Synaesthesia, early-years learning and education

Synaesthesia and the synaesthetic responses are very much a function of the developing brain: it works as a way of processing the world, understanding it and learning about it. Recognising synaesthesia in the classroom and understanding the scope of its manifestations can help teaching staff and other professionals provide support to children whose cognitive processing might be at odds with teaching methods, or to those who struggle to retain focus in a busy classroom environment due to a distracting or even overwhelming overlap of sensory responses.

The crossed-over sensory inputs and responses of synaesthesia can quickly result in sensory overload, but a better understanding of the condition can help to mitigate those negative effects. Synaesthesia can also play a key role in understanding and learning about fundamental concepts such as writing, maths and time. An individual’s own perception and processing of these concepts could clash with teaching methods, which can be confusing or distracting for a child. A better understanding of the condition can help to mitigate those negative effects.