Ideas for changing up work space for 2E child...

[stephanie]

My dd7 needs to have a multi-sensory approach so I was trying to change up her work space in our school house a bit. The Dr. suggested she have small "stations" to work in to allow her a bit more movement in the day, along with her sensory "diet". So I made her 3 separate stations and put her books in each station. She really enjoyed moving around them today. However, I'm trying to figure out what more I can do, but I'm just not sure. Our school house is full of visual aids, dry-erase, and her personal dry-erase boards. She also has highlighters at each of her stations to highlight her work. In addition, she has her cassette player at her reading desk for her books on tape. So any more ideas would be great!! Thanks!

[LittleIzumi]

An exercise ball to bounce on while she works? Otherwise I'm :bigear: for my sensory dd too....

[stephanie]

An exercise ball to bounce on while she works? Otherwise I'm :bigear: for my sensory dd too....

I've thought about this too, but after imagining the ball flying across the room, the other 3 playing kickball with it, then it flying across the room at my head, I decided against it.:D I let her stand at her desk if she feels like it.

My ds14 has SID and for him we gave him a weighted vest, along with weights on his ankles. He absolutely loved it. We also gave him beef jerky to chew on during the day for the constant noises he felt he needed to make. He would take breaks where he would do 20 push-ups, then 20 jump-ups. I made him rip-stick and swing for breaks as well.

Dd7 doesn't have the sensory issues like ds14 so I feel I have a handle on that. I'm just wondering of some ways I can make her space a little more visual for her. What kind of flip-cards or manips. could I have or make for her to help with her visual processing?

[EKS]

We got a mini trampoline when my son needed more movement. There are also those inflatable wiggle seat things that you can put on the chair if you don't want to use the ball for seating.

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

My dd(7) has been diagnosed very much like yours. We have also set up stations for my her. In addition to the things you have already done, the Dr. recommened we change up the lighting, smells and sounds. We use a "natural" light for reading and allow her to move out of the classroom and into a comfy place like a couch or bean bag. The Dr. also suggested using incense or aromatherapy during different parts of the day. For listening the Dr. suggested using relaxation CDs from The Relaxation Company.

[Twinmom]

Make a cardstock "template" with a cutout rectangle for reading. Your daughter can place this over the page she's reading so she can only see one line at a time. This really helps kids with VT issues. If you don't want to do that, give her cardstock sheets that she can line up under each line she's reading and scoot down as she goes. If she's the type that is anxious about her work (as my DD is in math), you can make rectangles big enough for a math problem so she only sees one problem at a time, or do the moving cardstock thing as well. Your VT may also suggest colored plastic sheets to read through, depending on what diagnosis you receive. Our VT also suggested a tilted clipboard on a stand for schoolwork...something about the angle makes a difference for some kids with VT issues as it makes it easier to read/write.

A trampoline has also worked wonders around here. We do all kinds of subjects either while jumping or just sitting on the tramp in the sun. All three of my kids with VT or SPD absolutely thrive on it, but esp. the SPD bunch. If she needs to fiddle with something to concentrate, try Theraputty or a Theraband (you can chew that, too!). DD loves these! You can get the putty on Amazon...the band is simply surgical tubing cut and tied into a loop for pulling, chewing on and snapping around. Big pieces of bubble gum also help my DD concentrate. If she's chewing hard, she's thinking hard! :D

[Misty]

You might want to read Sue Patrick's book about workboxes. She talks about work stations in the book.

[stephanie]

Make a cardstock "template" with a cutout rectangle for reading. Your daughter can place this over the page she's reading so she can only see one line at a time. This really helps kids with VT issues. If you don't want to do that, give her cardstock sheets that she can line up under each line she's reading and scoot down as she goes. If she's the type that is anxious about her work (as my DD is in math), you can make rectangles big enough for a math problem so she only sees one problem at a time, or do the moving cardstock thing as well. Your VT may also suggest colored plastic sheets to read through, depending on what diagnosis you receive. Our VT also suggested a tilted clipboard on a stand for schoolwork...something about the angle makes a difference for some kids with VT issues as it makes it easier to read/write.

