Ever heard of proprioception? Neither had I.

Despite working in education for more than 15 years and supporting neurodivergent learners, the term proprioception – our “sixth sense” of body awareness – never once appeared in any training I’ve done.

But now that I’ve come across it, I’m realising how much it explains.

Proprioception is the sense that tells us where our body is in space. It’s how we can touch our nose with our eyes closed, walk without watching our feet, or judge how much force to use when holding a pencil.

For many neurodivergent children and young people – especially those with co-occurring conditions like dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, ADHD, or sensory processing differences – proprioceptive challenges can impact learning, behaviour, and wellbeing.

💡 Here’s what it can look like:

🔹 Children might appear clumsy, bumping into objects or people.

🔹 They may struggle with tasks requiring fine motor control, like handwriting or using scissors.

🔹 Some may have difficulty judging how much force to apply, such as pressing too hard when writing or playing too roughly with peers.

🔹 Others might seek out intense physical input – crashing into cushions, jumping, or squeezing themselves into tight spaces – because it helps their bodies feel “right.”

These behaviours are often misunderstood as carelessness or disruptive behaviour, but they’re actually signs that a child’s proprioceptive system needs support.

The good news is that, with a little understanding and just a small tweak to our approach, we could make a huge difference in how these children experience the classroom.

Unfortunately, many educators are in the same boat I was – not enough training, not enough awareness.

💬 It’s time for that to change. 💬

✨ Let’s work together to:

✅ Raise awareness of proprioception and how it affects learning and participation.

✅ Share simple strategies that help support proprioceptive needs.

✅ Advocate for better teacher training so that we’re prepared to meet every child’s unique needs.

✅ Centre neurodivergent voices and experiences in the conversation.

If you’re an educator, parent, therapist, or neurodivergent individual, I’d love to hear from you. What has helped you? What do you wish more people understood?

Let’s make our classrooms more inclusive, one step at a time.

💡 Tomorrow I’ll be sharing some simple strategies that can help support proprioception in the classroom. Stay tuned! Click follow and repost. It’s time to raise awareness.

#Neurodiversity #Proprioception #Inclusion #TeacherTraining #NeurodivergentVoices #Education #SensoryProcessing