Visual Thinking Strategies for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Book excerpt: Research indicates that 95% or more of children, including children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), think with a visual system: by making pictures, movies, and graphics in their minds. However, the vast majority of instruction in schools is provided using auditory - not visual - methods. This discrepancy between the way that most educators teach, and the way that children learn best, has led to a mismatch in our current school system. Despite the best intentions of educators to include individuals with learning differences, many children with autism are not making as much school progress as their neurotypical peers. Visual Thinking Strategies for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders aims to flip the script: by encouraging adults to think not about what they can provide to neurodiverse children, but instead on what these children's brains need to thrive. To make such a radical shift in perspective, national expert on autism Dr. Ellyn Arwood advocates for parents, educators, and caregivers of neurodiverse children to think using a visual learning system in order to see the world through the eyes of these young and exceptional individuals. Alongside speech-language pathologist Carole Kaulitz and behavioral-learning consultant Mabel Brown, Dr. Arwood demonstrates how Viconic Language Methods¿ can open new doors of learning for children who have struggled in schools or other clinical settings. Join these educational specialists as they usher in the newest movement of brain-based, strength-based visual learning.