“Walking the Talk” in Special Educator Preparation for Neurodiversity

Introduction

In special education teacher (SET) preparation, SET educator faculty run the risk of being solely focused on preparing teacher candidates with the knowledge and skills for working with P-12 students with disabilities over simultaneously attending to the learning and accessibility needs of diverse SET candidates themselves. For many college students in special education teacher preparation programs, neurodiversity is relevant as a context for their future special education practice and as a lived experience, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed. In this chapter, we propose that intentional and transparent SET educator modeling of inclusive teaching practices and SET educator-SET candidate shared critical reflection on those practices can be transformative for the learning and growth of teacher candidates and faculty alike. When SET educators give equal attention to (1) teaching SET candidates to be inclusive and impactful professionals and (2) their embodiment of those same inclusive and impactful practices in higher education, there is intentionality in “walking the talk” of special education teaching practices. This dual focus not only supports neurodiverse SET candidates, it also fosters the opportunity for collective critical reflection among faculty and teacher candidates for mutual benefit and growth. In turn, SET faculty and SET teacher candidates enhance the potential for positive impact on the learning and outcomes of neurodiverse children and youth.

Figure 1.

A model for inclusive practices in special educator preparation for positive outcomes for neurodiverse p-12 learners

As illustrated in Figure 1, in this chapter we highlight a structure for SET educator modeling and SET candidates’ direct experiences of three key frameworks for preparation for working with neurodiverse P-12 learners: universal design for learning, person-centered planning, and adaptive expertise. SET educator modeling and SET candidate lived experiences within these frameworks can occur across coursework and fieldwork contexts that prepare candidates for real-world teaching practice. Ongoing, collaborative critical reflection among SET educators and SET candidates in these contexts ensures SET candidates develop the knowledge, skills, and adaptive orientations necessary for meeting the needs of neurodiverse learners. Concurrently, SET educators strengthen their capacity for inclusive and adaptive teaching undergirded by an emphasis on continuous improvement. Ultimately, this structure of intentional practices and experiences leads to the direct and indirect contributions of SET candidates and SET educators, respectively, to improved outcomes for neurodiverse children and youth.

In support of our call to action for faculty to “walk the talk” of inclusive and impactful teaching for neurodiverse learners, our chapter aims to (1) clearly articulate the rationale for and details of inclusive learning frameworks and critical reflection for teaching and learning in special educator preparation, and (2) provide practical suggestions for modeling and reflecting on these in coursework and fieldwork. To accomplish these aims, we provide a rationale based on teacher preparation standards and neurodiversity prevalence estimates. Next, we discuss the needs of neurodiverse children and youth and the parallel preparation needs of SET candidates for working with those students. We then emphasize three inclusive teaching and learning frameworks that SET educators can leverage within a model of “walking the talk” across coursework and field experiences: universal design for learning (CAST, 2018), person-centered planning (Claes et al., 2010; Wells & Sheehey, 2012), and adaptive expertise (Bransford et al., 2000; Bransford et al., 2005; De Arment et al., 2013; Hatano & Inagaki, 1986). Following a discussion of the role of critical reflection for strengthening SET candidate and SET educator teaching and learning, we suggest future directions for SET preparation. Finally, this chapter concludes with practical examples of “walking the talk” in special education teacher preparation and invites broad application of the proposed practices across interdisciplinary preparation contexts.