Neurodiversity
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This presentation looks at neurodiversity within corrections in New Zealand. Neurodiversity is often viewed negatively, yet it is often the hallmark of original and creative thinkers.
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Neurodiversity
- 1. Neurodiversity Dr Helen Farley Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections New Zealand
- 3. Neurodiversity is … … a viewpoint that brain differences are normal, rather than deficits. Neurodiverse people experience, interact with, and interpret the world in unique ways.
- 4. Neurodiversity • A natural variation in how the brain works • Neurodiverse people do not need to be ‘fixed’ • But they do need understanding and support
- 5. Dyslexia is … A neurological difference where people process information differently Obvious signs are difficulty with reading text, writing and spelling Heritable Not just about learning; it impacts every aspect of life Diagnosis often accompanied by trauma and grief
- 7. Co-morbidities are common ADHD Autism Spectrum Disorder Traumatic Brain Injury Auditory Processing Disorder Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Hard of hearing
- 8. Traumatic Brain Injury • 60% of people in prison have TBI • May exacerbate dyslexia • May cause/exacerbate Auditory Processing Disorder • Etcetera …
- 9. Auditory Processing Disorder Problems understanding speech when there is background noise Fail to respond or respond inappropriately when talked to Can’t follow multi-step instructions Speak too loudly or too softly Appear lazy or stupid or anti-social
- 10. A sad story
- 11. Common difficulties • Filling in forms • Explaining things • Following instructions or direction • Concentrating in lessons or meetings • Managing money • Organising and looking after their possessions • Telling the time and being time aware • Remembering information • Working in a group setting • Reading, spelling, writing and understanding information • Understanding social norms and hierarchy • Learning a new skill
- 12. The impact of dyslexia • Poor educational achievement • Low self-esteem • Poor behaviour and feelings of frustration International research suggests that: • Dyslexic people are 5 times more likely to be unemployed than those without dyslexia • 35% of dyslexic people leave school early • Violent and impulsive prisoners are more likely to be dyslexic
- 14. Another story
- 15. Strengths Good story tellers and communicators Good oral comprehension Creative and imaginative Ability to think in pictures Ability to see the ‘whole picture’ Hands on learners Ability to think ‘outside the box’ Innovators and entrepreneurs Strong empathy with others Hard workers See the world differently Find creative solutions to problems
- 16. But also … • Pattern recognition • Mathematics • Memory • Attention to detail • Exceptional data analysis
- 18. Famous dyslexics
- 19. Recruiting for neurodiversity • Software company – SAP, Hewlett-Packard, MS, EY • Australian Defence and Human Services • Alter recruitment process to focus on what is needed • Buddy system • Big pay offs for companies
- 20. Roles include • Software testing, business analytics, and cybersecurity • Product development, customer support • Innovative solutions to problems
- 21. Neurodiversity Project in Ara Poutama Aotearoa
- 22. Pilot screening in Lower North Region Engaged Mike Styles, a literacy expert with Primary ITO Screened 120 learners from four prisons in the Lower North Region Used a paper-based screening tool along with an interview
- 23. Aims 1. Provide tutors and Industry instructors with a simple screening tool to identify neurodiverse traits. 2. Provide advice to learners about their learning strengths and weaknesses enabling them to understand how they learn best, allowing ownership of their learning. 3. Supply a means for recording an individual’s neurodiverse traits on learner records which can be shared across the estate. 4. Provide professional knowledge for tutors and instructors about neurodiversity. 5. Develop a ‘toolbox’ of resources for tutors and instructors to enable them to assist all learners.
- 24. Strategies Using multi-sensory techniques for learning Providing step-by-step instructions Incorporate learner think time Be aware of memory overload Simplify your language
- 25. Irlens overlays
- 26. Hard copy materials • Use a sans serif font • Letters more widely spaced • 1.5 line spacing • Border around page • Buff or light blue paper
- 28. And now …
Editor's Notes
- The term neurodiverse acknowledges everyone’s brain works differently and views learning differences through a strengths- based lens. Today I will be presenting a project within the Department of Corrections New Zealand which is exploring the extent, dyslexia is in the New Zealand prison population, and formulating strategies for prison based educators to better support our incarcerated learners. For this project the term neurodiverse is limited to learners who exhibit traits of dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and or dysgraphia .
