Google Gets It
Project Spectrum "was created to give people with autism the opportunity to express their creativity and develop a life skill using Google SketchUp 3D modeling software." http://www.google.com/educators/spectrum.html
It's important to note, though, that not all individuals with autism think in pictures. Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures, has acknowledged this.
Grandin added this to the first chapter of Thinking in Pictures: "When I wrote Thinking in Pictures, I thought most people on the autism spectrum were visual thinkers like me. After talking to hundreds of families and individuals with autism or Asperger's, I have observed that there are actually different types of specialized brains. All people on the spectrum think in details, but there are three basic categories of specialized brains." Grandin goes on to describe those categories as 1) visual thinkers 2) music and math thinkers 3)verbal logic thinkers. She also acknowledges that some individuals with autism may be combinations of these categories.
Google's Project Spectrum is great. We also need cutting edge educational opportunities for ALL kinds of autistic thinkers. There's so much more talent out there to be tapped into!
It's important to note, though, that not all individuals with autism think in pictures. Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures, has acknowledged this.
Grandin added this to the first chapter of Thinking in Pictures: "When I wrote Thinking in Pictures, I thought most people on the autism spectrum were visual thinkers like me. After talking to hundreds of families and individuals with autism or Asperger's, I have observed that there are actually different types of specialized brains. All people on the spectrum think in details, but there are three basic categories of specialized brains." Grandin goes on to describe those categories as 1) visual thinkers 2) music and math thinkers 3)verbal logic thinkers. She also acknowledges that some individuals with autism may be combinations of these categories.
Google's Project Spectrum is great. We also need cutting edge educational opportunities for ALL kinds of autistic thinkers. There's so much more talent out there to be tapped into!
posted by Chrissy G at 4:41 PM
3 Comments:
Agreed. All people with autism do not think alike. My favorite quote about this: "If you've met one child with autism, you've met one child with autism." Not sure who said it but I've seen it on buttons and a bumper sticker. - JM
YES. Grandin is such a valuable writer. I just found your blog, via the NYTimes.com. Thanks!
I think that this may be the beauty and the downfall with Autism: not everyone thinks alike. Because Autism is so different and can be on such a spectrum, I see this as glorious because of the diversity within one label.
However, I think that this causes a problem when it comes to education; how do we reach the most students with one lesson? With one subject?
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