Dear Janet
Thanks for such a prompt response. The Social Stories sounds such a
good idea - I particularly like the collaborative nature of it. A piece
of paper is a much less threatening space to meet someone rather than
out in a world with so many conflicting messages and signs. Its rules
are clear and it allows an intimacy which is often difficult to achieve
when working with people with learning difficulties.
I do take on board what you say about written skills being placed
higher than the visual - its so much easier to monitor writing skills -
drawing is more difficult to quantify- and setting and achieving
targets seems to be the order of the day. I hope you are right about a
shift in education moving towards the more visual, unfortunately
despite our being so surrounded by visual stimuli , it does seem that
we are all encouraged to look at everything but to see little in any
depth. We do not have too much of these pressures where I am at my work
place as most of the students have too severe learning disabilities to
read or write. The student who draws (and writes) his cartoon stories
is only one of two in a group of ten, who is able to write. He is now
27 and is similar to your young pupil in that he has a wonderful way of
seeing the world and draws obsessively . He has an amazing ability to
slip from writing to drawing with the greatest of ease- it is almost as
if he sees no difference between the two.
It sounds to me that you are doing an excellent job with this boy- I
would love to see some of his work. "Randomly meandering through what
he has seen and heard" perfectly describes a great number of artists'
own methods of research. That is the core of person centred teaching -I
cannot think of a better way to work with someone whose understanding
of their surroundings is so different to the mainstream. I have seen
some groups where the workshop leader had a very definite concept of
what the students should be doing and imposed her rigid ideas on them -
this was within a dance class which is a bit different but the same
principle. It was a bit like watching circus animals performing-
really offensive.
Its a very subtle thing getting the balance right - I think the fact
you are there encouraging and delighting in this boy's creativity is a
major part of his developing an ability to communicate and make a
contribution to society.
Robin
ahello.......
> yes I too teach autistic children in a Special Education Unit who
> understand visual communication far easier than spoken or written
> communication.
> I often use a tool called 'Social Stories' which are simple drawings I
> do and the student interacts with by drawing as well. These explain
> emotive, or social issues which may be found difficult to understand
> or process but drawing the issue out assists the processing.
> However, one child of 8 I teach, draws quite unendly at home and his
> imaginative world is so rich it is awesome to behold. Visual literacy
> is his key communication source. My job (as i see it) is to connect
> the worlds of visual communication with verbal and written to expand
> his word/ open it out HOPEFULLY without destroying his wonderful
> visual perception/s. I also dont want to derail his visual development
> in lieu of his written etc communication which is held in greater
> respect in the cognitive sphere of the schools i have worked
> in.............
> He draws great, horizontally long, narratives on bits of A3 paper
> stuck together. He started to use this format when I showed him some
> oriental scroll drawings/work and spoke about how their drawings
> unfolded bit by bit and one is not to see them totally unfolded. We
> often draw/write together and develop stories with me acting as scribe
> for his wonderous stories (since he dislikes handwriting) and
> inventions of times, places, people, and ideas.
> I feel a little lost as to the directions to take with him as he is
> one of the most amazing drawers I have ever seen and I am not a
> 'Special' Education teacher but am trained as an Art Teacher. Mostly,
> I take the route of serendipity, randomly meandering though what he
> has seen and experienced and thought about in his eight years of life.
> It seems strange that this form of communication (visual literacy)has
> little credibility educationally from where i sit but in an
> increasingly visual world maybe the mix of communication systems will
> be a thing of the future.............. janet holmes
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robin Whitmore"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 6:48 PM
> Subject: Drawing with adults with learning disabilities
>
>
>> I run a group for young adults with learning disabilities- about
>> half of whom are autistic. Drawing is a vital part of the work we do.
>> For our students it is a tool for developing concentration; is a
>> vital means of self expression for those who find communication
>> difficult; it has a profound effect on self esteem and can help calm
>> someone whose mind is racing and confused.
>> One of our most successful projects has been to work with one young
>> autistic man who finds understanding social rules very difficult. He
>> would not understand for example that you cannot approach a strange
>> woman in the street and hug her. By encouraging him to draw a cartoon
>> sequence of events just after they have occurred he is able to show
>> his thoughts and actions separately and is beginning to understand
>> that although he is free to think what he likes, social mores require
>> him to control his actions. This would be so difficult to explain
>> verbally without picture references. The fact that he makes his own
>> drawings means he is able to process the information more clearly, as
>> well as helping us, the support staff , to understand his perception
>> of the world.
>>
>> We are currently putting together a book with a range of exercises
>> and games for use with anyone with learning disabilities. I would be
>> interested to know if anyone has any suggestions for drawing
>> activities that might be included or if you know of anyone whose work
>> might be relevant.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Robin
>>
>>
>> --
>> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.4/396 - Release Date:
>> 24/07/2006
>>
>
|