Learning and neurodiversity.
Wendy Garrett - Garrett Learning
We partner with businesses to provide professional, fun and engaging Leadership and Mental Health learning experiences to enable the team to reach their full potential!
Welcome to May’s newsletter! (I’m posting it just in time!)?
Let’s talk about learning and neurodiversity.?
I will be honest, this wasn’t the topic I initially planned to write about for the May edition, however following on from an informative webinar earlier in the week with Hayley Brackley founder of Great Minds Don’t, it has made me think about how training can be delivered in a more inclusive way for those who are neurodiverse.?
According to Bupa, one in ten people is thought to be dyslexic and three in 100 adults have ADHD, therefore I feel it’s important to raise awareness and reduce stigma and discrimination as well as equipping our people managers/leaders with tips to support their diversity within the team.??
Firstly, what is neurodiversity?
The Brain Charity states:?
“Neurodiversity is the concept that brain differences are natural variations. Some people’s brains simply work in a different way. For at least 20% of the adult population in the UK, these differences mean they may be diagnosed with neurological conditions including autism, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)”.
What did I learn this week???
Here are the five takeaways on how to improve the inclusivity of neurodivergent people in a learning environment:???
Tip one: Presentations. Consider the colour of your text and background. Black text on a light grey background for PowerPoint will reduce the colour contrast to help them focus on the slide. If delivering virtually, use black text on a white background as the user can adjust their own settings on the device to suit individual learning preferences, for example; changing the colour of their screen display.
Tip two: Fonts. Consider the font used, swirly (swirly) fonts look nice but can be difficult to read. Feel free to use those if it’s important to you and your brand messaging, however it’s suggested to keep swirly fonts for titles, headers or single words and not for sentences.?
Tip three: Ice-breaker activities. Think about the ice-breakers you use. For example, asking someone to state ‘two truths and one lie’ can be difficult for those who are neurodiverse. A suggested ice-breaker would include sharing factual information - describing something that brings them happiness, makes them smile or sharing something about their background or a defining moment.
Tip four: Eye contact. People who are neurodivergent can find eye contact awkward and overwhelming. Neurodivergent people may not engage in eye contact, this should not be forced. Typically, educators are taught that eye contact demonstrates a person's understanding and engagement with the content being delivered, however this is not always the case. The learner may be able to listen or watch, but not both together.
Tip Five: Time. Many neurodiverse people struggle with time management as time can be perceived to have sped up or slowed down. When setting times for the session, breaks or activities, be mindful that neurodiverse people may be early or late depending on their perspective of time.?
Want to find out more?
Understand neurodiverse conditions via the NHS website
A manager's guide to supporting neurodiversity in the workplace: BUPA
We hope this summary was useful.?
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