Disability conversations: Undiagnosed social/emotional disability
This second season of NCCD Portal podcasts focuses on how schools can support students with either a diagnosed disability or an imputed disability, so they can be successful learners across different education settings.
In this episode, we put the spotlight on undiagnosed social/emotional disability. We’ll explore how this broad category of disability can impact a student’s overall classroom and functional learning experience. Undiagnosed social/emotional disabilities can present differently in each student, but there are key signs that schools can look out for to assess whether a student is exhibiting evidence of a social/emotional disability.
You’ll meet clinical psychologist Jane Carmignani. She discusses some of the classroom adjustments that can be made to assist students with undiagnosed social/emotional disability who are often in ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. As a proudly autistic man, founder and Chief Enabling Officer of the I CAN Network, Chris Varney shares his personal and professional experience of the impact that social/emotional disability can have on students. He offers suggestions on how schools can better support them. Inclusive education specialist and teacher Claire Jackson shares ways to gather evidence and data to ensure students are given the right level of adjustments.
Top five takeaways
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Social/emotional disabilities are broad and can affect emotions, judgement and behaviour. Triggers can depend on a student’s age and year level.
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These students could be masking their real emotions and struggle with social norms.
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Students with social/emotional disability require instruction delivered in diverse ways – a multimodal approach.
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Classroom adjustments that consider environmental and sensory triggers can help students with social/emotional disability to regulate their emotions.
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There can be stigma attached to social/emotional disability. So, ensure parents know that the school embraces learning diversity and that their child is in a safe place.
Discussion starters
- What signs should I look for, that would suggest a student has a social/emotional disability?
- What steps can I take to ensure a student with social/emotional disability can feel supported throughout their entire school experience – from the playground to the classroom?
- How can I manage the anxiety that students with social/emotional disability often feel, to help them focus on their tasks?
- What can help students with social/emotional disability achieve calmness and regulate their emotions?
- How can I prepare to have conversations with parents about how to support a student who may have social/emotional disability, especially if behavioural descriptors are considered negative labels?
Interviewees:
Jane Carmignani, clinical psychologist
Chris Varney, founder and Chief Enabling Officer of the I CAN Network, an autistic led social enterprise
Claire Jackson, inclusive education specialist and teacher
Duration
25-minute run time.
Listen on the go
Search for Disability conversations in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for your mobile device.
Resources
Download a transcript of the podcast episode.
Credits
Host/Producer
Serpil Şenelmiş, Written & Recorded
Producer/Audio Engineer
James Brandis, Written & Recorded
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