Sensory-Based Resources and Lesson Plans for Community Child Development Center: A Doctoral Capstone Project

Abstract

Sensory processing challenges make it difficult for a child to learn, concentrate, socialize, and engage in daily school-related activities. To effectively understand sensory processing challenges and the impact they may have on academic success, teachers must have a working knowledge of sensory processing. This project aimed to enhance early childhood education teachers' knowledge and understanding of sensory-based topics using a coaching approach. For this project, coaching involved helping teachers develop awareness, knowledge, and skills through the creation of sensory-based resources and the implementation of sensory-based lesson plans. Results from the qualitative data analysis indicated that coaching effectively facilitated learning and increased teachers' awareness of sensory processing differences, knowledge and understanding of sensory-based topics, and implementation of sensory strategies within the classroom. This project adds to the growing body of research to support the use of coaching for professional development in early education settings.