Thinking, talking, teaching : how primary school educators facilitate neurodiversity-affirming classroom practices to support students' inclusion
department or school: Education, Faculty of
department or school: Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Soldovieri, Antonia
issued: 2025-01-16T18:29:22Z
issued: 2024
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Students with learning differences or neurodivergences (e.g., autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities) require additional supports such as differentiated instruction, one-on-one learning supports, sensory or teaching tools, and other accommodations to successfully be included both academically and socially (Hornby, 2014; Valle & Connor, 2019). A theoretical shift towards neurodiversity-affirming perspectives (the idea that neurological diversity is a natural and beneficial phenomenon in society) has entered scientific discourse across the last fifteen years, school policy, curricula, and classrooms in Canada (Armstrong, 2015; Barnes, 2019; Pellicano & Stears, 2011). Research has shown that there continues to be a lack of inclusion for neurodivergent students, and that physical inclusion in the classroom does not guarantee experienced inclusion; the feeling of benefitting from instruction, forming meaningful connections with others, and being part of their classroom culture. When experienced inclusion is lacking, learning suffers (Chen & Patten, 2021). A focus of current research is on how academic inclusion (e.g., differentiated instruction or accommodations to materials) can be promoted or is limited to older populations. There is little existing work which addresses inclusion in younger populations or explores how educators promote inclusion outside of specific social-emotional interventions (Sokal & Sharma, 2013). This critical gap in the literature has tangible impacts for neurodivergent students’ experiences of schooling. The present study explored how primary school educators conceive of neurodivergences in the classroom environment, understand their role in facilitating a safe and welcoming environment for all learners, and use strategies for promoting inclusion of neurodivergent learners. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) interviews with educators teaching Kindergarten to Grade 3 in the Lower Mainland of Vanco…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/90129
note: THINKING, TALKING, TEACHING: HOW PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATORS FACILITATE NEURODIVERSITY-AFFIRMING CLASSROOM PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENTS’ INCLUSION by Antonia Soldovieri B.Sc., University of Toronto, 2021 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (School and Applied Child Psychology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) December 2024 © Antonia Soldovieri, 2024 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the thesis entitled: Thinking, Talking, Teaching: How Primary School Educators Facilitate Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom Practices to Support Students’ Inclusion Submitted by Antonia Soldovieri in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In School and Applied Child Psychology Examining Committee: Laurie Ford, Associate Professor, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, UBC Supervisor Erika Fundelius, Assistant Professor, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Melanie Nelson, Assistant Professor, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education UBC Additional Examiner iii Abstract Students with learning differences or neurodivergences (e.g., autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities) require additional supports such as differentiated instruction, one-on-one learning supports, sensory or teaching tools, and other accommodations to successfully be included both academically and socially (Hornby, 2014; Valle & Connor, 2019). A theoretical shift towards neurodiversity-affirming perspectives (the idea that neurological diversity is a natural and beneficial phenomenon in society) has entered scientific discourse across the last fifteen years, school policy, curricula, and classrooms in Canada (Armstrong, 2015; Bar…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0447762
language: eng
degree discipline: School and Applied Child Psychology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Ford, Laurie
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/90129