From Whole-Body Listening to Whole-Brain Learning: A Better Way Forward

This week I’m feeling especially grateful for the ripple effect of advocacy and the bravery of kids like Charlie, who remind us that change often starts with the smallest (and loudest) voices.

If you haven’t yet seen the campaign started by Sarah from Brilliant Little Gems and her son Charlie, it’s called A Force for Good, and it’s pushing back on an outdated practice that still lives in far too many classrooms: Whole-Body Listening.

Charlie bravely stood up and said, “No more.”

And that gave me the push I needed to create something that not only explains why Whole-Body Listening isn’t working especially for neurodivergent students but offers an empowering alternative.

So what is Whole-Body Listening?

Whole-Body Listening is a concept developed in the 1990s by speech-language pathologist Susanne Truesdale. It tells students they must listen not just with their ears — but with their whole body:

• Eyes on the speaker

• Hands still

• Legs crossed

• Mouth quiet

• Body facing forward

The intention was to help students understand what “attentive” behaviour looked like. But the problem is...it focused entirely on what listening looks like, not what learning feels like.

Why it doesn’t work (especially for neurodivergent kids)

For students with ADHD, autism, PDA, trauma, sensory processing differences, and other neurodivergent profiles, Whole-Body Listening often leads to:

• Masking

• Shame

• Shutdowns

• Dysregulation

• Missed learning opportunities

In fact, research now tells us that stillness doesn’t equal attention — and for many brains, movement, doodling, fidgeting, or looking away are actually signs that thinking and listening are happening.

A Better Way: Whole-Brain Learning

Inspired by Charlie, I created the Whole-Brain Learning Bundle...a resource that shifts the focus from compliance to connection. Instead of controlling bodies, we offer choice, agency, and self-understanding.

Students are taught:

“Here are the ways my brain learns best.”

“I don’t have to look like everyone else to be learning.”

“I can choose what helps me focus, stay calm, and be ready to learn.”

What’s Included:

A 22-page bundle that includes:

• An extensive choice board with 6 learning areas

• 4 ways to use it: poster, desk strip, lanyard flip chart, and social story

• A full explainer for educators and parents

• Research references and rationale

• Blank Template or students to personalise with their own strategies

This is the resource I wish every classroom had.

This is how we shift from what it looks like to what it feels like.

This is how we build safe, inclusive spaces from the start.

https://www.unmaskingeducation.com.au/whole-brain-learning-bundle

Want to see how to use it in your school? DM me on Instagram @unmasking.education or comment below.

Let’s keep being a force for good...for Charlie, for our kids, and for future classrooms.

References:

• Truesdale, S. P. (1990). Whole-Body Listening: Developing Active Auditory Skills. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 21(3), 183–184.

• Koenig, K. P., & Rudney, S. G. (2010). Performance challenges for children and adolescents with difficulty processing and integrating sensory information: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64(3), 430–442.

• Ashburner, J., Ziviani, J., & Rodger, S. (2008). Sensory processing and classroom emotional, behavioral, and educational outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(5), 564–573.

• Perry, B. D. (2006). The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 14(3), 38–43.

• Siegel, D. J., & Bryson, T. P. (2011). The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind. Delacorte.