education.vic.gov.au

Sensory experiences

Individual sensory experiences can be used to change a student’s arousal level to be alert and attentive, or calm and relaxed.

Alerting activities are generally:

  • new
  • fast-paced
  • unpredictable
  • fairly intense
  • complex
  • highly demanding

Calming activities are generally:

  • familiar
  • slow-paced
  • predicable
  • not very intense
  • simple
  • have a low demand

Students have individual responses to these types of activities, and what is calming to one student may be alerting to another.

Guidance chapter explaining individual sensory experiences and needs

Reviewed 27 May 2020

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