Open Plan classrooms

[star]

Just wondering if an open plan classroom could cause problems for ASD children?

 

If anyone has any experience of primary schools that are open plan I would be interested to hear if it created any problems?

[summertime]

hi star

 

I work in a mainstream primary and this would cause me a few concerns, obviously all ASD kids are different and it may be ok for some but I think the vast majority would find all the noise and distractions difficult to cope with.

 

We often use work stations within the classroom to cut down on the external stimlation such as noise and movement and this would certainly be useful in and open plan situation

[jen]

One of the local schools had an open plan classroom. This would not be suitable for my child and I hear from some parents that the most of the classrooms have now been converted

 

Jen

[mossgrove]

I depends how many people in the clasroom but I belive they are a really bad idea for children on the Spectrum especially if there is more than one class in the same enlarged space.

 

Many schools are merging classes into one big open space to save money, but the results are not good. All research and anecdotal eveidence suggests Autistic children do better in small groups, joing a school with literally dozens of unknown faces in a very big room can send any child into overwhelm, let alone an autistic one.

 

Our local school went 'open plan' after our boys had already left and gone to Special school. We ended up withdrawing our 4yo (NT) daughter from the school because she could not cope with all the people. I wouldn't even consuider sending an Autistic child there.

 

 

Simon

[Ian Jordan]

have written booklet on class design from visual point of view

send me an email if you want pre publication ebook

[summertime]

hi Ian

 

I have a child in my class next year who is visually impaired, could I have a copy too please

 

*smiles sweetly

 

 

*edit due to dyslexic fingers

Edited August 9, 2006 by summertime

[helenl53]

Ian, please may I have a copy.

 

My son who has major sensory issues has a school named on his statement which has open plan classroom. Despite evidence from Paed, Private ed Psych, Community Paed and SLT, a Tribunal did not consider that my son needed small classes. Anyway, the school said that they would withdraw him from the lessons!!

 

I would be really grateful for any information/evidence that I could use when I go back to Tribunal (as I know I will). This time, I have had an OT assessment and she is very AS friendly so maybe this time we just may win (pig flew past the window!)

 

 

At the moment we are educating him at our own expense!

 

Thanks

 

I will PM my email addy - thanks

 

HelenL

[star]

have written booklet on class design from visual point of view

send me an email if you want pre publication ebook

 

 

Thanks Ian

 

I will email you

[star]

I depends how many people in the clasroom but I belive they are a really bad idea for children on the Spectrum especially if there is more than one class in the same enlarged space.

 

Many schools are merging classes into one big open space to save money, but the results are not good. All research and anecdotal eveidence suggests Autistic children do better in small groups, joing a school with literally dozens of unknown faces in a very big room can send any child into overwhelm, let alone an autistic one.

 

Our local school went 'open plan' after our boys had already left and gone to Special school. We ended up withdrawing our 4yo (NT) daughter from the school because she could not cope with all the people. I wouldn't even consuider sending an Autistic child there.

Simon

 

 

Thanks. I did wonder if open plan may be an issue due to noise/ distration levels etc.

[star]

One of the local schools had an open plan classroom. This would not be suitable for my child and I hear from some parents that the most of the classrooms have now been converted

 

Jen

 

 

Thanks Jen. I would imagine that it may be distracting

[star]

hi star

 

I work in a mainstream primary and this would cause me a few concerns, obviously all ASD kids are different and it may be ok for some but I think the vast majority would find all the noise and distractions difficult to cope with.

 

We often use work stations within the classroom to cut down on the external stimlation such as noise and movement and this would certainly be useful in and open plan situation

 

 

Thanks. That is what I though.

[summertime]

Anyway, the school said that they would withdraw him from the lessons!!

 

 

HelenL

 

How may lessons will they be withdrawing him from, inclusion should be just that and if he has to have all his lesson withdrawn from his peers this is hardly classed as inclusion and that in itself should br reason to prove he needs small class work or at least a less sensory environment.

 

Don't get me wrong, Im all for inclusion where possible, in fact my role is as inclusion co-ordinator, but its not always appropriate in mainstream and one mainstream school may not suit a child but another one could.

 

A child in a wheelchair wouldn't be sent to a mainstream school on several floors if there was no lift installed so why should a child with sensory difficulties be sent to a school with a hugely stimulating environment

[helenl53]

Hi Summer

 

They were planning to withdraw him for 17.5 hours per week ( not far short of full time lessons) to go 'wherever there was space' along with one TA and the children who have numeracy and literacy difficulties.

 

My son is fully included in a classroom with 12 other children. He is fully included in all aspects of school life, including sports, performing in the school play etc and he has thrilled us by coming home with a report with six A's. Don't get me wrong - it is not about academic achievement - but my lad phones people from school and we have had a few sleepovers so he is also thriving socially. Yes he is very different to the other kids, but because it is not a large 'pack' of kids, they are much more tolerant. Because he is in a small class and a small school, everyone knows him and all the teachers are aware of where he will have difficulty. He has SLT and social skills training etc, but he goes in to school 45 minutes early each day to have these so he is not withdrawn. The tutor is happy to go in early as well. He even asked not to be withdrawn for exams (he makes noises!) and they and he worked out some strategies and a contract so enable him to remain in his own class for exams - and as I mentioned - we got 6 A's.

 

My son is living proof that inclusion can work - but not in these large crowded noisy environements of mainstream schools.

 

He has not changed!!!! He still has AS - but he no longer self harms. He is fully included and the effect on his mental health is astonishing.

 

 

Best wishes

 

Helen

 

PS - I will be going back to Tribunal to get the school changed! - This will probably be a way of life for me!

[summertime]

Mainstream can work for some children, I've seen it first hand and we have been commended by the LEA but more importantly by the parents of some of the AS and ASD children we work with, but the school must be flexible in its approach and thats something that a lot of schools aren't prepared to be and I also think a lot of mainstream schools just dont have the awareness yet to make then ASD friendly

[LizK]

This is worries me as when my son goes into Year one he will be in an open plan classroom with one or two other classes. The room is massive so lot so space with each class tucked away in their own defined space and I was surprised just how quiet it was with three classes on the go but it is still a concern for the reasons others have given.

 

Not sure what to do as the school has been great so far and my son is happy and doing well.

 

Lx

[Elouise]

Sams mainstream school HAD open plan classrooms untill they had Sam.

 

His was the very first classroom to be fitted with a wall and a door.

 

He LOVED open plan he thought he could pick and mix what lessons he could do so every english lesson he zipped off before anyone could catch and detour him into maths and science in other classes and years instead.

The headteacher decided she had to use clearly definded bounderies in the form of walls and doors as drawing a line on the floor meant NOTHING to Sam.

 

You can spot which year Sam is going into next by the arrival of the guys with the partition walls and doors over the summer.

 

Nathan tried a term in an open plan classroom....he was reduced to a screaming rocking wreck, he could not cope with the noise and movement all around him.

Sam just speeds up.

[marshmallow]

Whe I was training I worked in an open plan school for a while, there didn't seem to be a real problem with wanderers but the noise, especially when everyone was excited, was enough to drive anyone