Neurodiversity in the Classroom
How to work with neurodiverse women in the classroom
I was recently asked the question by someone intrigued by the world of education, ‘What has changed the most in your role as a teacher over time?’ I found this question really interesting to reflect on and I am sure the answer I gave will resonate with other educators. Early on in my teaching career I would acknowledge different types of learners and learning styles in the classroom and over 20 years later, I am still differentiating. I am adapting to students who have diagnoses on working memory differences, processing information such as speed variation, neurodiversity and mental health challenges, to name a few. We know so much more about these learning variations and have access to so much information about how to work with young people who have these diagnoses, but the task of teaching a class with this knowledge in hand often leaves the teachers feeling overwhelmed.
When I share this reflection, the next question I am asked is why has this change occurred; is this a change in our ability to better detect and identify individual differences or is there an increased incidence in young people? I think there is truth in both statements but as an educator of girls, I am particularly interested in the underdiagnosis of neurodiversity such as Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in females. One key indicator of autism is difficulty with social communication, engagement and interactions. This is not as pronounced in girls compared to boys, as girls are quite proficient at mimicking social behaviours of others.
“For decades, autism has been reported to be 4 times higher in boys than in girls. A growing body of research shows that diagnostic bias may be one reason why women and girls are more likely to be misdiagnosed, under-diagnosed, or diagnosed later in life. Simply, autism can look different based on gender” (Autism Speaks, n.d).
Neurodiverse students may communicate differently to those who present as neurotypical this is because reading other people’s emotions, intentions and signals, and in turn responding to the tone and climate of a conversation and situation, is a key social skill those facing neurodiversity often lack. This can be developed through us establishing our own theory of mind. “Theory of Mind can be summed up as a person's ability to recognise and comprehend the thoughts, beliefs, desires and intentions of other people. People on the autism spectrum may have difficulty recognising and processing the feelings of others” (Autism Tasmania, n.d.).
“Often, they observe and imitate, or “mask” to try to fit in. Autistic females are more likely than autistic males to be able to understand and interpret the behaviour and emotions of others, so they can imitate, but they often don't see the impact of their own behaviour on interactions”(www.psychologytoday.com, n.d.).
Three ways to assist with the early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in young women.
As an educator, who has worked with girls for many years, I think developing students' Theory of Mind is a key strategy to help early diagnosis, and maybe the solution to under–diagnosis, of autism in adolescent girls. It is also often part of a solution to helping young girls who are not feeling they are getting what they need from friendships. As a parent, there are questions that you can ask your child when engaging them in conversations that consider others perspectives and build their ability to connect with others. Here are three of my favourite questions to ask;
1. How would your friends describe you to me?
This question allows a young person to consider how others may perceive them by forcing them to see themselves from someone else’s perspective. Would others consider them kind, generous, reliable? Would they be seen as someone who is reserved, a good listener or funny? This question also gives insight into their self concept. Do they use positive or negative descriptors? As an important adult in their life, look for how accurate this answer is (to the best of your knowledge) to see how effective their skills are at interpreting how others see them and the level of depth they can apply to this answer.
2. What do your friends need from you?
Young people often think about what they want from a friendship; to be invited over, to be congratulated, or to be checked in on, but it is so important that they consider the needs of others. I sometimes get students to write down 4 people that they are close to, or would like to be closer to, and then get them to draw a circle around their name. Within that circle I get them to write down what they think those people need from them. Do they struggle in a subject you could help with? Do they feel alone at lunchtimes? Do they need to talk about their worries? Often people who don’t naturally sense the needs of others around them have never considered that question and it is a great exercise to keep reciprocal relationships front of mind when trying to build friendships.
3. What did you learn about one of your friends today you didn’t know before?
One of the greatest ways to build social connection and friendship is to ask others questions. Being curious about those around them and their lives is one of the easiest ways to build intimacy and trust in a friendship. We often find young people who struggle with social interactions don’t think to ask, because they have trouble interpreting that the other person has needs, different perspectives and individual experiences too.
Applying a different level of depth to our questioning, when looking at social development in young people, is one way to look for those hints, that although a young person may seem social at face value, their ability to consider others, and themselves through others eyes, may be more challenging. These markers then allow parents and educators alike to engage in more targeted conversations that prioritise the skills exhibited in theory of mind, ensuring that they draw attention to those nuances in social interactions. Theory of mind is something that everyone can further develop and is an important skill for all young people in developing their own social confidence and competence.