Understanding Neurodiversity at Tanglin

Like plants, students have a range of strengths and needs that require different input, care, or support. How does Tanglin address this within the school community? Clare Lancaster, Tanglin’s Educational Psychologist, shares more with us.

Even simple organisms like plants have particular care needs – some prefer a sunny windowsill, others like a cool climate, and some only flower in very specific conditions. In the same way that we would try to meet the care needs of our different types of plants, we must recognise that in more complex organisms, there is a greater range and complexity of needs. Humans, too, have a huge range of variation so it is important to recognise that giving everyone the exact same input, care or support isn’t going to help - we need to recognise and respond to the individual’s unique pattern of strengths and needs.

DEFINING NEUROLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

“Neurodiversity” is a broad and relatively new term that helps to promote the view that neurological differences in the way we perceive the world, think, learn, or communicate should be recognised and respected just as much as any other human variation. Differences in the way people take in, process or output information are all to be expected and valued.

By valuing these differences, we can counter negative social connotations that can exist about people who think or learn in unique ways, and to make it easier for all people to contribute to the world in ways that work best for them.

RECOGNISING NEURODIVERSITY AT TANGLIN

Across the schools, we have started having staff training and conversations about neurodiversity and equity*, and what that means in practice. In a nutshell, it’s about recognising that everyone has their own unique pattern of strengths and needs, and that by meeting those needs, we help everyone to flourish.

For example, we wouldn’t think twice about a person on crutches who needs a seat, question someone with asthma taking a 5-minute break to use their inhaler in the middle of PE or even spend some time comforting an injured student. When things are obvious or medically related, it’s clear that some people will need more or different interventions from others.

However, this doesn’t mean that others with less obvious needs or differences are less important. Some students need validation and a chance in the spotlight while others need extension tasks and space to explore. This is where teachers play an important role because they know their students well and can provide differentiated lessons, tasks, and support to help everyone flourish.

In Tanglin, we are lucky to have committed and dedicated teachers and an outstanding Learning Support Team in each school. This enables us to provide differentiated opportunities and support to everyone. For example, some students need a differentiated presentation of handouts (e.g. larger font, double spaced paragraphs), some need extra time to finish a test while others need to talk through or break down their learning with concrete examples. Some need a quiet space during break or lunch, and others need mentoring from a trusted older student or adult. There are all sorts of ways of supporting, and we try to ensure that every student gets what works for them.

When we provide individualised support and opportunities, we create the right environment for all our students to flourish and thrive. ■ *To understand the difference between equity and equality, you can read all about the band aid activity a teacher shared online at: boredpanda.com/equality-equity-band-aid-student-lesson.