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5 Proprioception
Proprioception
Proprioception is essential to know where the body parts are in space. It is commonly referred to as body awareness and often called the ‘hidden sixth sense’.
Teaching tip
Sometimes when a pupil has decreased awareness with their touch sense, they will use their proprioceptive sense to help to compensate. They might look like they have difficulties with their proprioceptive sense, when actually it’s their touch sense that needs more support.
Taking it further
Brain Highways have a short video that explains the proprioceptive sense in further detail at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=b2iOliN3fAE. The proprioceptive sense lets the brain know where the limbs are in space and how they are moving. For example, when you walk, you don’t need to look at where your feet are. Your proprioceptive sense helps your brain to ‘feel’ your legs and feet. The receptors for the proprioceptive sense are in the muscles and joints of the body and limbs. This is what separates it from the touch sense, which receives sensory inputs from the skin. The proprioceptive sense receives information about muscle stretch, joint loading and joint compression, which tells the brain about the position of the joint and the amount of force or pressure being used. The proprioceptors are responsible for squeezing, pushing and pulling with the right amount of force for the task. Pupils with proprioceptive difficulties may use too much or too little force or pressure. They might hold their pencil really loosely and press really lightly or press so hard the pencil lead breaks. In the playground, they may struggle to control the amount of force they use when they kick or throw a ball. Often pupils with reduced proprioceptive awareness will move into others’ space, walk into peers or stretch across them without noticing. When walking, they might touch the wall to help them to orientate their bodies. They will likely hug with too much force and go through their glue stick very quickly.
