How to Talk to Teachers About Sensory Processing Disorder

Having to talk to professors or teachers about SPD can be tough. It may not be an official diagnosis as of 2018, but your struggles are still valid, and asking for accommodations is totally ok. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to talk to your professors/teachers about it.

Part 1 - Getting Ready

1

→ Decide whether it's worth telling the teacher about your Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). You'll only need to tell them if it might impact your needs or behavior in class. Think about your past experiences in school, and how SPD impacted you in the classroom. These are things that it might be useful for your teacher to know.

→ Teachers often appreciate being given a heads-up at the beginning of class. This helps them think of you as an organized, conscientious person.

→ If you've noticed that your teacher is often mean, then talking to them might be harder. You could frame it as a quirk (like saying "loud noises startle me easily"), or treat it like a medical condition (like saying "my specialist says I need to leave the room when I get overwhelmed, so I don't disrupt class"). You may also decide not to tell them.

2

→ Make a list of things you want to address. This will help you remember what you want to say, in case you get nervous or forget things. Consider writing down...

→ Your past experiences with your SPD

→ What you're most sensitive to

→ How your professor/teacher can help you

→ How your professor/teacher can understand you're overwhelmed

3

→ Practice talking to your professor/teacher. Try practicing you want to say, by talking in front of a mirror, or by role-playing with a trusted friend or family member. This gives you time to prepare, and lets you slip up and make as many mistakes as needed in a very low-stakes situation.

4

→ Try asking a support person to come with you. This person can back you up, help facilitate the conversation, and provide emotional support as needed. If you think you might need extra help, ask the person if they could come with and help out. Explain what you want to talk about to the teacher, and how you'd like this person to help you.

→ In high school or earlier, this person might be a family member, or trusted counselor/helper at school.

→ In college, this person might be your case worker from the school disability center, or another mentor.

5

→ Decide when to talk to your teacher. If you think it'll be a quick conversation, then you can bring it up before or after class. If you think it might take more than a few minutes, then see them during recess, a free period, or office hours.

→ Keep in mind that teachers are usually focused on the lesson before class, so it may be a bad time. See if they look busy, and if they do, wait until after class.

→ Speaking privately might be ideal, especially if you're younger (with more immature classmates), or if you know there are bullies in your class.

6

→ Consider using email if speaking is very hard for you. Most teachers like talking face-to-face, and may be extra agreeable if you talk to them. But if you have a hard time maintaining basic conversations (e.g. due to social anxiety), then having part or all of the conversation via email might make sense.

→ Try talking briefly in person, and then emailing them more information. For example, "I have a condition that affects my senses, and I wanted to give you a heads up. Would it be okay if I emailed you the details?"

→ You can have a mentor (like a family member or school counselor) help you write and respond to any emails if you're nervous.

7

→ Remember that what you're doing is very reasonable. You're explaining how you are different, and asking for reasonable accommodations (just like any person with a disability deserves to get). Your teacher is most likely a reasonable person, and will be happy to make a few little adjustments so that you can get equal access to an education. Start with the assumption that everything and everyone are reasonable here, and this can go well.

→ If you get really unlucky and the teacher is not reasonable, you can politely end the conversation and get a trusted adult for backup.

Part 2 - Talking to the Professor

1

→ Introduce them to the idea of Sensory Processing Disorder. You can ask if they are familiar with it, or go straight to a quick explanation of what it is. Most teachers aren't familiar with it, or are only familiar with it in certain context (like in gifted or autistic students). Here are some examples of what you can say:

→ "Are you familiar with Sensory Processing Disorder?"

→ "I have Sensory Processing Disorder, a condition that affects the senses. In my case, most of my senses are hypersensitive, and that can be distracting and sometimes painful to me."

→ "I have Sensory Processing Disorder, and it means I need to fidget in order to focus. I can keep my fidgeting subtle, and avoid distracting people."

2

→ Affirm your shared goals, if you want. This shows the teacher that you care, and that you want things to go well just like they do. This step is optional, and you can skip it if you feel like your goals are implied and mutually understood. You can try saying a sentence or two about your commitment to succeeding in class or helping things go smoothly. Here are some examples:

→ "I want to do my best, and succeed in your class. That's why I'm telling you about this up front, so you understand what's going on with me."

→ "I want to be able to do well in class, and avoid causing any distractions. So I want to work with you proactively about how to handle things when I get overwhelmed."

→ "My extra needs can be a challenge, and I want to do my best to handle things well. I've already registered with the school's disability center, and I want to make sure that I can do well in your class."

3

→ Explain how SPD affects you personally. Sensory Processing Disorder is different for everybody, so explain how it's relevant to you in the classroom. You only need to mention things that could affect you in class, so there's no need to talk about things like eating habits. Explain what the teacher might notice in your behavior, and try offering solutions to potential problems too.

→ "Loud noises, like the projector rolling down, are painful to me. If you give me a heads up before you do it, I'll have time to cover my ears."

→ "Bright or flashing lights from a TV screen can hurt my eyes. If we keep some of the lights on, it'll help."

→ "Sometimes I get overwhelmed. When that happens, I might start rocking and covering my ears. It can turn into crying and hitting myself, which obviously is a problem. I'll need to leave the room, so I can calm down and avoid causing a disruption."

4

→ Talk about how the teacher can handle it. Think of a few ways that the teacher could help you succeed in class. Then explain them to the teacher, or ask for their input. The two of you can collaborate on a way to handle your sensory issues smoothly in class.

→ "If the class gets too loud during group work, would you be willing to ask everyone to quiet down a little? I can come to you if I'm getting overwhelmed."

→ "I get bullied a lot, and bullies will make loud sounds to scare and hurt me. If you let me sit up in front close to you, then they might be afraid to do it, or you could notice and help me get them to stop."

→ "Fidgeting isn't a problem for me. It's just part of my normal body language. If I'm accidentally causing a distraction, you can just quietly let me know and I'll fidget in a different way."

→ "I can usually tell when I'm getting overwhelmed. I've noticed it's best for me to leave early, because then I can calm down more easily. Should I signal to you if I'm getting overwhelmed, or should I just leave quietly? I want to figure out what would work for you."

TIPS

→ Talking to teachers about SPD gets easier as you get older. As you get more practice talking about it, and get more confident with age, you'll have an easier time discussing it with your teachers.

→ Be certain that you have SPD. If you're self-diagnosed, talk to your school's/college's counselor, and ask them where you can take an assessment to measure how "severe" it is. If you don't have access to a diagnosis (for example, not being able to afford it in your country), then try taking an online assessment. You can print your results, and circle the questions that apply to you, if you want something to show your teacher.

→ SPD isn't an official diagnosis under the DSM-5. However, there are a lot of therapists who can assess, recognize, and treat it.