- Dyslexia is genetically based and worldwide affects approximately 10% of the population irrespective of language, culture and ethnicity. Affects boys and girls pretty much equally It is a common type of neurodiversity that makes reading and writing a challenge. Dyslexia is not an indicator of intellectual disability; individuals with dyslexia have brains which process auditory (phonological) and/or visual information differently from those with neurotypical brains. Dyslexia is linked to poor educational outcomes Dyslexia is the most common of a number of “learning differences”. Sometimes “Dyslexia” and “Learning Differences” are used interchangeably. A more up to date term is “Neuro-diversity”. Dyslexia exists in a spectrum of neuro-diverse conditions that includes ADD, ADHD, Dyscalculia, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) and Irlen’s Syndrome. It is not helpful to refer to dyslexia as a learning difficulty, or learning disorder – those terms imply some sort of inferiority. Dyslexia is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct condition, and different people have difference combinations of symptoms. Co –morbidity Often Dyslexia co-exists with other conditions like ADHD, ADD, irlen’s Syndrome, Dyscalculia, Asperger’s and Developmental Co-ordination Disorder. (Sometimes called Dyspraxia.)
- An instructor called to say that he had a learner in industries who was very bright but very disruptive. He couldn’t do the written work that was part of the programme that he had enrolled in. He was getting frustrated and angry and was being sent back to the unit. I agreed to go and talk to him. He had struggled all of his life. He went to school in Australia but didn’t do well. When I asked him why he told me that the words kept moving on the page. As well, he couldn’t understand instructions and he could see that frustrated people. He could see them get frustrated with him and that would make him angry. Next thing … he would be sent back to the unit.
- Filling in forms Explaining things Following instructions or direction Concentrating in lessons or work parties/workshops Managing money Organising and looking after their possessionsTelling the time an being time aware Remembering information Working in a group setting Reading, spelling, writing and understanding information Understanding social norms and hierarchy Learning a new skill
- Offenders presented with more dyslexic traits than non-offenders, with those with violent index offences presenting with more traits than those with non-violent index offences. Offenders performed poorly on assessments of executive functioning when compared with non-offenders. Dyslexic traits were predicted most significantly by executive functioning difficulties followed by decreased social self-esteem. There was a trend for increased impulsivity to correlate with increased dyslexic traits. Dyslexic traits were also predictive of membership to the offender group whereas impulsivity, executive functioning or social self-esteem was not.
- An instructor rang me up – distraught. He said to me that he would be found out. That everyone would know she’s a fraud and that she shouldn’t be there. She was one of our best and most original tutors. What could possibly be wrong? She told me that she was afraid that we would screen her at the workshop and she would be found out. She was dyslexic and she had hidden it all of her life. No one knew.
- Orally competent Good story tellers and communicators Good oral comprehension Creative and imaginative Ability to think in pictures Ability to see the ‘whole picture’ Hands on learners Ability to think ‘outside the square’ Compensatory strengths are developed Innovators and entrepreneurs strong empathy with others Hard workers See the world differently Find creative solutions to problems
- We figured out that Tane also had Auditory Processing Disorder. I sat down with the instructor and we worked out how we could support Tane. We let him work alone in a quiet room. The instructor committed to talking to him slowly and clearly and to ask him just one thing at a time. We will screen him for dyslexia and work with him to build on his strengths. For the first time he can think about what he wants to do – really do – with his life. Kirsten has come to terms with her dyslexia. She has told her supervisor who has given her time from work to do specialise learning to help her cope with her dyslexia. The world is opening before her and she has a sense of mission when it comes to helping our dyslexic learners. She has also received some counselling. Coming to terms with dyslexia has been challenging and she fears our learners will feel the same. We’re lucky to have her knowledge and experience. When Mike Styles did the pilot screening in the Lower North Region, what I didn’t tell you was that a large number of tutors and instructors asked to be screened too. Of those who were screened, over a third were dyslexic. So it’s not just about supporting our learners, it’s supporting our staff too.