Positive Niche Construction–practice of differentiating instruction for the neurodiverse brain Neurodiversity in the Classroom Positive niche construction is a strengths-based approach to educating students with disabilities. Reimagining Inclusion with Positive Niche Construction Collaborative niche construction allows organisations and people to participate in the evolution of a living system and results in resilient social ecosystems. The […]
I originally conceived of neuroqueer as a verb: neuroqueering as the practice of queering (subverting, defying, disrupting, liberating oneself from) neuronormativity and heteronormativity simultaneously. It was an extension of the way queer is used as a verb in Queer Theory; I was expanding the Queer Theory conceptualization of queering to encompass the queering of neurocognitive norms as well as […]
The Seven Spaces of Technology in School Environments
NB - Updated version with all content. Matt Locke originally came up with the concept of the Six Spaces of technology (test.org.uk/2007/08/10/six-spaces-of-social-media/).…
David Thornburg on the Evolving Classroom: Big Thinkers
The noted educational futurist describes his "holodeck" classroom—an environment that supports project-based learning—and makes the case for why the role of ...
Psychological Research - ‘Hyperfocus’ is a phenomenon that reflects one’s complete absorption in a task, to a point where a person appears to completely ignore or ‘tune...
Neurodivergent belonging: a manifesto — Neurodiverse Connection
Krysia Waldock examines belonging as a basic need, how the marginalisation of Neurodivergent people can make it harder to feel more than merely ‘present’ in a space, and how we can better foster a sense of belonging for Neurodivergent individuals.
Belonging has been described as a human need (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). However, Neurodivergent people are likely to face more exclusion in all domains of life (see Chapman & Carel, 2022; Mellifont, 2023; Waldock, 2023). In addition, far more focus is placed on disabled and/or Neurodivergent people being present in a space rather than enabling a sense of belonging.
It is therefore important that we as neurodivergent people have input on what belonging looks like when done right and in a manner which is neurodivergent-affirming. At this point, I would like to emphasise that what it feels like to belong is unique to each person. We all have different understandings of what belonging is, notably including belonging as a feeling between people or a group, an affinity for a place or situation or having a role where we ‘fit’ and play a part. These are likely shaped by our lived experiences, the identities we have and the situation at hand.
Re-imagining Learning Spaces to inspire contemporary learning – Part One: Models for Change
Welcome to Part One of a two-part series on designing contemporary learning spaces. In this article, I will discuss and explore a range of models that support learning space re-design. Before you l…
Ewan McIntosh echoes the Third Teacher in saying that teachers should ‘make peace with fidgeting’ , and realise that growing bodies often process information while moving.
Aesthetic movements of embodied minds: between Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze
Continental Philosophy Review - Animating Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological idea of the body as a pre-reflective organizing principle in perception, consciousness and language has...
If you wanted to turn someone into a socialist you could do it in about an hour by taking them for a spin around the paddock of a Formula 1 race. The kind of money I saw will haunt me forever.
Fergus Murray with Sonny Hallett (2023) Monotropism was formulated as a theory of autism. It seeks to explain the experiences and traits of autistic people in terms of a tendency for resources like…
Reason and Emotion: Scottish Philosopher John Macmurray on the Key to Wholeness and the Fundaments of a Fulfilling Life
“The emotional life is not simply a part or an aspect of human life. It is not, as we so often think, subordinate, or subsidiary to the mind. It is the core and essence of human life. The int…
Adulting is hard enough, parenting is hard enough. Together they come with a number of considerations for how we can be effective in our role as Autistic parents. In particular, we have to consider the impact of Autistic burnout, which can have a significant effect on not just us, but also our families. Autistic parenting is a challenge with many positives and some significant challenges.
What can product managers and product leaders learn from jazz, an art form that is all about improvisation, collaboration, and being willing to take risks?
Joyful noise and abatement: idle chatter and the undercommons of oracy education
This paper imagines oracy education as a reaching-out for connection with the irreducible socialities of black study. In the wake of imperialist functions of literacy, classroom talk has been left to...
Places across the U.S. are testing no-strings cash as part of the social safety net
The idea got a boost from the pandemic, when an array of cash relief helped cut child poverty and keep people housed. Researchers are studying how much money, for how long, may have lasting impact.
