Page 42 - Education Supplement February 2025

By Nicola Killops
NEURODIVERSITY:

What it is and what it isn’t

eurodiversity has become something of a buzzword lately, but The Role of Language in
it’s often misunderstood. Too many people hear the term and Shaping Perception
Nimmediately think of learning disorders or developmental delays, Language shapes how we see the
assuming it means something is “wrong” with those who are neurodiverse. world and how we treat others. For
While these aspects can be part of the picture, neurodiversity is so much too long, the way we’ve talked about
more than that — and often, it’s not the case at all. neurodiversity has been rooted in a
deficit mindset — using terms like
Embracing the Reality of Neurodiversity “disorder” that implies something
At its heart, neurodiversity is about recognising that the way our brains is inherently wrong. This kind of
work isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. We’ve all got our unique wiring, and language does more harm than good,
that’s something to be celebrated, not fixed. The idea of neurodiversity reinforcing negative stereotypes and
emerged in the 1990s, thanks to Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist fostering a lack of understanding.
on the autism spectrum. She introduced the concept that neurological
differences — like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia — are natural variations We need to shift this narrative.
within the human experience, not defects that need to be corrected. Neurodiversity isn’t about what’s
wrong with someone; it’s about
Think about it this way: just as society accommodates physical recognising and respecting how
differences like left-handedness by providing left-handed scissors or people think, learn, and interact with
desks, we should also accommodate cognitive differences. The fact that the world. Inclusive, nonjudgmental
someone might need a different approach or tool doesn’t mean they’re language is essential to create a
lacking in any way — it just means they’re different, and that difference society that truly values everyone for
can be a source of strength. who they are.

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