Inclusive Learning: Empowering Neurodiverse Students with Personalised Care 

Learn effective techniques to support neurodiverse students with inclusive learning and individualised care.

2 August 2024
Three students working together to construct a replica of Helix DNA

Fulfilling the Needs of Neurodiverse Students 

Neurodivergence is the term for when someone's brain processes and behaves differently from what is considered "typical". More frequently teachers have expressed the challenges of meeting the needs of their neurodiverse students. Within the student population, there are a range of cognitive developmental differences including autism spectrum, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder to name a few.  

Paying attention to environmental, communication, and sensory factors that affect individual needs or manage escalating behaviours can lead to great results. In this blog, we will explore the importance of person-centred care for neurodiverse students and discuss practical strategies for managing their behaviour effectively.  

Supporting Emotional Regulation in Neurodiverse Students 

Neurodiverse students face unique challenges in regulating their emotions compared to their peers. However, we can support them in several ways: 

  1. Use tools like pictures or stories to show how to deal with different feelings.
  2. Create a calm, safe and supportive environment for them to relax.
  3. Teach simple techniques for managing emotions, such as taking deep breaths or talking about their feelings. 

By being understanding and patient, we can help neurodiverse students feel more confident and happier in school. 

CPI’s Verbal InterventionTM training helps staff to support students, by first understanding why the emotional part of the brain takes over the thinking part during distress. The fight or flight response is activated during distress, and this can be more intense for someone with neurodiverse needs. For example, if you have an individual with ASD, they may be more affected by noise than another peer. This is considered as a precipitating factor, which can be preventable by managing the environment or eliminating the trigger. Giving the student ear defenders would be an intervention to support the student and prevent the likelihood of escalating distress behaviour arising. 

Trauma-Informed Approach For Education

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Approaches to Communication with Neurodiverse Students

Understanding and supporting neurodiverse students involves exploring different forms of communication: 

  1. Verbal Communication: Adapt language for students who think concretely, using clear and direct words.
  2. Non-Verbal Communication: Use facial expressions, gestures, and body language for non-verbal students.
  3. Paraverbal Communication: Pay attention to how words are said, such as tone and pace. Using softer tones and speaking slowly can help students, especially when they are distressed.

These approaches can make communication more effective and supportive for neurodiverse students. 

Navigating Sensory Processing Difficulties with Neurodiverse Students

Sensory processing is an important factor to consider for neurodiverse students who may become physically intrusive, whether or not they intend to harm. Teachers might need to disengage to ensure both their safety and the student’s. CPI’s Safety Intervention™ disengagement skills provide principles to manage such situations. These techniques, used as a last resort and in the least restrictive way, can minimise the risk of injury. For example, if a student grabs a teacher's hair because they want to see what it feels like, this would be a different level of risk in compared to another student grabbing hair because they are distressed and want to hurt the member of staff. These are situations where we would use the decision-making matrix to assess the level of risk which allows staff to decide on a course of action that is reasonable and proportionate to gain a release without escalating the situation further. 

To learn how CPI’s 360-degree education programme suite can benefit your organisation, visit our Education programme page and fill in the consultation form.