A Study Skills Survival Guide for Neurodivergent Learners by Julia Childs
Published by: Jessica Kingsley
The idea
One Sunday morning after an indecently early Tai Chi lesson, I found myself having a post- class coffee with a lady whose son is autistic and has ADHD. He had just started university and was finding the transition to a different kind of studying very tricky. Three hours later, she had wrung out of me almost every ounce of information I could muster. She had also firmly and enthusiastically asserted that I should collate the advice I had given her into a book, so that others could make use of it too. So, I began to write, ‘A Study Skills Survival Guide for Neurodivergent Learners.’
Being accessible
From the start, I wanted it to be a practical, no-nonsense resource for students who have any kind of neurodivergence. It is important to me that they can experiment with different ideas and choose what they find most helpful, whilst quite happily discarding any advice that feels instinctively wrong for them! I don’t think that being prescriptive works, particularly when neurodivergent people are so unique. Equally, I wanted to produce something that embraces the fact that different types of neurodivergence often converge or overlap. Hence, the pick ‘n’ mix concept.
Accessibility was constantly in my mind as I wrote, so the language is unequivocal and there are lots of images and repeating symbols throughout which should enable readers to find what they are looking for quickly. The idea is that this book is very ‘pick-up and put-down- able’, which I hope I’ve managed to achieve.
Keeping the Joy
I also wanted to attempt to reduce some of the pressure that neurodivergent students can face. I often remind them that keeping the joy in learning is vital and so there’s a chapter which includes tips for self-care and avoiding burnout. Being able to quickly flick through and find lots of useful advice and strategies in one handy guide could be particularly helpful when assignment deadlines are looming, and stress levels are high.
Being thankful
Finally, I would like to add that it’s been huge fun to write, and I hope that comes through in my words. I am constantly learning from my students, and so I have sincerely thanked them in the foreword. If you do manage to pick up a copy, you can find it at these retailers: Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles. I would love to hear what you think of it!