Mrs Papadopoff's Ponderings
This newsletter I thought I would share how we plan for students who are Neurodiverse in our school.
Every young person is different, and we need to get to know them individually, to support them effectively at school.
It is now known that autism is no longer represented by a linear spectrum and that autism is actually much more diverse. Our knowledge about autism reflects an ongoing dialogue with the autistic community and research that continues to inform our understanding.
The Diversity Wheel is comprised of six areas that contribute to the life of a young person. This was adapted from the 'wheel' by Rebecca Burgess, an autistic cartoonist.
The Diversity Wheel is adapted from Rebecca Burgess, 2019
The areas relate to each other and guide us when we are thinking about the strengths, support needs and levels of independence of young autistic people in different situations, like home, school and in the community.
The outer edge of the circle indicates a young person has strong levels of independence or is able to access supports that enable them to engage independently in that environment.
The inner section of the circle indicates that additional strategies and adjustments are needed to support that young person in that particular environment.
Understanding these key areas related to a student’s independence, strengths and support needs is important and helps us build a picture of how we can effectively support them in the classroom.
The level of support that students may require will depend on the different environments they encounter throughout the day. In some environments, students may be able to work with a high level of independence, while in others, they will need strategies and supports in place. Changes within environments will also impact on student needs, such as who they are with, what they are doing, what they are feeling and the time of day.
I hope you have a great weekend and do not hesitate to come and have a chat anytime.
Kind regards,