A trampoline has also worked wonders around here. We do all kinds of subjects either while jumping or just sitting on the tramp in the sun. All three of my kids with VT or SPD absolutely thrive on it, but esp. the SPD bunch. If she needs to fiddle with something to concentrate, try Theraputty or a Theraband (you can chew that, too!). DD loves these! You can get the putty on Amazon...the band is simply surgical tubing cut and tied into a loop for pulling, chewing on and snapping around. Big pieces of bubble gum also help my DD concentrate. If she's chewing hard, she's thinking hard! :D

She does tend to fidget while I'm teaching her, now that you say that. Today she kept grabbing at her pencils to draw pictures while I was teaching math. The Dr. told us that was her escape when she felt the frustration build up because of her visual processing problems. So I tried to refocus her by giving her a break to go swing. Then she came back and worked wonderfully. I've used the nasal cannula tubing, tied in knots, for chewing devices and they were great. I just need more. I'm also going to look into The Theraputty you suggested. Thank you very much!

[stephanie]

My dd(7) has been diagnosed very much like yours. We have also set up stations for my her. In addition to the things you have already done, the Dr. recommened we change up the lighting, smells and sounds. We use a "natural" light for reading and allow her to move out of the classroom and into a comfy place like a couch or bean bag. The Dr. also suggested using incense or aromatherapy during different parts of the day. For listening the Dr. suggested using relaxation CDs from The Relaxation Company.

I forgot about the lighting and smells. We always have classical music in the background, but from what I understand, The Relaxation co. has specific music to help focus or relax or whatever is needed. Our school house has a lot of natural lighting coming in, and she usually goes outside to school. She likes to do a lot of her work on the swing or in the tree house. I've assumed the slight movement of the swing helps her. I would've thought it would have distracted her, but she does her work well so I let her be. I also always have a candle burning that is a faint scent. Thank you for reminding me!

[Dobela]

I forgot about the lighting and smells. We always have classical music in the background, but from what I understand, The Relaxation co. has specific music to help focus or relax or whatever is needed. Our school house has a lot of natural lighting coming in, and she usually goes outside to school. She likes to do a lot of her work on the swing or in the tree house. I've assumed the slight movement of the swing helps her. I would've thought it would have distracted her, but she does her work well so I let her be. I also always have a candle burning that is a faint scent. Thank you for reminding me! I was told today (by our VT) that the latest research shows that different kids respond to different types of music. I have found this to be true for my son. We have satelitte TV and while he is working he prefers light jazz to classical. You may play around and see what works best for her.

For the fidgeting... I used to give my son chenille stems (pipe cleaners) to play with while we worked or if he needed to sit still (like at church). He would wear them out, but they were lifesavers. I also want to ask about the drawing during math. I have a friend with dyslexia that said all thru school she would draw while someone taught. It was the way she processed the language and what she was seeing. When I was teaching I also went to a conference about ADHD once that said the motor movement for some kids is what keeps them paying attention. Whilch goes back to the figeting.

I know for my son we went thru a time where math had to be done orally or not at all. And before starting VT sometimes he would tell me that he only wanted to look after I was thru writing of sample problems. Apparently keeping up with my hand and the movements and what was happening with the numbers was too much to process at once. So I would write the sample and then explain what he was to do. It seemed to work much easier.

[stephanie]

I was told today (by our VT) that the latest research shows that different kids respond to different types of music. I have found this to be true for my son. We have satelitte TV and while he is working he prefers light jazz to classical. You may play around and see what works best for her.

For the fidgeting... I used to give my son chenille stems (pipe cleaners) to play with while we worked or if he needed to sit still (like at church). He would wear them out, but they were lifesavers. I also want to ask about the drawing during math. I have a friend with dyslexia that said all thru school she would draw while someone taught. It was the way she processed the language and what she was seeing. When I was teaching I also went to a conference about ADHD once that said the motor movement for some kids is what keeps them paying attention. Whilch goes back to the figeting.

I know for my son we went thru a time where math had to be done orally or not at all. And before starting VT sometimes he would tell me that he only wanted to look after I was thru writing of sample problems. Apparently keeping up with my hand and the movements and what was happening with the numbers was too much to process at once. So I would write the sample and then explain what he was to do. It seemed to work much easier.

This makes sense to me too...the drawing during math. My only problem is that she isn't learning while drawing. Now I can read history or a story and she does fine, but I think the higher level thinking isn't there when she's drawing while me teaching. Today she told me that it just really feels good to draw. I thought it was so sweet and a very purposeful coping mechanism. I just want her to find balance in it.