Description
Neurodiversity and Inclusion in Schools and Clubs
Include is a wonderful program for Inclusion and acceptance in Schools. It is written by Neurodivergent educators to support schools to promote and nurture Neurodiversity and Inclusion.
Include is a program designed for schools and clubs to explain, explore and nurture Acceptance of Neurodiversity. Neurodiversity exists in every school and club in every country in the world. And yet it is something seldom mentioned. It is largely still considered a taboo subject. When we make something taboo then those who experience it often suffer. They suffer from exclusion and oppression. As a result of this exclusion and oppression Neurodivergent kids often develop low self esteem and a fragmented sense of sel. They can often feel worthless and unwanted at worst and misunderstood at best. We wrote this program to bring the concept out of the shadows and to be celebrated in schools and clubs across the world.
As educators who are ourselves Neurodivergent we are only too familiar with the pain experienced by Neurodivergent kids. This pain is unnecessary and the Include program will support you to become a more inclusive school or club.
Include is a ten week program consisting of ten easy to follow lesson plans for schools and clubs with children aged 5 to 12 years.
Benefits of Include Program
- Easy to follow lesson plans
- Provides opportunities for inclusion
- Develops empathy amongst peers
- Develops understanding for facilitators
- Provides opportunities for facilitators to learn more about the children in their care
- Opportunities for continual learning
- Designed by Neurodivergent educators
Objectives of Include program
We identified five main objectives which will be achieved with completion of this program.
- Reframe the narrative of what Neurodiversity means.
There are many assumptions made about neurodivergent people, many of which are negative, inaccurate or both. In this program we want both facilitators and children to gain a comprehensive, pro-neurodivergent understanding of Neurodivergent communication and sensitivity.
2. Emphasise the importance of inclusion.
Explaining how often Neurodviergent kids are left feeling outside of the group. The Include Program highlights how everyone can make an active effort to make others feel involved.
3. Facilitate creative thinking.
The activities in this program encourage children to take an active role in educating the wider school or club. Utilising their fantastic imaginations to spread the messages of this program. Using the words and ideas of the students themselves will not only be a more relatable campaign for inclusion, it will further empower the students to advocate for inclusion.
4. Allow all students an opportunity for self reflection.
Whether a student is neurodivergent or neurotypical, this program gives young people an opportunity to analyse their own way of thinking, expressing and sensing the world around us. The activities in this program support children to assess their perspective on the world.
5. Make learning an enjoyable process.
In general we believe that education should be an enjoyable process. The games and activities in this program are creative arts based and accessible to all. Furthermore because this will be an initial exposure to Neurodiversity for many of the schools and clubs we want it to be a positive one.
What to expect in the Include program
We have designed two different programs of 10 lessons for two different age groups. The activities are divided by age groups for five to seven years and eight to twelve years. Each program contains different activities for each age group. We use discussion along with creative arts based activities such as acting, movement, singing, drawing, collaging and more to facilitate the understanding of Neurodiversity. We are proud promoters of learning through the arts.
Each lesson covers a different topic relating to neurodiversity. We recommend that you do one lesson a week for a period of ten weeks. This timeline allows for reflection for both students and educators each week and also keeps the concepts fresh in everyone’s mind.
What are schools saying about Include Program?
Don’t just take our word for it, folx!
We sent our program to Trina Golden, Principal Owenabue ETNS
And here is what she had to say about it:
“Buy this programme, buy it now.
I got a preview of this programme and I can’t adequately describe how much I adore it, and it existing.
This is something that has been missing in schools, a programme based on developing shared understanding
A few thoughts:
The programme describes one of its objectives as reframing the narrative around neurodiversity. It aims to not only educate all kids about neurodiversity but to empower them to advocate for inclusion for themselves and their ND friends.
While aims are well & good, the reality in a busy classroom with a packed curriculum is simplicity matters. Here is where it shines. It has short simple background info for staff (this programme is imo as important for staff as kids).
It then has two sections of lesson plans
For younger and older kids there are 10 lessons each, the idea being once a week for 10 weeks. Simple lessons, clearly laid out. Very easy to pick up and follow.
They seem like they’d be usable as whole class or small group.
I love that it head on calls out some of the myths about ND children. This is vital in Education I think as so many are still prevalent, even in staff. That background knowledge for staff, which they can then go away and learn more about if they’d like, could be a gamechanger
They also include inclusion tips with each lesson, to help adapt the lesson to meet the needs of your pupils as needed.
Probably most importantly, it’s written by ND teachers. Their knowledge and lived experience is something that can’t be read or learned. That feeds into every part of the programme and you can nearly feel it.
Despite the gushing, this is not an ad. I’ll be buying the programme for school here.
As a parent to an ND child it makes me genuinely emotional to see the work Evaleen and Orla have put into this to really work to improve inclusion. Not the buzzword, real inclusion.
Every school needs a copy of this.
Well done AUsome Training . Thank you Evaleen and Orla.”
