Teaching for neurodiversity: training teachers to see beyond labels Dr Dominic Griffiths & Dr Kathleen Kelly Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Background to the project UK Government-funded project Consortium of educational charities led by British Dyslexia Association Aims to equip teachers in schools & colleges to teach the diverse range of learners in their classes 48 x 1-day training courses across England: ‘Teaching for Neurodiversity’ for school/ college delegates Training then ‘cascaded’ to schools & colleges by delegates Manchester Metropolitan University to evaluate the project and write report for Department for Education (DfE)

Summary: Main models of ‘neurodiversity’ ‘Traditional’ / ‘Narrow’ model (autism only) Broad model (all ‘neurodivergent’ people) Strengths-based model (recognising strengths in each ‘SEN’ group) Unique-child / ‘Progressive’ model (everybody = neurodiverse)

Evaluation Methodology Three surveys Survey 1 to assess delegates’ knowledge, skills & understanding about neurodiversity-friendly teaching Survey 2 at end of training day to assess gains in the above Survey 3 of school / college staff to evaluate impact of cascaded training after 3 months 6 x ‘high-impact’ schools and colleges selected for more detailed case studies, using interviews of staff trainers and teachers

Surveys 1 & 2 on the Training Days 1,606 responses to Surveys 1 & 2 (delegates at training days) Uptake 60% primary teachers 21 % secondary teachers 19% further education college teachers

Surveys 1 & 2 Results Wilcoxon signed ranks used to compare pre/post training scores. Statistically significant gains (p <0.001) on the following: Knowledge of Specific Learning Difficulties Knowledge of Neurodiversity Knowledge of practical tools and strategies Knowledge of metacognitive strategies and multisensory techniques Satisfaction rates high (>80%) 17 % Training had not met expectations (formulaic/ too basic) 1. Training too formulaic 2. Training too basic

Survey 3:Impact of training on schools & colleges after 3 months 530 school/ college responses 65% primary 16% secondary 10% colleges 9% other settings

Survey 3 Results : high / very high impact Changes in staff attitudes (63%) New skills/ knowledge (70.8%) Changes in practice (55%) Confidence in supporting students with a diversity of strengths & needs (69%, except motor skills 60%) Impact on students (53% engagement: 45% performance) Impact at whole-school/ college level: 58% Already noticing changes in institutional practice 70 % Changes in institutional responsiveness 75% Felt training would help learners without diagnoses of SpLDs Attitudes : many already sympathetic Practice : needs more time to implement

Case studies: Primary 3 case studies (NE, NW and SE England). Interviews conducted with trainer and two teachers. Training delivered to whole school. Response to training positive in all three schools Training improved staff confidence in supporting children with specific learning difficulties. Checklist useful and strategies effective. Two schools reported a change in the way teachers think about their practice, the third a raised awareness of the overlap between different needs. Pupil outcomes: one school reported greater pupil engagement and confidence, another improved pupil behaviour and the third an increase in rate of pupil progress. Two large urban primary schools and one small special school in a market town. Low to moderate levels of social deprivation.

Case Studies: Secondary Two case studies (NW and South of England) Interviews conducted with 2 trainers , 2 subject teachers and a pupil. Training delivered to subject department ‘SEN link’ teachers and by them to subject teachers (case study 1). Training delivered via two briefing sessions to all staff and four CPD sessions – attendance voluntary (case study 2). Response to training generally very positive. Helped staff to ‘recognise children’s different ways of learning’ and to ‘think differently about children’s potential’. Checklist helped to identify need and respond to it more quickly. Increased confidence amongst staff noted. Both schools reported improved pupil behaviour, enhanced confidence and self esteem, greater pupil engagement. Trainer (case study 2) felt the use of neurodiversity cards had brought about a change in culture in the school. Pupil reported staff were better informed about his needs and better able to support him. Also, the number of detentions considerably reduced! One a moderate sized urban secondary school the other a large rural secondary school. High level of deprivation in both schools. Rural school has a high number of children of prisoners.

Neurodiversity cards Teacher strategies suggested Learner difficulties & strategies noted

Case studies: Further Education (16+) One case study – 6th form college (SE of England) Training cascaded to 14 learning support staff Response positive amongst learning support staff but only a small number of tutors from other faculties had attended the training. Staff who received training were grateful for the ideas and found the checklist useful Felt they understood ADHD a lot better as a result SENCO reported that the training had challenged some ‘set ideas’ which were quite negative. Improvements noted in communicating with feeder schools, staff more comfortable talking to carers, language used more positive, more visual strategies being used and a language group set up to promote reading for pleasure. SENCO reported students more engaged and making better progress against targets. Teacher noted better grades on mathematics assignments , moving from ‘E to D’ and ‘C to B’ High level of deprivation – contains wards in top 10% most deprived in country.

Conclusions Project a great success & left a permanent legacy of a free online package of training. Limitations of project in many instances a function of the very short timescale. Clear from the response that the initiative was really needed to develop staff’s core skills in meeting the diverse needs of their pupils. Developed an understanding of neurodiversity and helped teachers consider individual learning profiles. Gave them some ‘easy-to-adopt’ strategies and resources to help practice become more responsive to learner diversity. Some challenges remain: low up take of training opportunity by secondary schools, enabling schools to keep up to date in knowledge and research developments into what works in inclusive teaching and the clear variation in levels of knowledge, skills and understanding of neurodiversity friendly teaching in the schools’ workforce.

References The Teaching for neurodiversity materials can be accessed via the British Dyslexia Association Website http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about/projects/dyslexia-spld- support-project-2016-17 Also available in a series of BDA webinars http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about/projects/webinar-recordings Full Research Report Griffiths, D., Kelly, K. & McNicol, S. (2016) The Dyslexia/ Specific Learning Difficulties Support Project: Final Evaluation Report. Manchester Metropolitan University. available at http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/common/ckeditor/filemanager/use rfiles/TtTevaluation2017.pdf