EMPOWERING EDUCATORS: BUILDING AWARENESS OF NEURODIVERSITY FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

This study examines how professional growth can transform the beliefs of mainstream teachers on the topic of neurodiversity and enhance their capacity to accommodate every student. The research grounded on the neurodiversity approach, in which conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia are perceived as natural variations in the way individuals think, as opposed to such conditions being considered disorders. This is aimed at breaking the myths that have existed over time that make teachers believe neurodivergent students are bad or undisciplined. The design of the study is before-and-after, in order to know the change in beliefs, feelings, and teaching methods of teachers who have attended a neurodiversity awareness workshop. The Karachi, Pakistan, sample comprised 20 teachers who were interviewed before and after attending the workshop in the public and the private schools. Prior to the workshop, the outcomes revealed a high number of misunderstandings among teachers about the neurodivergent students. They had problems managing the classroom, were under stress, and tended to refer to neurodivergent students as disobedient, lazy, or problematic. Teachers were greatly changed in terms of attitude after the workshop. They felt more understanding, acknowledged the abilities of neurodivergent learners and began applying more accommodating practices such as visual aids, flexible schedules and sensory supports. They also showed more willingness to collaborate with parents and specialists and took a joint accountability towards inclusive education. The analysis was done through thematic analysis to compare the pre-workshop responses of the teachers and post-workshop responses. The primary transformation was that it ceased to be a situation of judgment and confusion and instead became one of sensitivity, patience, and identifying strengths. In general, the study demonstrates that neurodiversity-based professional growth can assist in altering the perceptions of teachers, mitigating the perceived misconceptions, and promoting more inclusive pedagogy, particularly in case of the lack of formal training.