Classroom Strategies for Proprioceptive Input
Proprioceptive senses provide one with an awareness of their body positioning and movements. When a student is missing proprioceptive input, they may become frustrated or fearful from the lack of control over their movements.
Providing your students with autism with proprioceptive input can help them to manage behaviors and prevent those feelings of frustration or fear.
There are a number of ways you can provide proprioceptive input! Physical activities such as jumping, applying deep pressure to muscles, and pushing or pulling items of moderate weight can offer input. Try one of these below:
- ink daubers or stamps allow the student to use muscles to press down into paper
- keep stacks of magazines or books in your room that your student can carry or deliver to other locations in the school – this “heavy work” allows your student to engage their proprioceptive senses
- encourage your student to help with stapling papers together
- play dough can be rolled flat and cookie cutters can be pushed into the surface to create shapes
There are myriad ways you can incorporate proprioceptive input into your classroom activities so let your creativity run wild!
The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute’s special education consultant, Lisa Plastino, M.Ed.
If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute’s use of this information, please contact us.