Navigating Neurodiverse Education Podcast

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 Welcome to the "Navigating Neurodiverse Education" podcast, where we offer strategies and insights to help parents create the ideal learning environment for their neurodiverent child. Whether you're a parent or a supportive family member, you'll find practical advice and inspiring discussions for the educational journey ahead. 

  1. 1d ago

    Podcast 109 - How Do I Teach Social Skills Without Teaching Them to Mask?

    Send us Fan Mail SOCIAL SKILLS – FRIENDSHIP: How Do I Teach Social Skills Without Teaching Them to Mask? We all want our children to develop friendships, feel included and experience meaningful connections. But how do we teach social skills without inadvertently teaching neurodivergent children to hide who they really are? In this episode of The Neurodiverse Education Hub, we explore the difference between teaching social understanding and teaching children to mask. We look at why some neurodivergent children feel they need to copy their peers, suppress their interests, force eye contact or pretend to enjoy activities just to fit in. We'll explore what genuine friendship looks like, why shared interests matter, and how we can teach communication, boundaries, consent, negotiation and perspective-taking without expecting children to change their identity. Most importantly, we'll consider how parents and educators can create environments where children feel accepted, understood and valued for who they are. Because friendship shouldn't come at the cost of identity. Connection over conformity. Understanding over judgement. Acceptance over expectation. Join us for this important conversation about helping neurodivergent children develop genuine friendships where they can truly be themselves. The Neurodiverse Education Hub — Support. Empower. Belong. Etzy Store Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    Podcast 109 - How Do I Teach Social Skills Without Teaching Them to Mask?

  2. Oct 26

    Podcast 108 - When We Can't Handle Change, We Project It onto Our Kids

    Send us Fan Mail When We Can't Handle Change, We Project It onto Our Kids Have you ever wondered why your child's difficulty with change triggers such a strong reaction in you? In this episode of The Neurodiverse Education Hub, we explore how our own anxiety, expectations and discomfort with uncertainty can influence the way we respond to our children. We look particularly at neurodivergent parents raising neurodivergent children, the research on parental stress and emotional regulation, and practical ways to respond with greater compassion. Discover how recognising our own triggers, supporting co-regulation and repairing relationships can help us break unhelpful patterns. Because sometimes, helping our children manage change begins with understanding ourselves. The key message: It's not about blaming parents. It's about learning to respond differently, for ourselves and our children. The Neurodiverse Education Hub — Support. Empower. Belong. Etzy Store Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Research Article References from this podcast Parental stress and psychological flexibility REsearch Article - Acceptance and Commitment Training for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial Psychological interventions and the parent–child relationship Psychological Interventions Targeting Mental Health and the Mother–Child Relationship in Autism: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Emotional regulation and co-regulation Review and Developmental Model: Early Childhood Emotion Regulation and Co-Regulation in Autism Parenting when the parent has ADHD Parental ADHD as a Mechanistic Barrier to Behavioral Parent Training Implementation: An Intergenerational Framework for Addressing Childhood ADHD Parent-mediated support for children's emotional regulation Evaluating Parent-Mediated Interventions to Support Child Emotion Regulation: A Review of Preventative Approaches Across Childhood For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    Podcast 108 - When We Can't Handle Change, We Project It onto Our Kids

  3. Oct 19

    Podcast 107 -

    Send us Fan Mail What Can I Do Tomorrow? My Child Melts Down Every Time They Go Into the Classroom — How Can I Make School Work for Them? Does your child happily play in the playground but become distressed the moment they enter the classroom? Do they run out of the room when asked to sit down for morning group time, leaving you wondering what is going wrong? In this episode of The Neurodiverse Education Hub Podcast, Ruth Smoker-Cornell explores what might be happening beneath the behaviour and why a child may struggle with the transition from playground to classroom. We explore morning transitions, separation anxiety, sensory overload and communication difficulties, along with practical ways parents and teachers can work together to make school more accessible and supportive. Discover simple strategies you can start using tomorrow, from visual routines and purposeful classroom jobs to quieter entry points and alternative ways to participate in group time. Because when the same difficulties happen across different schools, it's time to look beyond the behaviour and ask: What is this child telling us, and what can we change to help them succeed? Join Ruth for a practical, compassionate conversation about understanding the child, building trust and making school work for them. The Neurodiverse Education Hub — Support. Empower. Belong. Etzy Store Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    Podcast 107 -

  4. Oct 12

    #106 - How Do I Introduce Something New Without Triggering Distress

    Send us Fan Mail How Do I Introduce Something New Without Triggering Distress? Introducing something new can be exciting for some children — but for some neurodivergent children, new can mean unpredictable, uncertain and unsafe. In this episode of Navigating Neurodiverse Education, Ruth Smoker-Cornell explores how we can introduce change while respecting a child's need for predictability and safety. Using the PREPARE framework, Ruth shares practical strategies for helping children approach new experiences with greater confidence: P — Preview the change R — Reduce uncertainty E — Explain what stays the same P — Provide choices A — Allow small steps R — Regulate E — Evaluate Through a practical pancake-making example, Ruth explores why preparation, visuals, choice, small steps and regulation can make the difference between a child feeling overwhelmed and a child feeling ready to try. Because the goal isn't to avoid change or force flexibility. The goal is to help children learn: “Something can be different, and I can still cope.” Etzy Store Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    #106 - How Do I Introduce Something New Without Triggering Distress

  5. Oct 5

    #105 - Why Can They Count But Not Add?

