Twelve Steps Toward an Anti-Discriminatory Approach to Neurodivergence in Actor Training

This chapter highlights some of the key findings from a four-year longitudinal study of the experiences of neurodivergent actors training on the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s BA Acting Collaborative and Devised Theatre (CDT) program. The author identifies two key theories that illuminate how traditional training practices can dysconsciously discriminate against students who are dyslexic and/or dyspraxic learners. This author extends the discussion beyond these initial findings to develop a twelve-step approach to actor training that leads toward an anti-discriminatory approach to neurodiversity within actor training. This approach includes work on meta-cognition, the development of Principle-Based Learning, the adoption of approaches drawn from critical pedagogy, and strategies for feedback, coaching and the notation of students’ work.