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Math PK-2 > Factors > Sensory Integration

Sensory Integration

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Factor Connections

Hover to see how factors connect to Sensory Integration. Then click connected factors to explore strategies related to multiple factors.

How Sensory Integration connects to...

We are constantly taking in information––particularly sights, smells, and sounds–– and our Sensory Integration skills help us make sense of it all. Sensory Integration involves receiving, processing, and organizing multiple sources of sensory information and transforming this information into appropriate responses. When students struggle with Sensory Integration, sensory input can interfere with their ability to focus on learning math.

Main Ideas

Students with Sensory Integration difficulties can struggle with peer relationships, participating in classroom activities, and getting adequate Sleep. This can lead to difficulties with learning, including learning math.

The threshold for processing sensory information and the response can vary:

  • Neurological Threshold: A high threshold is when the nervous system is only stimulated with high levels of sensory input. A low threshold is when the nervous system is easily stimulated with low levels of sensory input.
  • Behavioral Response: Active response is when the student responds immediately to the sensory environment (e.g., they leave a room if it is too loud). Passive response is when the student does not respond immediately to the sensory environment, even though they may immediately perceive the environment as uncomfortable (e.g., they passively remain in a room that is too loud).

Some basic patterns of Sensory Integration include:

  • Sensation Seeking: High threshold/active;
  • Low Registration: High threshold/passive;
  • Sensation Avoiding: Low threshold/active; and
  • Sensory Sensitivity: Low threshold/passive.

Students who are sensation seeking/hyposensitive may seek out higher levels of sensory input (e.g., requiring noise to be louder, needing more light). Students who are sensation avoiding/hypersensitive may experience sensory overload, causing them to be irritable, withdraw from activities, or avoid touch. Some students may show a mixture of sensory seeking and avoidance.

View Measures and References

Research-Based Strategies For This Factor

Project-based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) actively engages learners in authentic tasks designed to create products that answer a given question or solve a problem.

Flexible Grouping

Flexible grouping is a classroom practice that temporarily places students together in given groups to work together, with the purpose of achieving a given learning goal or activity.

Mindfulness Activities

Through short but regular mindfulness activities, students develop their awareness and ability to focus.

Strengths-based Approach

A strengths-based approach is one where educators intentionally identify, communicate, and harness students' assets, across many aspects of the whole child, in order to empower them to flourish.

Communication Boards

Communication boards are displays of graphics (e.g., pictures, symbols, illustrations) and/or words where learners can gesture or point to the displays to extend their expressive language potential.

Sound Level

Providing ways for students to adjust sound level supports individual auditory needs.

Temperature

Providing ways for students to meet their individual temperature needs supports focus and Self-regulation.

Translanguaging

Translanguaging is a flexible classroom practice enabling students to listen, speak, read, and write across their multiple languages or dialects, even if the teacher does not have formal knowledge of these additional languages.

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