ADHD is Not a Distraction: It’s a Different Way of Thinking
Promoting Neurodiversity as a Strength in Higher Education Settings
By Rashi Bansal, Course Coordinator, Health L3&4, LSST Elephant and Castle, and Yunus Ali, PAT coordinator, LSST Elephant and Castle
Let us begin by turning the traditional narrative on its head: ADHD is not a flaw – it’s a form of cognitive diversity that can drive innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Within higher education, it’s time we shifted the focus from remediation to recognition.
Neurodiversity and Constructivism
Our understanding of ADHD is evolving thanks to frameworks like Neurodiversity Theory (Singer, 1999; Armstrong, 2010), which reframes neurological differences not as deficits but as naturally occurring variations in the human genome. From this perspective, ADHD is not something to “fix” – it’s something to understand and embrace.
Parallel to this, Constructivist Learning Theory (Piaget, 1952; Vygotsky, 1978) offers a powerful pedagogical lens. Constructivism suggests that learning is an active, contextualised process, exactly the type of environment where students with ADHD thrive. These students often engage deeply when content is meaningful, collaborative, and experiential.
Beyond the Box-Ticking: Why ADHD Minds Are Assets in Business
Let’s be honest, the business world doesn’t reward robotic compliance. It rewards original thinking, fast pivoting, and risk-taking. Traits commonly found in individuals with ADHD include divergent thinking, high energy, spontaneity, and hyperfocus on areas of passion (Sedgwick et al., 2019).
Some of the most iconic entrepreneurs – Richard Branson, David Neeleman, and IKEA’s Ingvar Kamprad – openly credit their ADHD-like traits as drivers of their success (White & Shah, 2006). So, why do classrooms still penalise students who can’t sit still or who “daydream” during PowerPoint-heavy lectures?
What This Means for Us at LSST
At LSST, we pride ourselves on championing inclusivity and equity. But it’s time to go from accommodation to celebration of neurodiversity. Here’s how:
1.Universal Design for Learning (UDL)UDL (Rose & Meyer, 2002) is a framework that encourages designing educational environments that accommodate all learners. Offering multiple ways to access content and demonstrate knowledge benefits everyone, not just neurodivergent students.
2. Assessment FlexibilityEncouraging multimedia submissions, collaborative projects, or entrepreneurial pitches as alternatives to traditional essays allows ADHD students to showcase their talents in authentic ways (Hehir et al., 2016).
3.Staff DevelopmentProfessional development in neurodiversity should be a core part of teaching excellence. The more we understand executive functioning, sensory regulation, and working memory challenges, the more inclusive we can be in our teaching methods (Alloway et al., 2009).
4.Student Voice and Co-DesignEngage students with ADHD in designing their learning experiences. This honours the constructivist principle of learner agency and makes our classrooms truly inclusive (Cook-Sather, 2020).
“I am a firm believer in creating a safe, supportive space where my students feel seen, heard, and empowered to bring their full selves into the learning experience. Psychological safety is foundational to learning. I begin each module by setting expectations around respect, inclusivity, and confidentiality. I openly acknowledge that neurodiversity exists and that different brains learn differently. Sharing aspects of my own ADHD journey – when appropriate – helps normalise differences and reduce stigma. I also create anonymous feedback channels where students can raise concerns or suggestions without fear. These practices encourage open dialogue and allow all students, not just the vocal few, to feel seen and valued.”
Mr. Yunus Ali (PAT coordinator, LSST Elephant & Castle)
ADHD is an Asset – If We Let It Be
When we stop viewing ADHD as a disruption and start recognising it as a different cognitive operating system, we create space for brilliance. Not every student learns in straight lines: some spiral, some zigzag, and some leap. That doesn’t make them less capable; it often makes them more visionary.
Let’s move from compliance-based education to creativity-based education. Let’s be bold, disruptive, and inclusive, just like the ADHD thinkers we aim to empower.
Coming Straight from the Source: Mr. Yunus Ali’s Perspective
Let’s pause for a moment and listen to someone who’s not only walked the walk but is now actively paving the way for others. Mr. Yunus Ali, a fellow lecturer and PAT Coordinator at LSST, lives with a neurodiverse condition, and he is one of our most energetic, empathetic, and innovative educators.
Yunus often shares how his personal journey has shaped his teaching philosophy and his connection with students. He describes himself as “self-diagnosed with a bag of coping mechanisms”, and what a brilliant bag it is. From breaking lectures into micro-units of high engagement to encouraging brain-dumping exercises during tutorials, Yunus embodies the inclusivity we often theorise but rarely practise consistently.
But perhaps what’s most impactful is the emotional safety Yunus creates in his learning spaces. Students from a wide range of backgrounds, including neurodiverse learners, first-generation university students, mature learners, and those for whom English is an additional language – often describe his sessions as “judgement-free zones.” This resonates strongly with Vygotsky’s (1978) social constructivist framework, where learning is built through collaboration, trust, and supportive dialogue. By modelling vulnerability, compassion, and authenticity, Yunus invites his students to bring their whole selves quirks, questions, cultures, and all, into the academic space.
In a sector where students from underrepresented or marginalised groups may already feel “othered,” educators like Yunus remind us that creating a safe space isn’t just about accommodations – it’s about building trust, fostering connection, and offering radical belonging. It’s about seeing the individual behind the label and helping them thrive as they are.
References
Alloway, T. P., Rajendran, G. and Archibald, L. M. D. (2009) ‘Working memory in children with developmental disorders’, Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42(4), pp. 372–382.
Armstrong, T. (2010) Neurodiversity: Discovering the extraordinary gifts of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other brain differences. New York: Da Capo Lifelong Books.
Cook-Sather, A. (2020) ‘Student voice across educational contexts: Research and practices’, Theory Into Practice, 59(2), pp. 104–112.
Hehir, T., Schifter, L. A., Grindal, T., Ng, M. and Eidelman, H. (2016) A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education. Abt Associates.
Piaget, J. (1952) The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International Universities Press.
Rose, D. H. and Meyer, A. (2002) Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Sedgwick, J. A., Merwood, A. and Asherson, P. (2019) ‘The positive aspects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A qualitative investigation of successful adults with ADHD’, ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 11(3), pp. 241–253.
Singer, J. (1999) “Why can’t you be normal for once in your life?”: From a “problem with no name” to the emergence of a new category of difference. In Corker, M. and French, S. (eds.) Disability Discourse. Buckingham: Open University Press, pp. 59–67.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978) Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
White, H. A. and Shah, P. (2006) ‘Uninhibited imaginations: Creativity in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder’, Personality and Individual Differences, 40(6), pp. 1121–1131.