 3. impact on the world Engage the child in shared social problem Engage the child in shared social problem 4 4. solving, expanding the child’s sensory world The Learning Tree Workshop 15

In Summary Help the child use ideas and words to give 5. voice to his sensory system Help the child increase his understanding Help the child increase his understanding 6. by combining his ideas together, reasons for the way he feels Fine tune these capacities through gray 7. area thinking Give opportunities to engage in comparative Give opportunities to engage in comparative 8 8. thinking Encourage and support reflective thinking 9. The Learning Tree Workshop 16