Ableism and neurodiversity at school: towards a truly inclusive education

Why this article?

I’ve noticed several times recently that articles about ableism keep popping up in the press and on social media. I admit it sparked my curiosity, and I wanted to share the results of my research with you.

But what is ableism?

So I started by looking up the definition of ableism in a French reference dictionary: a system that makes non-disabled people the social norm, and, by extension, discrimination against people with disabilities.

Ableism refers to the set of prejudices, discriminations and, often invisible, forms of violence based on the idea that non-disabled people – that is, people without a disability or a neurological difference – are the norm everyone should conform to. At school, this can translate into implicit expectations: listening without moving, writing quickly, understanding instructions the same way, or taking part according to predefined social codes.

In other words, ableism is the often unconscious idea that being “able-bodied” or “neurotypical” is the norm, and that everyone should fit that mould.

So, applying this definition to school, it could translate into sentences like:

“All students have to do the same exercise in the same way.”
“A good student is someone who sits still, pays attention and stays quiet.”

These expectations, often seen as “obvious”, put many students at a disadvantage, particularly those with neurodivergent profiles (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, DYS disorders, giftedness, etc.).

And what is neurodiversity?

A richness that is often misunderstood

Neurodiversity refers to the fact that some brains work differently: this is the case for people with an NDD (NeuroDevelopmental Disorder), meaning ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), or DYS disorders.

The concept of neurodiversity recognises that neurological differences are not flaws to be corrected, but natural variations in human functioning.
In a classroom, this means one student may learn by moving, another by drawing diagrams, another by repeating things out loud… These ways of thinking and acting are not “abnormalities” but different ways of interacting with the world.

How does ableism show up at school?

In teaching methods that are too uniform, with a single learning approach seen as legitimate: one single way to read, write or demonstrate knowledge.
In discipline: punishing a child for moving or looking away when they are simply trying to stay focused is an unsuitable disciplinary practice.
In how the student is perceived: seeing them as “lazy”, “badly behaved” or “not up to standard”, instead of trying to understand how they function and how they learn.
In the severe shortage of teaching assistants and/or places in suitable settings: since the start of this school year, many students are still waiting for an AESH (a teaching assistant supporting students with disabilities) or a place in a suitable school.

How can schools become more inclusive?

An inclusive school doesn’t ask students to fit into a single mould. It adapts to them.
Here are a few simple approaches:

Vary the materials, which means using differentiated teaching: offering text, images, spoken content and diagrams (mind maps) all at once.
Rethink and diversify assessment methods: allow a student to explain out loud, give a presentation or draw, instead of relying solely on a written test.
Train teachers to recognise and unlearn their own ableist biases.
Value the skills of neurodivergent students beyond their academic difficulties.
Create a supportive atmosphere: explain to other students that everyone has their own strengths and difficulties, and that learning differently isn’t “worse”.
Listen to students and their families: they know their needs best.

Why does this matter?

Fighting ableism at school isn’t just about helping “a few students”. It’s about offering everyone a fairer, more creative and more respectful environment.
The diversity of ways of learning and thinking is an asset: it prepares children to live in a society where everyone has a place and can contribute in their own way.