Anxiety In Schools - A Teacher's Guide To Supporting Students
By Sensory Inclusive Schools, 6 November 2024
Supporting Anxious Students through Sensory Approaches in School
Anxiety can profoundly impact a student’s ability to focus, participate, and connect socially, and many teachers witness its influence daily in their classrooms. Anxiety often intertwines with a reduced capacity to manage the sensory demands of learning environments and tasks, as the student's central nervous system is already heightened and overwhelmed.
Some anxiety may have a sensory basis, while other forms may arise from different causes, such as social pressures, academic demands, or past experiences. Recognising the root of a student’s anxiety can help tailor support strategies that address their unique needs.
Anxiety may present as frequent complaints of headaches or stomach aches, tension, reluctance to participate, or avoidance of social interaction. Recognising these signs early is essential so that support can be put in place before anxiety further interferes with their learning. Providing a sensory-inclusive approach can help a child or young person feel less anxious, more in control, and able to participate more fully.
Here, we introduce you to the link between anxiety and sensory processing, what sensory-related anxiety in schools looks like and effective sensory-informed approaches that can help. To create a more inclusive and supportive environment, Sensory Inclusive Schools offers training and resources to empower school staff in recognising and addressing sensory-related anxiety.
Understanding Anxiety and Sensory Processing Differences
When the school environment or the class activities do not support a student's sensory system, common school stimuli can easily lead to stress, overwhelm, and eventually anxiety.
We all process sensory information differently but for some their sensory processing differences mean the brain struggles to filter and respond to sensory input, which can make the classroom environment feel unpredictable and difficult.
Imagine the effect of constant bright lights, bustling corridors, or unexpected loud noises on a student who is already sensitive—these can lead to behaviours like school refusal, withdrawal, or difficulty engaging in class.
For others, their difficulty with discriminating sensory input can impact coordination and motor planning. Difficulties in this area can further contribute to stress and anxiety.
Research* shows proven links between sensory integration difficulties and increased anxiety and depression. With some insight into how sensory processing can contribute to or calm anxiety, staff can learn techniques to help students better manage feelings of anxiety in their school.
Create Positive, Authentic Relationships
Positive and authentic relationships are essential for supporting students with sensory processing differences who may experience heightened anxiety. When a teacher consistently shows understanding and empathy, students feel safer and more regulated, reducing the need for defensive sensory responses.
For example, a student who feels overwhelmed by sensory input (like loud noises or crowded spaces) may find coping easier when they have a trusted adult who provides calm, steady support.
Building trust also means that students are more likely to communicate their sensory needs or seek help, whether that’s needing a sensory break or specific adjustments in the classroom. These relationships create a foundation of security, helping students feel anchored even in challenging sensory environments.
Create Predictability and Choice in the Environment
For students with sensory processing differences, a lack of predictability or control can heighten sensory-related anxiety. Creating a predictable classroom environment—such as using visual schedules, consistent routines, and clear transitions—helps students prepare mentally and physically, making sensory input feel less sudden or overwhelming.
For instance, when transitions are announced in advance, students sensitive to noise or movement have time to prepare their nervous systems, reducing the risk of sensory overload. Offering choices in the environment, like choosing between quiet and active zones or different seating options, empowers students to manage their sensory input. This flexibility enables them to find safe spaces and tools that support their individual sensory needs, fostering a sense of control and self-regulation.
Teach Students to Listen to Their Body
Interoception helps students understand and feel what’s happening inside their bodies. This awareness is especially important for managing anxiety, as it allows students to recognise early signs of stress or discomfort. However, students with interoception differences may have difficulties recognising these.
For instance, a student with muted interoception might not notice that their heart is racing or that they feel tense, which can result in heightened anxiety as they are unable to identify or address their feelings. Without this awareness, they may be caught off guard by intense emotional responses that could have been managed earlier with a better understanding of their body’s signals.
Conversely, students with heightened interoception may experience anxiety more intensely. They might be acutely aware of even minor changes in their bodies—like a slight increase in heart rate or shallow breathing—leading to overwhelming feelings of anxiety. This heightened sensitivity can make everyday situations feel much more stressful, as they constantly feel their body’s reactions and may misinterpret these signals as threats.
Building interoception skills can be a helpful starting point in supporting students to manage anxiety effectively. By teaching students to recognise and understand their bodily sensations, we can empower them to identify early signs of anxiety, whether they feel mild discomfort or overwhelming sensations. Activities that encourage mindfulness, such as guided breathing exercises, body scans, and sensory breaks, can help students tune in to their bodies and learn to respond appropriately to their needs.
In the Sensory Inclusive Schools modules, you can learn more about interoception and approaches to support students in developing these crucial skills. This understanding not only aids in anxiety management but also fosters emotional literacy, allowing students to link physical sensations to specific feelings or situations.
Sensory Approaches to Support Students with Anxiety In Schools
First and foremost, relationships and environments must support a student’s sensory system. These need to be adapted first. If these conditions are not met, the student’s sensory system will remain under threat, which can lead to anxiety.
We can use sensory input to calm and regulate a student's sensory system when the environment cannot be changed.
1. Sensory Breaks: Scheduled breaks with calming activities—like deep breathing or a stretching activity—help students regulate their energy levels and return to learning with renewed focus.
2. Personal Sensory Toolkits: Students can personalise a toolkit with items like stress balls, fidget tools, or noise-cancelling headphones. These items provide grounding and sensory support during moments of stress or overload.
3. Proprioceptive Activities: Activities where the ligaments and joints are moving against resistance generate proprioception. These activities involve pulling, pushing, lifting, carrying and chewing. Proprioception is the brain's main calming and regulating sense.
4. Sensory Circuits: These structured routines incorporate movement and breathing exercises that prepare students for learning by regulating their sensory input. Beginning with high-energy actions like jumping and ending with calming exercises, sensory circuits can prime students to be more focused and less anxious.
Sensory Circuits for Schools Free Download
Download this free worksheet, which explains in clear language how to use sensory circuits in your school to help all students get ready to focus and learn.
Empowering Educators with Sensory Inclusive Schools Training
Understanding how to support sensory needs effectively is crucial, especially with the increase in anxiety disorders among children and young people today. Sensory Inclusive Schools offer resources and training to help educators implement sensory-informed approaches and create an inclusive environment where every student can attend school and thrive.
With Sensory Inclusive Schools, staff gain access to training modules, live peer-support sessions, and ongoing guidance from sensory integration specialists. This equips teachers to recognise and address sensory triggers for anxiety in schools, enhancing student well-being and engagement across the board.
* References
Serafini, G., Gonda, X., Canepa, G., Pompili, M., Rihmer, Z., Amore, M., & Engel-Yeger, B. (2017). Extreme sensory processing patterns show a complex association with depression, and impulsivity, alexithymia, and hopelessness. Journal of Affective Disorders, 210, 249-257. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.019
