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Aspects of neurodiversity

……. Aspects of neurodiversity. Aim. a brief overview of characteristics associated with particular labels an exploration of inclusive practice a social model perspective a health warning about individuality Contact n.martin@lse.ac.uk. Task.

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Aspects of neurodiversity

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  1. …… Aspects of neurodiversity

  2. Aim • a brief overview of characteristics associated with particular labels • an exploration of inclusive practice • a social model perspective • a health warning about individuality Contact n.martin@lse.ac.uk

  3. Task • think about media portrayals of people with labels (e.g. in 'Super Nanny‘ or ‘The Undateables’) • characterise as positive / negative • consider the terms 'othering' and 'stereotyping' • think about this in the context of the media

  4. An exercise in empathy • Sir John Prescott ‘11 plus failure’

  5. Think about • what is your learner style? • what strategies does your context employ to ensure that every person feels included? • how would you define inclusive practice? • what sort of barriers do you think people labelled with…………….might experience? • what is working well now?

  6. Autism-Leo Kanner-1943

  7. ‘Symptoms’ • profound lack of affective contact with other people • an anxiously obsessive desire for the preservation of sameness • fascination for objects, which are handled with skill in fine motor movements • language use that does not seem to be for inter - personal communication

  8. Hans Asperger-1944

  9. Asperger • 1944 • older children and adolescents • odd in appearance • clumsy • single minded • perturbed by the unexpected • areas of particular interest

  10. …… • idiosyncratic expressions • active but eccentric initiator of social interchanges • Reference: Asperger, H. (1944) ‘Autistic psychopathy’ translated by Uta Frith in Frith, U. (1991) (ed) Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

  11. Similarities (Wing, 1981) • marked preponderance of males • social isolation and lack of empathy • impaired communication skills and use of speech for reciprocal conversation • impairments in non-verbal communication • limited flexibility in social imaginative play

  12. Similarities (Wing, 1981) • repetitive and stereotyped behaviours and resistance to change • unusual responses to sensory stimuli • gross motor clumsiness and maybe abnormal gait • disruptive behaviours • uneven pattern of development…maybe particular skill areas

  13. Differences (Howlin, 1998) Kanner • cognitive impairment • little or no speech • Avoidance of social contact • limited independence Asperger • average or above average intelligence • well developed vocabularies, poor conversation skills and problems with abstract thought • often quite disinhibited socially • many examples of high achievement in later life

  14. Triad of Impairments (Wing, 1988) • from Wing and Gould’s 1979 study • Impairment of : social relationships /social communication /social understanding and imagination • Reference: Wing, L. (1988) The continuum of autistic characteristics in Schopler, E. and Mesibov, G. (eds) Diagnosis and assessment in autism. New York: Plenum Press

  15. Medical vs Social Model (Oliver,1990) • is autism a disability? • always? • is it always the person with the autism label who has to who has to change?

  16. Representations of autism

  17. References • Howlin, P. (1998) Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: a guide for practitioners and parents. Chichester: Wiley • Martin, N. (2008):REAL services to assist university students who have AS. NADP Technical briefing. (10/08) • Martin, N.(2008): A template for improving provision for students with AS in FE and HE. NADP Technical briefing. (10/08) • Martin, N. (2008).Empathy is a two way street. Pollak. Neurodiversity in HE • Wing, L. (1996) The Autistic Spectrum. London: Constable

  18. Dyslexia-Info from BDA Primary school age • particular difficulty with reading and spelling • reversal of letters / figures • difficulty remembering tables, alphabet, formulae etc. • leaves letters out of words or changes order • occasionally confuses 'b' and 'd' and words such as 'no/on' • uses fingers or marks on paper for simple calculations • poor concentration • reading comprehension problems • takes longer than average to do written work • slower processing speed

