Room 13 – where students flourish on their own terms

The environment adapted to the needs of children

In Room 13 at Öldutúnsskóli, children with an autism diagnosis in the early and middle years are given the opportunity to learn and socialise in an environment that is specially adapted to their needs. The emphasis is on calm, predictability and reducing the sensory overload that can be associated with conventional classrooms. Opposing them is the special needs teacher Hugborg Pálmína Erlendsdóttir, who this school year has developed and shaped the space with the children's needs as her guiding principle. The 'Room 13' project was one of the projects to receive a grant from the Hafnarfjörður Education Fund this spring.

„The idea from the head of special education last spring was for me to have a room to create resources for children with these needs. I am a special needs teacher and I find these children so wonderful, clever and fun. I am therefore extremely grateful to the management of Öldutúnsskóli for the trust they have shown me by allowing me to develop this project and shape it from the ground up. That is by no means a given.“ says Hugborg.

The idea behind Room 13 is to create an environment where children with diverse needs can enjoy themselves in a small group, in a setting designed with their well-being and learning styles in mind. It also gives them the opportunity to take a break from the pressures of the day when needed. „Children learn in very different ways and we have tried to meet this by adapting the curriculum to their needs. For example, I create interest books for them and social skills stories, which are important for many of these children to tackle various challenges.“ Alongside Hugborg in Room 13, a school and leisure assistant also works, helping to create a safe, calm and supportive learning environment for the pupils. This is extremely important, as many pupils require a great deal of support and one-to-one assistance with their studies and day-to-day schoolwork.

Fifteen children benefit from the resource

The children who attend Room 13 are there for varying amounts of time, from spending a large part of the school day there to just a few lessons a week. In total, around 15 children from Year 3 to Year 7 use the service. „As this is not a defined special unit, nor is it funded as such, we simply call this resource Room 13. This is its first year of operation, and the need is very great.“  These are children who have often found it difficult to be in large classes and have felt unwell or anxious about attending school. „Now we have a better handle on them and they have a safe haven here. Some also go into their form classes, but others don't feel fully ready for that. We try to meet each child where they are and work closely with the class teachers.“

Hugborg also says that the children get on well together in the living room and that valuable friendships have formed there. „Beautiful relationships and friendships have formed here between children who share common interests, and it's wonderful to see. To also support social connections within tutor groups, we have allowed the children to invite friends here to learn and play together. This has worked out very well.“

When working with students with autism, she considers it important to use an integrated and individualised approach. „In Iceland, the TEACCH methodology, visual support and a structured learning environment are very common in special education, as they well support predictability and independence in learning. I am also very interested in the DIR/Floortime approach, which places a greater emphasis on communication, relationship-building and emotional development. In my opinion, these approaches work very well together. TEACCH provides a clear and secure framework for learning, while DIR/Floortime supports social skills, engagement, and students“ intrinsic motivation. When these approaches are integrated, a holistic learning environment is created that addresses both the academic and social-emotional needs of the students."

„Trust and efficiency is training“

According to Hugborg, the grant from the Hafnarfjörður Education Fund will be put to good use. She intends, among other things, to use it for professional development and training. „I would like to use the grant, among other things, for professional development and training for the staff involved in the work of Room 13, with a focus on autism and the TEACCH methodology. I would also be interested in inviting a speaker in the autumn who could discuss effective collaboration among staff within the school, with the aim of strengthening the partnership between Room 13 and the pupils“ class teachers." She says it is important that all staff involved with the children work together towards common goals and provide coordinated support. „Those of us who work here are different and come from various backgrounds, but we need to work well together and be heading in the same direction. Trust and effective collaboration are built through joint training, work, and clear objectives.“ It is also apparent that various things are still missing from the space, such as furniture, educational materials and other items that could be of great use to the children.

Finally, Hugborg says that the most important thing of all is that the children feel well at school, experience a sense of security and are given the opportunity to flourish in their own way through play and learning.

In recent weeks and in the coming weeks, interviews with grantee from the Hafnarfjörður Education Fund be published on the media channels of the City of Hafnarfjörður. This gives residents and other interested parties the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the excellent projects and creative school and leisure activities.