Neurodiversity and Cognitive Load – TeacherToolkit
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Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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Are teachers aware of how cognitive load affects neurodivergent students?
Neurodivergent students, especially those with ADHD and autism, experience cognitive load differently, and traditional instructional strategies may not apply uniformly.
Since I’ve published my research, Guide to Memory (McGill, 2022), I have been living some of the concepts in schools and colleges all across the UK and internationally. Helping teachers understand working memory and cognitive load, especially recommendations for neurotypical students.
As a result, I am increasingly asked by students, parents and teachers, how would you translate these recommendations to meet neurodiverse needs? It is a really good question, and something I am keen to explore.
Managing cognitive load requires nuance
In a new systematic research review, Neurodiversity and cognitive load in online learning (Le Cunff, Giampietro & Dommett, 2024) suggest “a major research gap” in the relationship between neurodiversity and cognitive load.
Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process and retain information. In online learning, neurodivergent students (e.g., those with ADHD or autism) face unique challenges in managing this load, especially when self-regulation and working memory are impaired.
Traditional methods to reduce cognitive load, such as minimising redundant information, may not work for everyone, particularly those with different cognitive processing styles.
Neurodivergent students struggle with self-regulated learning
Understanding cognitive load is crucial because many neurodivergent students struggle with self-regulated learning, attention control, and emotional states, all of which influence their ability to learn effectively online.
Teachers who adapt their instruction to reduce unnecessary cognitive load can significantly improve learning outcomes, fostering inclusivity and engagement in digital classrooms.
Employ scaffolding strategies
Teachers can reduce cognitive load for neurodivergent students by employing scaffolding strategies such as breaking content into smaller chunks, using multimedia formats, and providing subtitles for video materials. Incorporating redundancy may benefit ADHD students, contrary to typical guidelines.
It is always worth considering clear instructions and simplified language, all essential for reducing cognitive load for students with autism. In an online context, teachers should also consider using tools like eye-tracking and pupil dilation data (if available) to assess cognitive engagement and adapt learning materials accordingly.
Image credit: (Le Cunff, Giampietro & Dommett, 2024)
Reflection questions for teachers
- How do neurodivergent students in your class respond to multimedia presentations?
- How do adapted resources benefit or hinder autistic students in your lessons?
- How could you break down complex topics into smaller, manageable chunks to reduce cognitive load further?
- Are the instructions you provide clear enough for students with autism?
- What additional scaffolding could you introduce to support students who struggle with attention control?
- How do students’ emotional states impact their cognitive load in your online learning activities?
- What non-verbal gestures and cues could you use to help you assess cognitive load?
- How do you measure the cognitive load your students experience in lessons?
- What strategies can you use to support neuro diverse students during learning?
- How could you differentiate learning experiences for students with autism?
The research concludes:
Students with ADHD were found to experience a lower cognitive load; creating universally accessible [resources] that meet the needs of all students remains challenging
Neurodivergent students, especially those with ADHD and autism, experience cognitive load differently, and traditional instructional strategies may not apply uniformly.
Download and read the full paper.
