About This Course
Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human brain function and behavioural traits. Students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and other neurological differences are not broken versions of neurotypical learners. They are learners whose brains work differently, and who are too often failed by educational systems designed for a narrow range of cognitive profiles.
At the same time, increasing numbers of students in European classrooms carry the effects of trauma: adverse childhood experiences, family instability, migration, loss and other stressors that profoundly affect how they are able to engage with learning. Trauma-informed teaching is not about diagnosing students or providing therapy. It is about understanding how stress and adversity affect the brain and behaviour, and adjusting the learning environment accordingly.
This course brings these two powerful frameworks together. Participants develop a deep understanding of neurodiversity and trauma, explore evidence-based approaches for supporting neurodiverse and trauma-affected students, and design classroom environments and practices that are genuinely responsive to the full range of human cognitive and emotional difference.
Who Should Attend
- Classroom teachers working with students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia or other neurological differences
- School counsellors and wellbeing staff
- Special educational needs coordinators
- Teachers in schools with significant numbers of students from disadvantaged or traumatised backgrounds
- Any teacher who wants to better understand the students who challenge them most
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
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Explain the concept of neurodiversity and its implications for teaching and classroom design.
Neurodiversity is a framework, not a diagnosis. You will be able to explain to colleagues, parents and students what neurodiversity means, why it matters and why it represents a fundamentally different way of thinking about learning differences from the deficit model that still dominates most educational discourse.
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Identify and apply evidence-based strategies for supporting students with ADHD, autism spectrum, dyslexia and related profiles.
You will have specific, practical strategies for each of the most common neurodivergent profiles encountered in mainstream classrooms. These are not one-size-fits-all accommodations but targeted approaches that address the specific cognitive profiles of different types of neurodivergence.
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Explain how trauma affects the developing brain and apply trauma-informed principles to classroom practice.
Trauma changes the brain in specific, measurable ways that affect attention, memory, emotional regulation and behaviour. You will understand these neurobiological mechanisms clearly enough to recognise their effects in students and to know why strategies that work for non-traumatised students often backfire with traumatised ones.
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Design a trauma-informed and neurodiverse-affirming classroom environment and set of routines.
A trauma-informed and neurodiverse-affirming classroom is predictable, sensory-aware, relationally safe and cognitively flexible. You will have a practical checklist for auditing your own classroom environment and a set of specific adjustments to make it more accessible for the full range of learners.
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Engage in reflective professional practice about the attitudes and assumptions that affect how teachers respond to neurodiverse and trauma-affected students.
The most important changes in how we teach neurodiverse and trauma-affected students happen not in the classroom but inside the teacher. When a student is disruptive, is your first thought 'what is wrong with this student?' or 'what is this student trying to tell me?' This course shifts that internal question.
A 7-Day Professional Development Experience
The Sude Nexus programme combines five days of intensive professional training with a structured arrival day and a cultural excursion day. The outline below gives a general sense of the week. We are always open to tailoring the programme to your needs.
Participants arrive at their chosen destination and are welcomed by the Sude Nexus local team. Check-in to accommodation, welcome pack distribution and an informal welcome dinner. A brief orientation walk introduces the city.
Guided cultural excursion to a key landmark of the destination. Participants travelling home are free to depart after breakfast.
This outline is a starting point, not a fixed schedule. Contact us to discuss how we can tailor this programme for your institution.
EU Policy Alignment
Erasmus+ 2026 Horizontal Priorities
EU Competence Frameworks
EU Policy Initiatives
Available Locations and Dates
This course is available across all 13 Sude Nexus destinations. Check the dates page for current availability.
Check Dates and Availability