Regulation Before Learning: The Missing Piece in Physical Education
Teachers often focus on attention as the gateway to learning - this is often not a choice! With a large class, diverse needs and a curriculum to follow, attention is everything.
But in today’s world, our attention, and that of our kids' is even harder to grasp. For many neurodivergent kids, an all too important, essential ingredient for attention is missed.
Regulation.
A child whose nervous system is overwhelmed, stressed or dysregulated cannot fully access learning opportunities, no matter how engaging the lesson may be. So teachers - it isn’t your fault!
Understanding this principle can transform the way we teach skills across various contexts.
The Learning Pyramid
I teach a “pyramid” or 3 step process, that allows professionals and educators to regulate the nervous system, support attention and achieve learning.
The sequence looks like this:
Regulation
Attention
Learning
If a student's nervous system is not calm and organised enough to feel safe, attention becomes difficult. Without attention, learning becomes almost impossible.
The brain
When children become overwhelmed, they are more likely to operate from emotional or survival responses rather than higher-level thinking.
Dan Siegel uses the “Hand Model of the Brain” to articulate this best. When we do not meet the needs of the Brainstem (survival brain), or Limbic System (emotional brain), we cannot access higher thinking structures.
This is especially relevant for neurodivergent students, who are more often acting in their survival / emotional brain because, quite simply, the environment is not fit for them.
Busy gyms, loud whistles, changing activities, unexpected transitions and social pressures can all contribute to nervous system overload.
When this happens, students are not choosing not to learn.
Their brains are prioritising safety.
The Role of Sensory Regulation
Every child processes sensory information differently.
Some students need more sensory input to feel regulated, while others need less.
Consider the sensory demands of a typical PE lesson:
Noise
Movement
Visual stimulation
Physical contact
Competition
Crowded spaces
For some students these experiences are energising, while for others they can be overwhelming.
regulation in practice
Teachers can support regulation by:
Building movement opportunities before instruction
Providing quiet spaces when needed
Allowing the use of noise-reducing headphones or other sensory reduction strategies
Offering sensory equipment - because some kids need more input!
Using predictable routines - do what you say, say what you will do.
Reducing unnecessary sensory demands - is it really necessary to do it that way?
Importantly, different students may need different regulation strategies.
The goal is not to make everyone regulated in the same way.
The goal is to help each student access a state where learning becomes possible.
A starting point
Before teaching consider this first - what does my class need to participate? Sometimes starting with regulation first is essential, even before you give instructions! Starting with physical, in-body, low understanding activities and moving towards learning later in the lesson can build attention, increase motivation, and create learning opportunities when you need it most.
Consider how you can build in regulation into your lessons - what can you do to make it easier to participate and learn?
Teachers have an incredibly hard, but important job - if you would like some individualised support, please reach out!
Otherwise, I will be coming out with new blog posts each Monday - stay tuned.
Josh
