Page 77 - SEN113 SEN Magazine July-August 2021-V3

Sensory Display dismay Antony Morris argues for reducing visual clutter in the classroom. Do colourful displays and wordy noticeboards adorn the corridors of your school? Have you ever questioned their presence? Do they impact your day? There is a strong possibility they affect countless pupils on the autistic spectrum. Looking at displays with fresh eyes As a Teaching Assistant (TA) working one-to-one with numerous autistic individuals, there have been many times when I have cursed what is, for the most part, tokenistic sensory clutter. While displays have been a mainstay in schools for decades, our much-improved knowledge of the range of sensory processing impairments - that affect a significant number of pupils with special educational needs - should prompt a discussion on how we decorate our schools. Displays can be loosely split into two categories: informative and decorative. Informative displays This form of display highlights information that is often required by law: Building regulations and standards on doors, walls and equipment, signposts to different areas or members of staff and health and safety protocols e.g. emergency evacuations. “Tokenistic sensory clutter” Additionally, informative displays may include: school notice boards, rules, slogans and awards that the school has achieved. Much of the legal stuff will be required to be on show and in a particular colour and format. Where possible, it is perhaps best to designate a specific area for these. Classrooms often include much of this information with additional displays about pupils’ needs and/or educational targets. These often come with information relating to how schools track and record progress. senmagazine.co.uk SEN113 77