Strategies for Neurodiverse Students Are Best Practice for All

Strategies for Neurodiverse Students

How implementing strategies for Neurodiverse students can benefit all students

Brandon Slade

November 13, 2024

Summary: Supporting neurodiverse students isn’t just about meeting specific needs—it’s about creating an environment where every student can thrive. When teachers prioritize strategies like predictable routines, flexible learning spaces, and self-advocacy skills, they foster a classroom that empowers all learners, not just those with unique challenges. This approach is a win-win: routines ease student anxiety, flexible seating optimizes focus, and self-advocacy builds independence. Dive into these proven strategies and discover how to transform your classroom into a space that values and uplifts every student.

When I started teaching, one of the biggest stressors was the stack of accommodation plans that hit my desk each fall. Each one was packed with specific adjustments, special instructions, and individualized support strategies. I wanted to help every student, but the sheer volume of details was overwhelming. How was I supposed to meet each unique need while still managing a classroom full of students?

Then, a fellow teacher gave me a piece of advice that changed my approach: “If you focus on what’s essential for your neurodiverse students, you’ll be creating a better classroom for everyone.” That simple idea was a game-changer. By prioritizing strategies that support neurodiverse learners, I could create a classroom where all my students felt supported, and I was more in control.

Building Classroom Routines for Predictability and Focus

Establishing consistent routines in the classroom is one of the most effective ways to create a calm, predictable environment. For all students, having a clear structure they can count on makes the day run more smoothly. 

But for neurodiverse students, especially those who might struggle with organization or starting assignments, these routines are even more powerful. They help reduce anxiety, support focus, and make transitions feel less chaotic. Introducing routines gradually, one at a time keeps things manageable and helps everyone settle into the flow, maximizing time for learning.

Getting Started with Routines:

1. Choose Your Focus: Start with a “Lead Domino” skill you want students to master, such as a morning journaling routine.

2. Break Down the Routine: Outline each step to make it clear and repeatable for students.

Example Routine – Morning Journaling:

• Routine Steps:
  • Students enter quietly, take their seats, and open their morning journals.
  • A daily prompt is displayed for students to start writing. If they feel stuck, they can bullet-point ideas or brainstorm freely.
  • After the bell, a 5-minute timer begins for journaling.
  • Two students share their thoughts aloud, and the teacher stamps each journal for participation.

If students get stuck, the teacher can break the routine into smaller steps, practicing each one for a week until it’s mastered. For example, in week one, students focus only on taking out their journals and getting settled; once they’ve mastered that, the teacher adds the next step, building the full routine gradually with support.

How This Routine Helps:

• Reduced Anxiety: A predictable routine helps all students feel more at ease, knowing exactly what’s expected of them.

• Increased Focus: The 5-minute journaling time builds focused attention and helps students ease into the day’s learning.

• Accountability: Stamps and sharing promote consistency, helping students stay engaged and accountable.

For neurodiverse students, starting the day with structure helps them feel welcome and ready. A calm, purposeful entry into learning benefits every student and sets a positive tone for everyone.

Flexible Seating and Learning Environments

Offering students some choice in seating or workspace improves comfort and focus. Flexible options, such as standing desks or quiet areas, meet various sensory and physical needs, particularly for neurodiverse students who may benefit from movement or a calmer setting. These choices help all students find their optimal learning space, leading to higher engagement and productivity.

Strategies for Flexible Environments:

• Create Different Seating Options: Set up areas with traditional desks, quiet nooks, and movement-friendly options so students can choose what works best for them.

• Allow Movement Breaks: Scheduled movement or stretch breaks help students, especially those with ADHD, by reducing restlessness and boosting focus. These breaks also support behavior management by offering a structured way to release energy, reducing disruptions and creating a calmer, more focused classroom.

• Offer Noise-Reducing Headphones or Calming Tools: Providing resources like noise-canceling headphones or sensory tools in a “calm-down corner” can help students self-regulate and maintain focus.

Why Flexible Environments Work:  

Flexible classroom setups let students take charge of their learning by finding spaces where they feel comfortable and focused. Neurodiverse students especially benefit from options that meet their sensory needs, while all students enjoy having the freedom to choose a spot that matches their learning style. This simple flexibility helps everyone feel more at ease and ready to learn.

Self-Advocacy Skills for Independence and Confidence

Self-advocacy is one of the most valuable skills students can learn, and it’s especially important for neurodiverse students. When students know how to ask for what they need respectfully, it builds confidence and encourages open communication across the board.

