Learning
The impacts of neurodivergence on learning require consideration which shapes learning environments that accommodate the varying needs of a diverse population of students.
Arguably, consideration to the needs of neurodiverse students can enrich classroom environments, resulting in all children gaining improved outcomes.
Key features are:
- Sensory processing – the impact of sound, light, movement, and furnishings on a student’s ability to engage.
- Attention span – the need to move in order to focus or engage in short intense periods of work interspersed with physical movement.
- Routine/schedule – predictable, visual schedule of daily tasks to provide cues for student to understand expectations.
- Social communication – scaffold interaction that makes known individual preferences such as eye contact and ensures every student is included in expressing themselves, sharing interests and engaging with peers.
- Emotional needs – clear systems that enable requests for assistance to be understood and quickly identified and responded to.
- Executive function – adapting tasks to support students with deficits in time and organisational management. Modelling problem-solving techniques and providing step by step guides to overcoming academic obstacles independently.