By Heather Parks — 2021
I had an extra mission: To find my way through the maze of the special educational needs system and to understand a whole new culture of neurodiversity.
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CLEAR ALL
So you’re doing a story about Neurodiversity, or you want to know more about the Neurodiversity Movement. We’re here to help. First, It’s useful to know what the terms “neurodiversity” and “neurodiversity movement” mean.
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Tracy Murray has witnessed a lot of change in her 27 years of work in classrooms. But in her view, no shift has been as radical—or as positive—as the difference in the way children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are viewed by society.
Brain differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia are not something to be cured, but something to be embraced as part of human diversity.
For many years, researchers have treated the individual traits and characteristics of autistic people as an enduring essence of their autism-- in isolation of the social context and without even asking autistic people what their social life is actually like. However, perspective matters.
A generation of parents are revealing some advantages of the condition, even when their children don’t share the diagnosis.
The most radical act you can perform as an ally to Autistic people is to accept them exactly as they are and beyond that to celebrate them and their neurotype.
An autism diagnosis affects the whole family. Explore ways to help parents, siblings, and extended family to live well with and support an autistic family member.
Embracing, not fixing, mental differences
Many teachers are still exploring the nuances of what it means to be a neurodiverse learner and how to create a fully inclusive classroom.
Neurodiversity has become a word frequently bandied about when we talk about schooling, acceptance, psychology, and workplace integration. What is neurodiversity, and why is it so important?