Example of Teaching Self-Advocacy:

When a lesson moves too quickly for some students, they may hesitate to ask for help, fearing they’ll stand out. Teaching advocacy skills allows students to request accommodations respectfully, a practice that benefits everyone in the classroom. 

For example, a student might say, “This is challenging; could we go over it again?” This approach not only supports their learning needs but also normalizes asking for help, showing peers that advocacy is a positive, inclusive practice for all students.

Why Self-Advocacy Works:

• Empowers Students: Neurodiverse students get comfortable expressing their needs, which builds their independence.

• Builds Empathy and Respect: When students practice self-advocacy, it fosters a culture of respect and support in the classroom.

Promoting Office Hours as a Tool for Extra Support

For older students, office hours are a valuable resource, providing a chance for one-on-one support outside the regular classroom setting. This time can be particularly helpful for neurodiverse students to tackle specific challenges, but it’s an opportunity every student can benefit from. 

Taking advantage of office hours helps students ask questions they might hesitate to raise in class and allows them to build confidence in navigating academic challenges independently.

Encouraging Office Hours:

• Make office hours clear in the syllabus, and keep reminding students so they remember they’re available.

• Until the habit is built, offering small incentives, like participation points, can encourage students to take advantage of this time.

Teaching Effective Study Strategies

Study skills don’t come naturally for everyone, they are learned. Teaching strategies like active reading, mnemonic devices, and organized note-taking can benefit all students, especially those who might face extra learning challenges.

Study Strategies to Teach:

• Interactive Mind Mapping: Show students how to create mind maps, either digitally or on paper, to organize and connect ideas visually. This active engagement helps them process and retain information, making it easier to see relationships and themes across topics.

• Prepare with a 1-Pager or Notecard: Have students prepare for tests by creating a one-page summary or notecard with essential points. This approach helps them identify and organize core ideas, reinforcing understanding through the process of condensing and prioritizing information.

• Active Studying with Self-Questioning: Encourage students to turn notes into quiz questions. Writing questions in the margins or using Quizlet or Notebook LM for self-quizzing transforms passive review into active engagement, strengthening comprehension and recall.

Why Study Skills Instruction Helps:

For neurodiverse students, explicit teaching of study skills can make a real difference. When everyone uses these techniques, they feel more confident, improve their comprehension, and set themselves up for success.

Improving Learning for All

Supporting neurodiverse students doesn’t just make the classroom more inclusive, improves the environment for everyone. Simple changes like setting clear routines, teaching self-advocacy, creating support systems, and building study habits, help every student feel valued and ready to succeed. These strategies make the classroom a place where all students can thrive.

Key Takeaways

What supports neurodiverse students enhances learning for everyone:

• Structured routines create predictability, helping reduce anxiety and boost focus for all students.
• Self-advocacy skills empower students to communicate their needs, fostering respect and a supportive classroom culture.

• Office hours offer one-on-one support, making students feel connected and more confident in seeking help.

• Teaching study strategies builds retention and confidence, giving all students practical tools to succeed academically. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  How do structured routines benefit all students?

Structured routines reduce anxiety and improve focus by providing predictability. They create a calm, organized learning environment beneficial for everyone.

Q: How can I encourage self-advocacy in students who may be hesitant to ask for help? Role-playing scenarios and providing simple scripts can help students feel more comfortable. Practice phrases like, “Could we go over this again?” or “I need help with this part.” By rehearsing in a supportive setting, students build confidence to advocate for themselves, making it easier to ask for help when they need it.

Q: How can I help students who seem more anxious in the classroom? 

Consistent routines can significantly ease student anxiety. When students know what to expect each day, it reduces uncertainty and helps them feel more secure. Starting with simple, predictable routines, like a daily warm-up or structured transitions, can create a calmer atmosphere, supporting both anxious and neurodiverse students by providing stability and focus.

At Untapped Learning, we specialize in helping students build executive function skills that support their learning needs. Whether it’s through personalized coaching, proven study strategies, or practical tools for self-advocacy, we’re here to help every student reach their full potential. 

Connect with us today to learn how we can support your classroom or your child’s journey to success!

For More

Strategies to Help Neurodiverse Students Fully Engage in Class 

Importance of Classroom Routines and Procedures 

Self-determination and Self Advocacy

Brandon Slade is the founder of Untapped Learning. He combines his personal experience with executive function challenges with his years of experience in order to help students across the country.