  19. Primary school age non-language indicators • difficulty with tying shoe laces and dressing • confusion about left - right, order of days, months etc. • poor sense of direction and still confuses left and right • lacks confidence and has a poor self image despite having obvious ability in some areas

  20. Aged 12 or over • still reads inaccurately • difficulties in spelling • needs instructions and telephone numbers repeated • gets 'tied up' using long words, e.g. 'preliminary', 'philosophical' • confuses places, times, dates • confused with planning and writing essays • slow processing for complex language or long series of instructions Aged 12 or over non-language indicators: • loosing self confidence and self-esteem despite areas of strength and ability • developing history of negative experiences to coincide with adolescence > 

  21. Adulthood • consider barriers which persist for adults with dyslexia-come up with a list • consider ways forward -within person and within contexts (social model of disability) • think about self esteem

  22. Dyspraxia-the dyspraxia foundation school age child • probably still has all the difficulties experienced by the pre-school child with dyspraxia • avoids PE and games • does badly in class but significantly better on a one-to -one basis • reacts to stimuli without discrimination and attention span is short • may have trouble with maths and writing structured stories • experiences great difficulty in copying from the blackboard • writes laboriously and immaturely • unable to remember /follow instructions • generally poorly organised

  23. Access to Work • how might 'Access to Work' funding help someone who has dyspraxia?

  24. ADHD. Newmours foundation SymptomsADHD used to be known as attention deficit disorder, or ADD. In 1994, it was renamed ADHD and broken down into three subtypes, each with its own pattern of behaviours: • 1. an inattentive type, with signs that include: • inability to pay attention to details or a tendency to make careless errors in schoolwork or other activities • difficulty with sustained attention in tasks or play activities • apparent listening problems • difficulty following instructions • problems with organization • avoidance or dislike of tasks that require mental effort • tendency to lose things like toys, notebooks, or homework • distractibility • forgetfulness in daily activities • 2. a hyperactive-impulsive type, with signs that include: • fidgeting or squirming • difficulty remaining seated • excessive running or climbing • difficulty playing quietly • always seeming to be "on the go" • excessive talking • blurting out answers before hearing the full question • difficulty waiting for a turn or in line • problems with interrupting or intruding • 3. a combined type, which involves a combination of the other two types and is the most common

  25. Task • from the information you have been given, look for the overlaps between the symptoms • which characteristics could you identify as positive? • which areas of life do you think will prove most challenging for people with the labels identified here? • what about the impact of the label itself?

  26. Top 10 tips • think of an individual you know who carries one of the labels discussed here (respect confidentiality-make someone up if you like) • in very positive language-come up with up to 10 bullet points which would provide pointers for positive helpful interaction with that person

  27. Personal Statements • look at the previous exercise and consider in the context of an individual writing about themselves • my name is… • I am good at…. • I find the following situations challenging… • you could help me by… • my positive contribution…

  28. A model • REAL • Reliable-make the environment as predictable as possible • Empathic-empathise with the world view-experience of the student-'challenging behaviour is usually not intended to challenge'. How would you like the label? • Anticipatory -plan transitions carefully, warn of changes, develop social opportunities, be explicit-say-don't imply • Logical -rules, consequences, routines, consistency • the REAL model* was identified as a way of supporting university students who have AS • how might it apply in your contexts with children who have these other labels (or more than one label) * n.martin@lse.ac.uk

  29. Assumptions assume- • organisational difficulties • low self esteem • issues with bullying-peer relationships what else? • Consider learner style • use areas of particular interest as motivators • use assistive technology

  30. Social Model :neurodiverse students will not become neurotypical students • understand everyone as an individual - not a stereotype • build a culture of inclusion • conflict will make things worse inevitably • address bruised self esteem and a long history of failure by providing age appropriate opportunities for success • it is not about letting ‘them’ off because ‘they’ can't help it-consequences need to be made explicit • identify, and empathise with what is going on for an individual and understand the barriers to their inclusion • look beyond 'in person factors'

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