Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Play

The stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time is powerful. It is also loud, confusing, and sensorily overwhelming. 

Ironically, I can't recommend it for people with processing issues 
such as the main character has. This is clearly deliberate, since the
staging puts us in Christopher's position. We have to cope with
an overwhelming amount of stimuli and try to make sense of what
is going on in a challenging environment.

The subject matter rules it out for most pre-teens in any case,
but the staging also proved too upsetting for the young adult with
sensory sensitivities in our group.  

The brilliant concept of having a light box stage that can swim with stars, show maps, or let characters draw in light on the walls sets the show apart. Audience members adjust quickly to conventions, but the designers seemed determined to constantly surprise and challenge viewers. I still have no clear idea of the significance of the light up boxes the cast moved around the stage - but they looked great. The almost circus trick of Christopher curled up on fewer and fewer boxes was stunning, as were all the train sequences, the astronaut scene, and the maths (English usage).

I definitely found the play worthwhile and moving. I also sometimes wished I were home alone with a good book. If in fact my son went or goes through anything like this in the way he experiences the world, I am more impressed than ever at how much he accomplishes.

Last week I wrote that Christopher in the book did not seem like someone on the spectrum to me. Christopher in the play came much closer - the melt downs he has in the play especially. Theory of mind deficits are a bit more in evidence, still .  .  . being able
to say that you find people confusing is just so - well - not what I usually see or read about in (non-fictional) kids with autism. 


Kids with autism have seen and enjoyed this show. However,
if you or someone you are planning to bring has sensory issues, I would advise caution. You may want to wait for an autism friendly performance (there have been some). And remember, the dog in the book and in the play does nothing in the night-time because it is dead. The play starts with a horrible loud noise and a dead dog.

Free Comic Book Day!

 


Saturday, May 6, 2017 is Free Comic Book Day 
and it's going to be 
Miraculous!
 Seriously, that's one of the free comic books:
Miraculous, starring Lady Bug and Chat Noir.
Depending on your comic book store, your kid
can get everything from Simpsons
to Malika Warrior Queen.



I've written elsewhere in the blog about why I think comics
can be particularly helpful for readers with autism, today I'm just saying - go and enjoy!



For more on this special day, check out this link:
http://www.freecomicbookday.com/
or get the NPR spin here http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2017/05/05/525707610/a-guide-to-free-comic-book-day-2017-the-dont-misses-and-the-near-misses

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

Curious Incident is a book, and now a play about a teenager named Christopher. Facts:
1) Mark Haddon is a novelist.
2) Mark Haddon does not have autism.
3) Mark Haddon was never a special education teacher.
4) Mark Haddon did not know anyone with autism well.
5) Mark Haddon did not research autism.
6) Mark Haddon didn't think of Christopher as having autism.
*
For some reason, Haddon misconceptions abound. A friend told me
#2 last night. Many people pushed this book at me and I read it
when first out, a very long time ago now. The misconceptions above shaped my reaction, which was - Christopher does not have autism. Now that I know the author agrees, I value this work of imagination more highly.
You may ask, as I ask, since autism is different in each individual, why do I feel so strongly that Christopher is not on the spectrum?
Basically, I don't recognize Christopher's blend of behaviors and analytical view of the world. Trouble with metaphors? Very usual. In depth analysis of said trouble? Highly un.
Yet whether you, like many, do find this a recognizable portrait of the gifts and challenges of autism, or like me, question it, the book remains a powerful example of what Haddon professedly wanted to show - an outsider struggling with the norms of a world he finds an uncomfortable place.
However you experience the central character, I think the book is a worthwhile read with many insights.
Next week, the play. 
*Source: http://markhaddon.com/aspergers-and-autism and his biography on this website.

 

Drawing Dot Dot Dot

A not so secret goal of many kids' coloring books is to 
get little kids comfortable holding that crayon in a 
tripod grasp, all ready to grab that pencil and start writing.
Drawing, of course, is even better for that purpose as kids 
form shapes - ready to begin/continue shaping letters.
For many children with autism, just getting the grip right
can take years. My sixteen year old still regresses.
While some may excel at art, others struggle with the basics.
So i can doodle Dots by Travis Foster gives a welcome head 
start to many.
The premise of this drawing book is simple. 
A simple drawing on one side of the page,
the outline for the same drawing on the other side
of the page, with space for variations.
For kids who need that model, this gives them a
chance to draw an interesting picture with visualization
help. Since visualization is another hurdle for many kids
with autism, this may really help.
What about you or your child? 
What kind of coloring/art books work best?

