ADHD Awareness Month
October 2024
October is ADHD Awareness Month, and is all about learning and sharing information about ADHD. The 2024 theme is Awareness is Key!
What is ADHD?
ADHD UK defines ADHD as “a disorder that is defined through analysis of behaviour. People with ADHD show a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity that interferes with day-to-day functioning and/or development”. Diagnosis of the condition can only be made by a medical professional.
What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity refers to the different ways a person’s brain processes information.
The following are types of neurodiversity:
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Conditions
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder
Dyscalculia
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia, or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Resources
Below are some resources to support neurodiverse children and young people.
Understanding, accepting and supporting individuals with ADHD
In this blog CENMAC Advisory Teacher Carly Adkinson encourages everyone to educate themselves about ADHD to increase understanding, acceptance and support for individuals with ADHD. Carly includes some useful tips about some assistive technology that can be used to help manage time effectively and independently.
Useful resource – Pomodoro Kitty
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that uses a kitchen timer to break work into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length separated by short breaks. At CENMAC we have found that this technique is a useful way for our students who have ADHD to manage their study time.
This useful website allows you to set the amount of time you would like to complete a task and then how long you would like to have a break between tasks.
Case Study – Daisy
CENMAC supports many neurodiverse students with assistive technology to support their communication and access to the curriculum. Take a look at a recent case study featuring Daisy a chatty and bright student with a diagnosis of ADHD and Autism. Daisy is currently enjoying 6th form at Burlington House.
How Ayoa supports SEND students
Ayoa is an innovative tool designed to support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) students. In this recorded session we delve into this user-friendly platform, exploring how it aids SEND students in becoming more effective in their learning and how it fosters inclusivity. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or professional working with SEND individuals, equip yourself with the knowledge to maximise Ayoa’s potential.
Blog – Who is Siena Castellon?
Siena Castellon, is the founder of Neurodiversity Celebration Week. She had a desire to change the way that learning differences are thought about driven by her experiences as an autistic teenager with ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Books
Puffin books has a nice selection of children’s books featuring neurodiversity. It’s important for children to see themselves and others in the books they read. Introducing children to different lived experiences helps them develop empathy and understanding, as well as an appreciation for others who may not be the same as they are. These books will help to explore neurodiversity and give those who may be neurodiverse a greater sense of self as they read.
Jessica Kinglsey Publishers have good selection of books to support neurodiverse young people including The Awesome Autistic Go-To-Guide, The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide, The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook and The Asperkids’ Secret Book of Social Rules.
Mary Long’s Book Recommendations
Here are some of CENMAC’s Mary Long’s top book recommendations to help celebrate and understand neurodiversity:
Aphantasia: Experiences, Perceptions, and Insights by Alan Kendle
Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People Who Think Differently by Steve Silberman
Speechless by Fiacre Ryan
The Autistic Brain: understanding the autistic brain by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek
Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin (Author)
Wonderfully Wired Brains: An Introduction to the World of Neurodiversity by Louise Gooding and Ruth Burrows
CENMAC’s Thursday Thirty Online Training
Throughout term time CENMAC provides live online training sessions on Thursday afternoons to show how a wide range of assistive technologies are used to support learning and communication.
