Processing Disorders – Auditory, Visual & Sensory Integration
📘What Are Processing Disorders?
Processing disorders happen when the brain has trouble receiving, organising, or responding to information from the senses. A person may hear or see something correctly, but their brain needs longer — or different supports — to make sense of it.
They are not about intelligence or motivation. Many ND learners with processing differences are highly verbal, creative, and capable — they just need information presented in ways their brain prefers.
💡Types at a Glance
- Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): hears but can’t process fast enough
- Visual Processing Difficulties: struggles with shapes, patterns, tracking
- Sensory Processing / Integration: overwhelmed or under-responsive
- Slow Processing Speed: needs more time to respond
- Can co-exist with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia
🔎Key Processing Areas
1. Auditory Processing
- Needs instructions repeated or slowed down
- Background noise makes listening hard
- Mishears similar words or sounds
- May appear like “not listening” in class
2. Visual Processing
- Difficulty copying from the board
- Letters or numbers seem to “move”
- Struggles with maps, charts, or busy pages
- Prefers uncluttered worksheets
3. Sensory / Integration
- Over- or under-reacts to sound/light/touch
- Needs movement breaks
- Gets tired or overwhelmed quicker
- May seek fidgets or headphones
📚How It Affects Learning
- Needs extra time to start or complete tasks
- Misses parts of verbal instructions
- Finds group work or noisy rooms hard
- May avoid reading heavy/visual-heavy materials
- Looks “distracted” but is processing
🧭What Helps
- Quiet, low-stimulus space to work
- Visuals to match spoken instructions
- Chunking: one task at a time
- Allow headphones / assistive tech
- Check for understanding, not speed
Language Matters 💬
Processing differences are invisible. A learner can look like they’re “not trying” when actually their brain is working very hard. Use language that separates ability from processing speed.
- ✅ “Needs extra processing time”
- ✅ “Better with written + spoken together”
- ✅ “Benefits from reduced background noise”
- 🚫 Avoid: “not listening”, “daydreaming”, “lazy”
🍃Calm Corner Reflection 🌿
Is this learner really “off task”… or are they still processing what was said? What can I slow down, repeat, or show visually so it’s easier to follow?
Downloads & Classroom Tools
Add your printable packs here once uploaded.
Processing Support Checklist (PDF) APD Classroom Strategies Visual Supports Pack