Discussing neurodiversity in mathematics education: the new terminologies that emerge in studies on autism.

Intending to explore the terminologies, practices, and attitudes that permeate neurodivergent students’ inclusion and are shown in the mathematics teacher’s vocabulary, this paper presents a study that answers the following research question: Which assumptions can we identify in mathematics teachers’ vocabulary regarding autism? The data produced in the study consisted of registers by eight mathematics teachers from two public schools in the city of São Paulo answering an online questionnaire. The analysis assumes the principles of neurodiversity as a theoretical framework. It identifies three assumptions in the vocabulary of the participating teachers: (1) the recognition of needs arising from neurodivergence as a criterion for validating teaching practice, with the search for adjustment, adaptation, and pedagogical support that complements the school inclusion process; (2) the introduction of terminologies derived from the neurodiversity movement; and (3) medical explanation aligned with definitions and related descriptors in healthcare manuals. We conclude that neurodiversity is a movement with the potential to bring about such changes in the educational scenario. Still, as mathematics educators, we are incited to think how close we are to the sociological and critical ground in which this movement originates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]