| CODE | PSY3655 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Neurodiverse Profiles | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Psychology | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Research on Learning Disabilities, Specific Learning Difficulties, and dys-profiles is currently following a movement where such profiles should be referred to as Neurodiverse. Coined in 1990 by Judy Singer to try to understand her and her family's profile, neurodiversity is now an approach that supports the fact that various neurological profiles are the effect of normal changes and variations in the human genome. ADHD, Autism, Dyspraxia, and Dyslexia all fall within the spectrum of Neurodiversity and are all neurodiverse profiles. Current research also notes that today it is more the norm that the exception to have more than one profile (DSM-5). In spite of a robust body of research, and neurodiverse profiles the largest population within the field of Disabilities, persons with neurodiverse profiles are still are often mislabled and misunderstood. This study unit intends to introduce the student to these profiles and to explore how this affects lives and wellbeing. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit intends to introduce the students to neurdiversity and how current research is moving toward referring to persons with SpLD, LD, ADhD, and ASD as persons with a neurodiverse profiles. The aim is to senstive students to how such profiles affect lives, or rather how the lack of understandng and support leads to negative effects and how one can thrice is inclusion and UDL are embraced and implemented. The study unit aims to challenge students on their views of neurodiverse profiles, in relation to education, can assessment, employment, and general wellbeing. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define Neurodiversity; - Compare terminologies - SpLD, LD, neurodiversity Discuss Aetiology and Cognitive Challenges; Identify Personality and Social Characteristics; - Explain Assessment and Neurodiversity; Recognise difference between dys-profiles; - Discuss neurodiversity in relation to ADhD and ASD; - Discuss neurodiverse profiles in education and employment; - Explain accessibility to education and employment; - Demonstrate the importance of awareness of this profile in order to effectively implement inclusion with the UDL framework in education, employment and the environment. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply knowledge on neurodiverse profiles to life situations; - Demonstrate ability to link class discussions to theories of SpLD; - Illustrate examples in relation to neurodiverse profiles; - Research how this neurodiverse profile may be addressed in life situations; - Identify and Explain beaviour, learning and performance behaviour which suggest neurodiversity.; - Provide practical suggestions and strategies that can be used to improve the learning outcomes and the lives of persons with a neurodiverse profile; - Evaluate accessibility of assessment and tests, particularly with regard to alternative presentation and access to print; - Provide suggestions of how one can improve the environment to address neurodiverse profiles; - Explain how to address relevant laws and documents on neurodiversity. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: Fung, L. K. (Ed.). (2021). Neurodiversity: From Phenomenology to Neurobiology and Enhancing Technologies. American Psychiatric Pub. Supplementary Readings: - Alexander-Passe, S. D. N. (2021). Exams Complaints and Appeals Policy 2021/22. Policy, 22. https://hasmoneanmat.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Exams-Compla ints-and-Appeals-Policy.pdf - Alexander-Passe, N. (2015). Investigating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by the experience of dyslexia in mainstream school education. Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy, 5(6), 1-10. DOI: 10.4172/2161-0487.1000215 - Armstrong, T. (2010). Neurodiversity: Discovering the extraordinary gifts of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other brain differences. ReadHowYouWant. com. - Doyle, N. (2020). Neurodiversity at work: a biopsychosocial model and the impact on working adults. British Medical Bulletin, 135(1), 108. 10.1093/bmb/ldaa021 - Kucian, K., & von Aster, M. (2015). Developmental dyscalculia. European journal of pediatrics, 174(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2455-7 - Legault, M., Bourdon, J. N., & Poirier, P. (2021). From neurodiversity to neurodivergence: the role of epistemic and cognitive marginalization. Synthese, 199(5), 12843-12868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-021-03356-5 - Mooney, J., & Cole, D. (2014). Learning Outside The Lines: Two Ivy League Students With Learning Disabilities And Adhd Give You The Tools F. Simon and Schuster. - Kannangara, C. S. (2015). From languishing dyslexia to thriving dyslexia: Developing a new conceptual approach to working with people with dyslexia. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 1976. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01976 - For those keen on further research on the topic https://bookriot.com/books-about-neurodiversity/ https://bookshop.org/lists/neurodiverging-s-best-books-about-neurodiversity https://www.neurodiversitynetwork.net/books |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Ruth Falzon |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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