Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Purpose
Having a clear purpose from the outset of what you want a sensory facility to do for you will help narrow down your search and avoid investing in something that doesn’t deliver as intended. Key points to decide upon are:
1. Is it to support a specific individual or for wider use?
Specific means it will be closely tailored to meet a narrow set of needs and behaviours. Wider use will require greater flexibility and adaptation within the space.
Specific
Tailored to the individual, focusing on the specific needs and behaviours of the user
Wider Use
Greater flexibility for multiple users and adaptation of the space
2. Is it a refuge area to manage crisis situations and meltdowns?
These areas need to be extra resilient and very safe when put under extremes of pressure. They should be actively calming and not simply padded rooms.
3. Is it for sensory calming or controlled stimulation?
Calming spaces may need room to lie down and relax, whilst stimulation may need interactive equipment and room to move about to release excess energy. Multisensory facilities meet a range of different needs, are more flexible in how you can use them and ensure you get maximum usage out of your investment.
4. Is it for educational purposes, to map into curriculum or support learning delivery?
- Experiential learning is a powerful tool. As is being able to deliver your best performance supported by subtly supportive sensory add ins to an otherwise traditional classroom environment.
- One to one work spaces do not need to isolate individuals but provide a protective bubble within a larger space.
Check back next week as we delve into the next article exploring the topic of “Place” when developing your own sensory space.
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