Monotropism – The strength of focus

In my work with neurodivergent young people, I supported one young person, Anna (not her real name), who taught me about cognitive diversity, and along with knowledge I have learnt over the past couple of years during my MA, it has helped to frame my thinking about neurodivergent learning. Diagnosed with autism and ADHD, Anna was academically strong and deeply reflective, but school often left her depleted.

Monotropism is an autism theory by Dinah Murray and Damien Milton, which can help us to understand autism better. It is a theory that suggests some autistic people process the world through an intense, narrow focus. It can sometimes present as a short attention span or lack of motivation in situations that don't engage the learner, but it is actually the opposite of this. Learners like Anna can actually engage deeply and with passion, as long as they have the space to be able to do this.

What Monotropism Looks Like in School

Think of a typical school day, particularly in a secondary school. It is designed for the learners to flip between subjects, from individual to group work, on top of trying to absorb a load of verbal instrutctions. This can lead to learners having to move on before they are ready. For someone with monotropism, this feels like being ripped away from something meaningful. Several times a day…

Some of the signs

·       Fixation on a topic, and not wanting to move on

·       Intense frustration when interrupted mid-task

·       High anxiety or withdrawal during break times

·       A delay in moving onto a new task

This is why you might see some learners that on the surface present with some of the following:

Avoidance

Inattentiveness

Refusal

But what we are really looking at could be a young person who wants to study at depth not breadth. 

How can these children or young people be supported?

I appreciate that this isn’t easy to deal with the current school set up. I sometimes wonder if this is one of the reasons why college, university or 6th form might be more suited to those like Anna, who can focus on fewer subjects and areas of interest or passion.

But here’s the flip side: when monotropic focus is acknowledged and teaching adapted, the results can be astonishing. I’ve seen it with Anna and many others, the creativity, precision, and sustained effort they put into projects that align with their interests is incredible.

Some ways to support monotropic learners include:

·       Giving advance warnings before transitions

·       Allowing flexibility in pacing e.g., letting a student continue with a task during break time if they’re absorbed.

·       Linking new content to their passions

·       Using visual timetables

·       Ensuring quiet recovery spaces

Final Thoughts

Monotropism reminds us that neurodivergence is not a list of deficits, but a different cognitive learning style. It could impact on all areas of learning, such as a child learning to communicate. Instead of starting on language or signs for words that aren’t important to the child, perhaps start with ones about their interest. It might be worth for some students, looking at alternative schools, such as ones that focus on their interest (e.g. woodworking).

When educators understand and work with this tendency rather than against it, we don’t just support one student we create a more inclusive learning environment for all.