Video of 20-Second Sensory Overload Simulation Exercise

Here is a transcript of a 20-Second sensory overload simulation exercise completed at the Lycee Elementary School in Sausalito CA. The students are 3rd grade through 5th grade ages (Video at the end of this page).

At Lycee Elementary School in Sausalito, CA, January 21, 2016

The students were directed to complete a math worksheet while experiencing sensory overload: (1) scotch-tape on their faces (2) lights flickering (3) bell bracelets on the wrists of students who are running around the room while barking and clapping their hands (4) Facilitator/teacher counting down the seconds on the mic.

Sensory Overload Simulation

“Oh My God!”

The students were directed to complete a math worksheet while experiencing sensory overload:

(1) scotch-tape on their faces
(2) lights flickering
(3) bell bracelets on the wrists of students who are running around the room while barking and clapping their hands
(4) Facilitator/teacher counting down the seconds on the mic.

“I couldn’t concentrate with that!”

The 20-second exercise caused instant overload for many students. Nobody was able to complete the worksheet. In the discussion that followed, students developed an awareness of their own compensation methods.

Following an earlier explanation of the brain and the function of each part, the students learned that sensory information is not always integrated for autistic people. Therefore, autistic people silence the other senses in order to recruit the math-crunching skills in their memory.