I am often asked about working in mainstream education and multi sensory approaches with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders. Clive Smith is a good friend who has had many years working in the field of PMLD, but he now works in mainstream education in the UK specialising in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Here is a reply to an email I passed on to him a couple of weeks ago.
Richard Hirstwood
To an extent I do target specific children because I am using the equipment in mainstream primary schools. The target group there are pupils whose behavioural problems stem from anxiety issues and the allied low self esteem. I am using the equipment to support relaxation for the emotionally vulnerable. I am not targeting it for children where the prime behaviour is acting out attention seeking behaviour.
The equipment is in reality a 'hook' to get the children involved. So I tend to use the 'glitzy' stuff - bubble tube, fibre optics, projector & mirror ball. The kids love these, particularly the fibre optics - tense kids will play with the fibres constantly if I let them. I also use relaxation specific articles - subtle lighting in restful colours to provide a colour wash in the room, aromatherapy diffusers, appropriate background music - that is anything at a tempo that is conducive to rest.
The kids respond well to many of the 'Chill out' cd's, classical chill out 'gold' includes the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, which seems to strike a chord. The bulk of a session is about visualisation exercises and I do use a data projector with appropriate scenes as I find initially they struggle to visualise and a scene of a beach, snow or forest helps. I've not needed them for long.
A typical session will be based on a circle time structure with six pupils, the emphasis is always about feeling good about yourself and others. A relaxation session based upon a visualisation topic, which is followed with some deeper relaxation material to achieve a minimum of two minutes silent contemplation. In general it has only taken me two sessions to get them to this stage.
I use the lights sound and effects to bring the group back to a more active level. We then allow a free five minute exploration of the equipment. Most opt for hugging the bubble tube or playing with the fibre optics. Sometimes I have used a switched lighting system. The session is finished of with a more practical element, making their own wheels, adding to a collage in the room depicting their thoughts and feelings, often with pictures of favourite places.
So the room is obviously timetabled, once children have become experienced in using the techniques to relax there should be an element of 'on demand' as either reward or a place to calm down. These sessions have generally been half an hour.
Outcomes are the kids look forward to the sessions, they access a relaxed state more quickly and under their own control and they talk about themselves and others in a more positive manner.
If this is any use to you or if you have other questions let me know and if you are trying out stuff let me know what you are doing.
Hope it was helpful!
Clive Smith