    Send us Fan Mail Your child can count to 10, 20 or even 100 — so why do they struggle when you ask them to solve 2 + 3? In this episode of Navigating Neurodiverse Education, Ruth Smoker-Cornell explores why being able to count doesn't automatically mean a child understands addition. We look at the foundations of number sense, quantity and cardinality, why counting on can be difficult, and how working memory, language, processing and attention can affect mathematical learning. Ruth shares practical strategies for supporting children to move from counting → understanding quantity → combining quantities → solving addition problems, including the Concrete–Representational–Abstract (CRA) approach, visual supports, number lines, ten frames and real-life maths. If your child can count but seems to "fall apart" when numbers become addition, this episode will help you understand what might be happening and what you can do next. For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    #105 - Why Can They Count But Not Add?

  6. Sep 28

    # 104 - Working With the School: What If Everyone Agrees There Is a Problem But Nothing Changes?

    Send us Fan Mail Working With the School: What If Everyone Agrees There Is a Problem But Nothing Changes? Have you ever left a school meeting feeling relieved because everyone finally agrees that your child is struggling—only to find that weeks or even months later, nothing has really changed? The teacher sees it.  You see it.  The wellbeing team sees it.  Everyone agrees there is a problem… but where is the action? In this episode of Navigating Neurodiverse Education, we explore what happens when identifying a concern doesn't lead to meaningful change. We look at how parents and schools can move from “We agree there is a problem” to a clear, practical plan that identifies what will happen, who is responsible, when it will happen and how we will know if it is working. We explore why good intentions can sometimes get lost, why “we'll keep an eye on it” isn't always enough, and how parents can follow up in a way that remains calm, collaborative and solution-focused. Most importantly, this episode is about moving from conversation to action—because recognising that a child needs support is only the beginning. click here to access - 'The Parents and Teachers Meeting Checklist' For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    # 104 - Working With the School: What If Everyone Agrees There Is a Problem But Nothing Changes?

  7. Sep 21

    #103 Communication & Language: Why Do They Understand More Than They Can Express?

    Send us Fan Mail Communication & Language: Why Do They Understand More Than They Can Express? Have you ever thought, “But I know they understand me—why can’t they tell me what they know?” In this episode of Navigating Neurodiverse Education, we explore the important difference between receptive language—the language a child understands—and expressive language—the language they can communicate to others. We look at why a child may understand instructions, concepts, stories and conversations but struggle to answer questions, explain their thinking, find the right words or tell you what they need. We’ll explore how processing time, word retrieval, working memory, anxiety, communication differences and language demands can affect a child's ability to express themselves. We’ll also look at why speech isn't the only measure of communication and how tools such as visuals, AAC, gestures, writing, drawing and technology can give children meaningful ways to share what they know. Most importantly, this episode challenges us to look beyond “They can't do it” and ask: “What can I change to help this child show me what they know?”A practical episode for parents, teachers and anyone supporting neurodivergent children. Click here to get the Communication and Language Poster Pack For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    #103 Communication & Language: Why Do They Understand More Than They Can Express?

  8. Sep 14

    #102 Behaviour & Regulation: How Do I Distinguish Dysregulation from Deliberate Behaviour?

    Send us Fan Mail Behaviour & Regulation: How Do I Distinguish Dysregulation from Deliberate Behaviour? Is it dysregulation—or is the child deliberately choosing the behaviour? This is one of the most common and challenging questions parents and educators face when supporting neurodivergent children. In this episode, we unpack the difference between dysregulation, skill deficits, communication and deliberate behaviour, and explore why behaviour isn't always as straightforward as it appears. We look at what may be happening beneath behaviours such as refusal, aggression, shutting down, leaving the classroom or avoiding tasks, and discuss how to recognise when a child may be too overwhelmed to access skills they normally have. Most importantly, understanding the reason behind behaviour doesn't mean removing boundaries or excusing unsafe or inappropriate behaviour. It means responding in a way that addresses the underlying need while still teaching appropriate skills and maintaining clear expectations. You'll learn practical questions to ask, strategies for responding during dysregulation, and how to move from “How do I stop this behaviour?” to “What is this behaviour telling me, and what skill do we need to teach?” A practical episode for parents, teachers and anyone supporting neurodivergent children. For more advice, support, to book a consultation or to find out more information please visit: The Neurodiverse Education Hub Website You can also purchase our e-book from the website: e-book - Navigating Education: A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child and our Free Brochure - Transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School for your Neurodivergent Child Visit's The Neurodiverse Education Hub's Website  for information on the following: Work With Me - Individual Education Plans (IEP's), Play Skills,  Online Tutoring Webinars  Social Media Books Free Podcast PDF's Etzy Store

    #102 Behaviour & Regulation: How Do I Distinguish Dysregulation from Deliberate Behaviour?
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 Welcome to the "Navigating Neurodiverse Education" podcast, where we offer strategies and insights to help parents create the ideal learning environment for their neurodiverent child. Whether you're a parent or a supportive family member, you'll find practical advice and inspiring discussions for the educational journey ahead. 

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