Neurotypical Peers are Less Willing to Interact with Those with Autism based on Thin Slice Judgments - PubMed
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including those who otherwise require less support, face severe difficulties in everyday social interactions. Research in this area has primarily focused on identifying the cognitive and neurological differences that contribute to these social impairm …
Stimpunks Foundation on X: "RT @alfiekohn: My new blog post - "Cognitive Load Theory: An Unpersuasive Attempt to Justify Direct Instruction" - dissects another dubious…" / X
My new blog post - "Cognitive Load Theory: An Unpersuasive Attempt to Justify Direct Instruction" - dissects another dubious effort to undermine progressive education by invoking the magic phrase "science of learning." (Warning: footnotes galore!) https://t.co/itTjsH6KC8— Alfie Kohn (@alfiekohn) March 4, 2024
Cognitive Load Theory: An Unpersuasive Attempt to Justify Direct Instruction - Alfie Kohn
March 4, 2024 Cognitive Load Theory An Unpersuasive Attempt to Justify Direct Instruction By Alfie Kohn A remarkable body of research over many years has demonstrated that the sort of teaching in which students are provided with answers or shown the correct way to do something — where they’re basically seen as empty receptacles to be filled with facts or ... Read More
On Nielsen's ideas about generative UI for resolving accessibility
"Accessibility has failed as a way to make computers usable for disabled users." Thus begins a newsletter by Jakob Nielsen. And had it not been written by someone a great many people take seriously in the UX industry I likely would just have dismissed it. But seeing how harmful I
Guest blog by Jordyn Zimmerman, M.Ed. On November 18, 2022, CommunicationFIRST Board Chair Jordyn Zimmerman gave an invited presentation at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)'s Annual Convention in New Orleans entitled, "SLPs as Gatekeepers: Reimagining, Challenging, and Pushing Our Assumptions." The presentation generated lots of discussion, with one attendee commenting,…
A systematic review and meta-synthesis on perspectives of autistic young people and their parents on psychological well-being
Autistic adolescents are at increased risk of developing mental health problems. Improving psychological well-being could reduce the likelihood of suc…
Autistic well-being: A scoping review of scientific studies from a neurodiversity-affirmative perspective - Palwasha Najeeb, Lisa Quadt, 2024
Background Historically, autism research has focused on the overrepresentation of physical and mental health problems and decreased psychological well-being in ...
by Fergus Murray Weirdness is most often contrasted with normality: someone or something that is weird is seen as a departure from the normal. But what is normality? Who decided it was desirable, and when? The idea of normality turns out to be a relatively recent invention, with scientists in the 1800s first applying statistical […]
Access Points: Understanding Special Interests Through Autistic Narratives | Autism in Adulthood
Background: Although autistic people have shared how important their interests can be, sometimes using the phrase “special interests,” autistic interests are commonly pathologized. Research has begun to recognize the benefits of special interests for autistic people. These benefits are often investigated primarily in childhood and in relation to neuronormative aims. In addition, existing research leaves the definition of “special interests” unquestioned. This study adds to the literature by examining not only what autistic adults mean by “special interests,” but how they explain why these interests matter. Methods: The researcher interviewed 15 adult autistic advocates in the United States about their “special interests” to understand what this term meant to them based on their own life experiences. Through critical qualitative analysis of interview transcripts, including iterative inductive-deductive coding, hierarchical code organization, and positional mapping, the researcher looked for similarities and differences in how participants conceptualized special interests. Results: Participants used three different narrative strategies to describe special interests and their importance: explaining the amount of time spent on the interest, discussing how they experience the interest, and comparing special interests with other types of interests. Autistic people said that their interests mattered to them personally, as well as helped them communicate and connect with others. Participants also shared that it was important for non-autistic people to know about why special interests matter to autistic people and create a more accepting society. Conclusions: The concept of “special interests” meant different things to the autistic people in this study. Even so, participants saw special interests as generally important and an aspect of their lives that should be societally supported. The narratives of special interests collected in this project challenge stereotypes of autistic people as disconnected and asocial. Instead, this study demonstrated how special interests take on increased individual and societal importance for autistic people.
Wechsler IQ Profile and Theory of Mind in Autism: A Research Note
Abstract The unusually uneven intelligence test profile found in autism has been consistently replicated. However, few psychological theories of autism give prominence to this feature. Nor is it clea...
