Pedagogical leadership and neurodiversity in Latin America: challenges for guaranteeing the right to inclusive education in protection contexts

Abstract

Inclusive education in Latin America faces a persistent gap between regulatory mandates and classroom practices, particularly for neurodivergent students with ADHD or ASD. This article analyzes the role of pedagogical leadership in educational transformation, integrating neuropsychology and human rights frameworks. It argues that inclusion barriers stem from insufficient neurocognitive understanding of learning and weak pedagogical management, leading to the pathologization and exclusion of non-typical behaviors. We propose the Neuroinclusive Pedagogical Leadership Model (NPLM), structured around four dimensions: neurocognitive understanding, differentiated instructional strategies, emotional classroom management, and interinstitutional collaboration with child protection systems. We conclude that implementing this model requires continuous teacher professional development, proactive school leadership, and effective systemic coordination to transform inclusive education from a reactive obligation into an authentic, everyday human rights practice across Latin American schools.