How to Support Conflicting Sensory Needs in the Classroom

Sensory needs can look completely different from one student to the next. For example, a sound that’s barely noticed by one student might feel overwhelming to another. One student may avoid certain textures, while another finds comfort in those same textures.

These differences come from how a student’s nervous system processes things like light, sound, touch, movement, temperature, and smell. Some students are more sensitive to sensory input, so everyday sounds, lights, and sensations can feel much more intense. Other students seek out additional sensory input to help them feel regulated and alert. When a student’s sensory needs are not met, they sometimes express this through behaviors that are often misinterpreted as defiance and attention-seeking.

An autism or ADHD diagnosis cannot tell you what kind of sensory needs and sensitivities a person might have. Even students with the same diagnosis can have very different sensory needs, and these needs can also change depending on how regulated a student is, which is why it’s so important to recognize signs of dysregulation. There is no single sensory setup that will work for every student, but educators can create enough flexibility for students to access the sensory supports they need to learn and regulate throughout the day.

6 Common Sensory Conflicts in the Classroom and How to Address Them

1) Quiet vs. Noise

A student who is sensitive to sound can find normal classroom sounds like desks moving, technology humming, conversations, or hallway noise difficult or exhausting to filter out. A student who seeks out sound may need background noise or need to verbally process their thoughts to stay focused.

Offer noise canceling headphones or concert earplugs for the students who need quiet, and allow headphones with music or white noise for the students who need sound. This is a simple, convenient way to address both needs without asking anyone to ignore or suppress what helps them regulate.

2) Dim Light vs. Bright Light

Fluorescent lighting can cause headaches, eye strain, and difficulty focusing for students who are sensitive to light. Many schools have switched to LED lights, but plenty still use fluorescent lighting. Sometimes it’s not the type of light that’s the issue but the brightness of the light. Some students stay more alert and engaged under bright lights, whereas others can become overwhelmed and physically uncomfortable when the room is too bright.

• Position visually sensitive students’ desks away from direct light or near a window with natural light.
• Offer tinted glasses.
• Keep a section of the room brighter with lamps for students who need more light or give them access to desk lamps.
• Replace flickering or fluorescent lights with LED lights when possible.
• Consider using lamps and natural light as the default for the room.

3) Movement vs. Stillness

Some students regulate through movement like rocking, pacing, bouncing a leg, or standing. For them, restricting movement makes it harder to focus. Other students find visible movement around them distracting and need a still environment to concentrate.

• Give the student who needs movement a standing desk option, wobble cushion, or pacing path in the back of the room.
• Seat the student who needs stillness facing away from high traffic areas, like the shared supply area.
• Schedule movement breaks for the whole class with optional participation.
• Offer fidget tools for students who need subtle movement without leaving their seat.

4) Touch/Pressure Seeking vs. Touch Sensitivity

A student who seeks touch or deep pressure may hug classmates, lean on furniture, squeeze objects, or do other things to get that sensory input. Another student may be sensitive to unexpected touch, close contact, or certain textures.

This conflict can usually be addressed by giving students ways to meet their sensory needs individually. For example, a weighted lap pad can give one student the pressure they’re seeking without affecting anyone else. However, physical contact with classmates needs to be addressed so that no one is uncomfortable.

• Provide a weighted lap pad, weighted blanket, compression vest, or resistance band for the students seeking deep pressure, so they have options that do not rely on physical contact with classmates.
• Establish and reinforce boundaries around personal space for the whole class from the beginning, so no student feels singled out.
• Offer texture options students can choose for themselves, like a fabric square or textured fidget.
• Let students opt out of using materials they find aversive, like clay.

5) Hot vs. Cold Temperature

Temperature regulation differences are easy to overlook, but they show up constantly in classrooms. A student who overheats easily may become agitated or shut down in a warm room, and a student who is sensitive to cold may struggle to concentrate when the room is too cold for them.

• Have blankets, fingerless gloves, cooling towels, and small fans openly available to students without requiring them to ask.
• Seat students who run hot away from windows if possible to reduce heat from direct sunlight.
• Seat students closer to or farther away from vents based on their needs. For example, place a student who runs cold near a vent during winter if the heat is on.
• Be flexible with dress codes or advocate for sensory-friendly policies. For example, some schools don’t allow students to wear hats indoors, even though a hat may help a student who is sensitive to cold stay comfortable enough to focus.

6) More Visual Input vs. Less Visual Input

Classrooms, especially elementary school classrooms, are often full of visual stimulation. There are usually posters, bulletin boards, and charts all over the walls, and sometimes the walls themselves are colorful too. Some students enjoy having a lot to look at and find the colors and visual materials engaging. For other students, having so much visual information around them can make it harder to focus on what’s important.

• Designate one wall or bulletin board as the primary wall for posters, schedules, expectations, vocabulary, and other frequently used information instead of spreading everything throughout the room.
• Rotate displays instead of just adding new materials.
• Offer a low stimulation tool, like a privacy folder, for students who need to reduce what they see while they’re working.
• Give students who enjoy visual input access to engaging materials at their desks, like colorful folders, instead of making the whole classroom visually stimulating.

For students whose sensory needs are included in an IEP, our list of 95 IEP Accommodations for Autistic Students includes additional examples of sensory supports teams can consider.

General Tips for Building a Classroom That Supports Different Sensory Needs

Educators cannot realistically create an individual classroom setup for each of their 25+ students, but they can create an environment that gives students options.

Create different spaces.

Creating different spaces within the classroom allows students to use the space that works best for them. Create spaces where students have access to:

• Quiet and low stimulation
• Freedom to move around
• Flexible seating

Put sensory tools in different locations.

Place sensory tools in places where students can access them independently as needed. Headphones, fidgets, and weighted items are much easier to use when students do not have to ask for permission every time they need them. Making these tools available can also normalize their use. The Social Cipher Sensory Space Guide can help you decide what to include, even if you’re working with a small space and limited budget.

Involve students in identifying and communicating their own sensory needs.

Talk to students about what helps them feel comfortable, focused, and regulated in the classroom. Give them opportunities to notice which sensory experiences are difficult for them and which tools or changes help.

Being able to recognize “I need it quieter” or “I need to move” gives students a way to advocate for what helps them regulate and learn. These are self-advocacy skills that students will use throughout school and into adulthood. Our free Self-Advocacy Lesson Plan helps students develop the language and confidence to advocate for their needs. Students can continue building thse skills with the Social Cipher SEL curriculum and online game, where they can practice self-advocacy, communication, and understanding different perspectives through gameplay and classroom activities.

Help Your Team Better Support Neurodivergent Students

Supporting students with different sensory needs is just one part of creating a classroom where neurodivergent students can learn and participate in ways that work for them.

Social Cipher’s professional development helps educators recognize and address common barriers neurodivergent students face in the classroom. Bring Social Cipher professional development to your school or district to help your team create more neurodiversity-affirming learning environments.