Teacher tool · School-based OT

Sensory Profile Facesheets

A one-page sheet that tells a teacher, at a glance, which senses a student needs calmed or fed and exactly what to do about it.

Audience
Classroom teachers
Setting
Public school
Format
One-page sheet + daily schedule
Shared with
Aides, substitutes, parents

The project

Problem

Sensory profiles are long and full of clinical terms. Teachers managing a full classroom need to know what to do for one student in the next five minutes, not read a report.

Solution

Six sensory areas, each marked as needing relief or input. Two columns of ready-made supports, with the ones that work for this student checked off, plus a daily schedule and a short plain-language summary.

How it's used

Teachers keep the sheet at hand and follow the schedule through the day. It's short enough to share with aides, substitutes and parents, too.

The project · Sensory diet sheet

Example

Sensory sheet

This is an example sheet with a sample student, so no real student information is shown. On a phone, swipe sideways to see the whole sheet.

Student Name | Sensory Diet Sheet

Sensory Area Need 1 Supports for Relief (hyper) 2 Supports for Input (hypo) 3
Vision Needs relief
  • Allow headcovers
  • Dimmed lighting
  • Turn desk to face wall
  • Privacy screen
  • Mazes
  • Spinning toys
  • Video break
  • Bubble tube
Hearing Needs relief
  • Soft music
  • Noise-canceling headphones
  • Soft tone of voice
  • Provide quiet work space or "calm down" area
  • Make eye contact
  • Provide light pressure through shoulders when speaking to them
Touch Needs input
  • Allow student to decline participation in activities like finger painting
  • Allow extra time for writing (breaks from applying pressure)
  • Weighted lap pad
  • Allow student to wrap up in blanket
  • Allow student to work lying on their belly
Pressure N/A
  • Light touch
  • Advise students to ask before giving a hug
  • Crash pad
  • Mini trampoline
  • Animal walks
Smell Needs relief
  • Avoid perfumes
  • Do not use scented sprays
  • Scented markers or putty
  • Scented hand lotion
Oral Needs input
  • Allow to decline certain foods
  • Chew necklace
  • Blow bubbles

Sensory Schedule 4

  • Arrival: Settle into desk with a lap pad
  • Mid morning: Sensory bins
  • Before lunch: Issue headphones
  • Before dismissal: Calm down corner
  • As needed: Privacy screen & chew necklace

Narrative 5

The student has mixed sensory needs in order to succeed. They are visually distracted in the classroom and would benefit from a privacy screen at their desk. They are sensitive to loud noises and will request headphones when they need them. Allow them to cover their head with a hood or blanket while doing their work.

How to read it

  1. 1

    Need

    Each sense is marked as needing relief (hyper-responsive: too much, calm it down), input (hypo-responsive: too little, give it more) or N/A. Green and red pills make the answer visible from across the room.

  2. 2

    Supports for relief (hyper)

    Ways to reduce input for that sense, like dimmed lighting or headphones. Checked items are the ones chosen for this student.

  3. 3

    Supports for input (hypo)

    Ways to add input, like a weighted lap pad or a chew necklace. Unchecked options stay listed so the team can try them later.

  4. 4

    Sensory schedule

    The checked supports placed into the school day, so the teacher knows when to offer each one without having to plan it.

  5. 5

    Narrative

    A short summary in plain language for teachers, parents and substitutes who need the big picture in one read.