Supporting neurodivergent learners is a crucial aspect of creating an inclusive education system in Aotearoa New Zealand. Neurodivergent learners can possess distinct strengths, including critical and analytical thinking, adaptive problem-solving, creativity, ideation, and pattern identification; however, they may also encounter challenges during their learning journey.
Common types of neurodivergence include dyslexia, autism, ADHD, dyscalculia, dyspraxia/DCD, dysgraphia, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Studies suggest that approximately 15-20% of the population is neurodivergent; however, figures are believed to be much higher due to the number of undiagnosed people. The extent to which neurodivergence will impact individuals’ everyday lives and educational experiences can vary.
While significant strides have been made within the sector, including initiatives by Ako Aotearoa’s Manako Programme, there remains an ongoing need for educators and policymakers to collaborate in addressing the gaps and barriers faced by neurodivergent learners within the education system.
Supporting neurodivergent learners: Current practices
Tertiary institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand, including universities, polytechnics, wānanga, and private training establishments, are actively implementing a range of programmes and resources to support neurodivergent learners across the board. Institutions leading the way include:
- The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC): provides resources and advice to tertiary education organisations on supporting neurodivergent learners and creating a more inclusive education system. One of the key resources TEC offers is its Disability Action Plans.
- Ako Aotearoa: The New Zealand Dyslexia-Friendly Quality Mark (DFQM) is a certification that tertiary institutions can apply for. It is earned by meeting a specific set of standards that qualify them as a dyslexia-friendly organisation. Currently, 19 organisations have achieved certification.
- Open Polytechnic Kuratini Tuwhera: offers a Disability and Access Service, providing support to learners throughout their studies, tailored to their individual needs.
- BCITO: The Building Abilities initiative aims to empower neurodivergent learners by giving them the tools to thrive in a construction career.
Systemic barriers to inclusion
Historically, research has been conducted without considering the lived experiences of neurodivergent researchers and participants. While the situation is evolving, the current national standards and frameworks were developed based on historical research and information available at the time, as well as insights from the medical profession.
It is crucial to recognise that not every neurodivergent person:
- Knows that they are neurodivergent
- Discloses that they are neurodivergent
- Is OK with being neurodivergent
- Has talked about being neurodivergent with their families
- Is accepted for being neurodivergent
There is a lack of understanding about neurodivergence and inconsistent advice on how to support learners. Definitions may also lack clarity, and discrepancies may exist between international definitions. It can be an ambiguous space, which is why research, frameworks, and policies must include lived experiences.
Many neurodivergent people in tertiary education face a lack of recognition and support, with the recording of their needs often limited by system design, personal experience, and prevailing stigma.
Lack of recognition
Neurodivergent status is often recorded inaccurately – sometimes as a single tick box covering multiple conditions, or as a general disability category. Many neurodivergent individuals do not self-identify as disabled, so they may leave these fields blank.
Concerns about privacy, prior negative experiences, stigma, or distrust may also discourage disclosure. Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand have shown that students often feel invisible in tertiary institutions, with a limited understanding and lack of support from staff and systems.
Uneven support across the tertiary sector
Support services for neurodivergent students are not standardised across tertiary education organisations (TEOs). Each TEO has different processes, resources, and levels of funding, resulting in variable access and awareness of supports. This results in significant inequities in the student experience. While some benefit from pockets of good practice, others struggle to access meaningful help.
The education system requires standardisation to ensure effective and efficient productivity. There also needs to be a deeper understanding of the ways of thinking and being of both learners and educators, and seeking out ways to recognise and develop their potential. This involves reflecting on neurodivergence and offering flexibility, as well as alternative assessment methods.
Ongoing opportunities for growth
Current practices for supporting educators and neurodivergent learners exist, and significant progress has been made in this space. However, there are still gaps that need to be addressed, and the need for improvement remains ongoing.
Policymakers must:
- Develop national neurodivergence inclusion standards
- Fund research and innovation in inclusive education
- Mandate institutional reporting on accessibility and outcomes
The educator’s role: From awareness to action
Professional development and implementation of practical, evidence-based strategies are essential for educators to support learners more effectively.
The importance of awareness training
To create inclusive environments, awareness training should be provided to all staff, not just those in specialist roles, because neurodivergent students may require support in any setting.
Incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles ensures all learners are treated with respect and dignity, regardless of diagnostic label or disability status. Well-designed training also opens space for discussion, reduces stigma, and enhances staff comfort in directing students toward appropriate, evidence-based resources.
Building confidence and access to resources
Awareness training benefits both educators and students, increasing institutional confidence to respond supportively. Access to evidence-based resources, especially those developed in collaboration with or informed by lived experience, is key to ensuring responses are both practical and empathetic.
Educators do not need to have all the answers; knowing where to turn for guidance and having permission to discuss these topics can foster more welcoming educational communities.
Not everyone learns the same way or at the same time. Not everyone thinks the same way. That’s the joy of neurodiversity.
Reflect and revision
Reflecting on teaching practices is an effective way to look back and consider how situations were experienced, what went well, and what could have gone better. It can help neurodivergent people understand themselves better, allow them to be kinder to themselves, and support the development of effective strategies.
Educators can reflect on learners’ interactions within the classroom, in response to specific topics or activities, or during assessments. This kind of reflection allows the educator to identify any patterns, successes, or weaker areas which they can scaffold accordingly.
Co-design learning
Co-design is vitally important in engaging neurodivergent learners and offering educators and policymakers opportunities to work directly with those learners, hear their solutions, see how they work, and gain an insight into their ways of thinking and being.
Recommendations for change in the tertiary education sector
Ako Aotearoa recently submitted a briefing paper to the Minister of Education, highlighting the importance of supporting neurodivergent learners, a priority for the Manako programme and the Tertiary Education Commission. The recommendations included:
- Expanding support services: Increase the availability of specialised support for neurodivergent learners.
- Creating inclusive teaching practices: Train educators in inclusive teaching methods and raise awareness of neurodiversity-affirming approaches.
- Implementing collaborative approaches: Foster collaboration between educators and learners and support the development of Communities of Practice and supportive learning environments.
Building a future of belonging
Embracing the value that neurodivergent learners and their perspectives bring to the tertiary education sector moves us closer to creating a system where all learners are welcome and empowered to succeed. To do so, we must acknowledge the areas where educators and policymakers fall short in their support of neurodivergent learners and take practical steps towards closing those gaps.
Ako Aotearoa is a government-funded organisation committed to supporting the country’s tertiary sector teachers, trainers, and educators to be the best they can be for the success of all learners.