Several EPISD schools trying new learning techniques with sensory rooms
EL PASO, Texas — Several El Paso Independent School District schools are trying a new learning technique for their students with autism spectrum disorder to enhance learning.
Lincoln Middle School is one of the schools using sensory rooms that convert to classrooms.
The sensory rooms feature sounds and light.
The school district said the sensory rooms are available to students on an as-needed basis and can be used whenever the teacher feels it impacts the students learning.
The rooms help autistic students relax, according to researchers.
The rooms are limited to two students at a time for 15 to 30 minutes, based on the needs of the child.
"Some of the kids love the movement, so they go to the vestibular or the swing; some kids love the movement of the bubbles and the visual effects so they go to that corner. It also has a vibration mat on the bottom and that is very relaxing for them," said Ivette Benore, an EPISD occupational therapist.
The rooms offer areas with motion, sounds, sights and feelings to feed the child's sensory diet.
"We want from the minute that the kid comes into this room to feel the sense of, 'OK, this is my space, I am able to participate in the activities that I need in order to organize my brain and go back to the classroom,'" Benore said.
Other schools with these sensory rooms include Newman, Herrera, and Moreno elementary schools. Richardson Middle and Rosa Guerrero Elementary are currently building their own.
