Addressing the inequities that exist for neurodivergent students - The Education Hub

An initiative by

The Education Hub

in Partnership with EPIT

July 2024

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Through this work, two online courses for New Zealand school teachers and school leaders were developed. - one for primary school teachers and one for those in secondary schools. The course aims to build educators’ knowledge and practice of how to support neurodiverse students. It has been designed according to the science of learning research on how we learn and includes readings, videos with experts, videos of teachers and leaders engaged in effective practice, reflections, and practical activities.

The courses are organised into four primary parts: 

  1. Conceptualising neurodiversity, including taking a strengths-based approach and different cultural conceptualisations of neurodiversity
  2. Understanding and building knowledge about neurodiversity including learning about most common forms (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, autism, ADHD, FASD, developmental language disorder) and what kinds of challenges these present for students in mainstream classrooms as well as the strengths these students have; also learning about high prevalence of co-occurring conditions, both in terms of neurodiversity and emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression
  3. Supporting neurodiverse students in terms of both classroom strategies and school wide approaches
  4. Working in partnership with students, whanau/caregivers, specialists and support people. 

The course is designed according to the science of learning research on how we learn and will include readings, videos with experts, videos of teachers and leaders engaged in effective practice, reflections, and practical activities. 

The drive behind this initiative

Neurodiverse learners can miss out due to the lack of knowledge and support of their teachers. This project will help to address the need for more training materials for teachers, to support learners who have diverse learning needs.

I have been a Teacher Aide for almost 18 years and found this course to be beyond outstanding. I have learnt more, and after working on this course, I have been using some strategies in the classes I work in with my neurodiverse students. Just fantastic.

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The Education Hub Final Report to EPIT

Approach to change

The approach to change in this project aligns with The Education Hub’s broader approach to change. The Education Hub believes that teachers and leaders require access to high quality, trustworthy and usable information on the latest research and high impact teaching practices, as well as the capability and supporting structures to utilise this information to improve their own teaching practice. The online course is designed to provide both access to high quality learning materials as well as support to conceptualise how these can influence shifts and changes in practice. This is achieved through the careful design of the course and the learning resources within it, which includes:

  1. Design which aligns with the most up-to-date research on the science of learning. This is manifested in: a carefully sequenced series of modules, each with a specific learning objective(s), which are designed to scaffold learners from know what, to know how, to implementation in practice. There are opportunities for reflection and engagement with others as well as practical activities and recall activities to support the internalisation of new knowledge.
  2. High quality research-informed materials, which combine readings with videos of experts, which are curated and designed to ensure that they are easily accessible to educators.
  3. Examples of practice, which sees us work with schools and teachers who have a track-record of exemplary practice and capturing through a combination of video, classroom resources and written description this practice to provide tangible examples of what is possible.
  4. Support for in-school implementation and review: our courses are designed to support teachers and leaders to try and evaluate new approaches within their own contexts and to undertake improvement journeys.

Impact for Equity

A high-quality professional learning opportunity for teachers and leaders in order to improve opportunities and outcomes for neurodiverse students and their whānau through:

  • Increased knowledge and understanding of neurodiversity, including particularly forms and co-occurring conditions
  • Teachers’ improved practice at both a classroom and school-wide level, to facilitate more effective support for the learning of neurodiverse students
  • Teachers knowing how to work effectively in partnership with students, whānau and caregivers, and specialists and other support people
  • Increased awareness among policymakers, the general public, educators and the media, of the experiences of neurodivergent young people and those who are tasked with educating and supporting them.

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Learnings & Outputs

Small things can make a massive difference.
  • For example, a child who has dyspraxia needs to be in a desk facing directly on to the teacher because continually turning is difficult with their coordination challenges and this will distract them from their tasks and listening.
  • Three instructions given in quick succession can be really overwhelming. Instead these should be given one at a time and written down - using pictures is also helpful - for those who have a delayed processing capability.

Building understanding and knowledge, and providing educators with practical strategies that they are able to implement in their practice

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About

The Education Hub

The Education Hub is a New Zealand based charity with a mission to bridge the gap between research and practice in order to improve opportunities and outcomes of young people in early childhood and school-level education.

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