Creating a Classroom Environment Suitable for Students with Williams Syndrome
If you have students with Williams Syndrome in your classroom, it is important to create a environment that is constantly working to help them succeed.
Minimize Visual Distractions
Students with WS are easily distracted when there is too much visual stimulation. It is important to minimize these distractions so that students pay attention to the right thing at the right time. With this is mind, we have adapted these strategies from literature on students with ADHD.
You can do this by:
You can do this by:
- Using a seating arrangement with rows during instructional and individual work periods
- Moving students desk to where there are fewer distractions (ex. near the teacher)
- Organizing small groups for group work
- Having student near you while providing directions and instruction
- Keeping walls free of obvious visual distractions, mainly the area of walls behind where instructions are given
- Having organized and labelled visual supports available for students when needed
Minimize Auditory Distractions
Students with WS can become distracted and experience increased anxiety when there is too much auditory stimulation. Hyperacusis often occurs in WS, which causes over-sensitivity to certain frequency sounds. Hyperacusis also acts as a positive in the classroom, as children with WS are very strong verbally, and pick up on things like phonics quickly.
- Give students warnings of loud, sudden noises (fire drills, bells, etc)
- Create areas that are known to be safe and quiet for when these behaviours transpire
- Use verbal instruction as often as possible to increase attention and retention
Room Set-Up : Elementary School : ADHD. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2015, from http://addinschool.com/room-set- up-elementary-school-adhd/
Strategies for Learning and Teaching. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2015, from http://www.sess.ie/categories/assessed-syndromes/williams-syndrome/tips-learning-and-teaching