Seating Arrangements for Students with Disabilities

In my 2018 classroom, I had the privilege of working with 18 students, two of whom presented with disabilities. Specifically, Theo was diagnosed with moderate autism, which impacted his social abilities, and Maria had a sensory processing disorder that resulted in high sensitivity to certain sensory experiences, such as physical stimuli and sound. My personal experience with misophonia helped me to connect with Maria and understand her challenges.

Theo, sitting in the corner

The seating arrangements in my classroom were designed to cater to the diverse needs and preferences of my students. Theo was granted the privilege of sitting almost exclusively on the floor in the front corner of the classroom. This arrangement allowed him to avoid unexpected social situations and be in a familiar and predictable environment. Furthermore, he was permitted to start working before my instructions had concluded, which facilitated his active learning and information retention, as well as reduced his dependence on support from his peers.

Maria, experiencing distress from a sound

Maria, on the other hand, did not receive specific seating arrangements but was provided with the privilege of changing her physical location as required to avoid highly sensitive stimuli. This was particularly important in light of her high sensitivity to stimuli, such as the crunching sound made by scissors when cutting certain types of paper and proximity to electronic devices. As a result, Maria often had to move her seat in the middle of a lesson, which could have been a hindrance to her learning process, but instead helped her to develop resilience to painful stimuli and allowed her to resume her work without disruption.

In my opinion, Maria’s experience was greatly benefited by the understanding and support she received from her classmates and the school. This understanding not only improved the empathy that other students had for Maria’s condition but also resulted in more positive social experiences for her.

In conclusion, I believe that I was fortunate to have had a classroom with clear challenges, as it provided a valuable learning experience for my students and myself. I am aware that other classrooms took different approaches, some that did not work as well or support diversity, and I wonder what internal lessons my students took away from comparing my class with others.