Episode Details

Supporting regulation in the classroom starts with understanding what an autistic child's nervous system needs before we focus on expectations, participation, or learning. That's why regulation is the focus of Week 3 of our Back to School Foundations series.

By early September, you've probably moved past those first days of school when everyone is learning names, exploring the classroom, and figuring each other out. Your routines are starting to take shape, expectations are increasing, and you may also be seeing more dysregulation show up.

This is often when we start wondering, What can I do to help this child participate? How do I make circle time easier? Why are transitions suddenly so hard? What changed?

Before we add another expectation, I want us to look at regulation.

For six weeks, I'm revisiting some of the most important conversations from the Autism Little Learners Podcast and bringing them back when you may need them most. This week's conversation originally aired in early 2025, and it focuses on practical ways we can support emotional and sensory regulation throughout the classroom day.

We'll talk about the classroom environment, sensory needs, calming spaces, visual supports, sensory tools, and the important role we play in co-regulation. Most importantly, we'll talk about why regulation isn't something we work on only after a child becomes overwhelmed. When we understand an individual child's sensory needs and build supportive strategies throughout their day, we're creating an environment where they have greater access to communication, participation, connection, and learning.

• Why the classroom environment can have such a big impact on regulation

• How reducing sensory overload can support autistic children throughout their day

• Why calming corners can offer a supportive place for children to manage sensory input and emotions

• How visual supports can provide information, support communication, and reduce uncertainty

• Ways sensory tools can help children get the sensory input their bodies need

• Why co-regulation with a trusted adult is so important for young children

• How sensory needs can look very different from one child to another

• Why regulation supports should be woven throughout the day rather than saved for moments of dysregulation

• How heavy work activities can support children who are seeking more sensory input

• Why helping young autistic children develop regulation skills has benefits that extend far beyond the classroom

• Regulation comes before expectation. Before asking how to get a child to participate, sit, transition, or complete an activity, consider what their nervous system may be communicating.

• The environment matters. Noise, lighting, movement, visual clutter, proximity to other people, and other sensory input can all affect how accessible a classroom feels to an individual child.