Little Free Library

Step outside your home and look around.




Do you see a library?

No?
Are you sure?
Walk a few blocks and you
just might find a neighborhood
library close by.
Little Free Libraries have been
popping up for awhile, and I've
admired them from afar and online.
But until my neighbors built one,
I had no idea what a great resource
they could be.
It seems to yield endless knock knock
joke books - and if you've read this
blog often, you know how great that is for my son
with autism. Not to mention all the choices
for my younger son and myself.
Currently there are two picture books - 
Mind Your Manners B. B. Wolf and
Cockatoo, Too of which the first
seems educative and the second, fun,
with both being exceptionally suitable
for readers who might need a little 
extra help with cultural norms or might
have a special appreciation for word play.
A free little library offers a great chance for a reader
to make a choice among a limited selection of books.
And if you're into projects, you can make
your own. For more info, check here: 
https://littlefreelibrary.org/
How does your free little library grow? 

Technical Difficulties

Contrary to my profile, my son with autism is 
now sixteen. He still struggles with 
comprehension. And I struggle with my
computer and blogger. Hence, no posts
in forever. Now and then I add to the
Facebook Page, mainly local events.
Reading Comprehension is a many-
faceted beast. Most of us don't realize
that. I sure didn't. For someone with 
autism, there can be many stumbling
blocks.
An early goal (age six maybe?) was
helping him differentiate between fact
and opinion. In reading, this is similar
to dividing texts into non-fiction and
fiction. This, of course, is the barest
beginning.
In an old post, I talked about having him
act out texts. At this point, this is more
distracting than helpful. He is fascinated
by the envelope of meaning. If spoken, by
rhythm, rhyme, and tone. If written, by 
syllable count, chapter and page number,
and word play (including rhymes, puns,
assonance, alliteration, etcetera). 
Meaning does not interest him.
His current tutor hopes to give him the 
authorial perspective - what does the author
want to do?
Since I find this somewhat dense going 
myself (is this passage meant to inform?
explain? entertain? why can't it be all
three?) I am unsure of my ability to
assist in this enterprise. But by all means,
if he will go there, let's go!

What about you? Are you a reader with
autism, or do you have a reader with autism
in your life? Do you have questions?
Answers?  

Reading Programs - Fast ForWord

I only just learned that Fast ForWord existed.

It seems to be computer based. 

Info from their website below.

Early Reading Programs

While reading problems vary for ages 4 to 7, the underlying source of difficulty is almost always phonological awareness, the target of our reading programs.

Protocol
Our early childhood reading programs help reading fundamentals, the cognitive and language skills required for reading fluency.

Elementary Age Reading Programs

Target: Fluency, the ability to read at natural language speed with prosody (natural speech emphasis). Fluency is important because it requires automatic, subconscious decoding, the foundational skill for reading comprehension.

Protocol

Elementary age children need at least 2-3 months on Fast ForWord Language v2 and Language to Reading v2, before graduating to our reading skills programs, which cover spelling, vocabulary, decoding, and reading comprehension.

Our elementary age reading programs have a computer-game feel — levels, points, prizes — and a self-paced design that together add up to an engaged student experience.

Middle School Reading Programs

Target: Comprehension (Literal). Reading difficulties often show up in later grades as the content gets progressively more challenging. This can be due to a lack of automaticity in decoding, but can also reflect weak vocabulary or delays in essential reading comprehension skills.

Protocol

Our middle school reading programs take students back to basics, building reading fluency and listening comprehension skills using Fast ForWord Literacy and Literacy Advanced. We then move students to the reading series — typically Reading Level 2, 3 and 4 — to build vocabulary, spelling and other reading comprehension skills.

High School Reading Programs

Target: Comprehension With Metacognition. If a student is a struggling reader at high school, it is generally up the parent to intervene — by this age, most schools assume students are proficient decoders, with the focus being on metacognition, self-regulated learning.

Protocol
Our reading programs for high school students start with fluency, vocabulary, spelling and comprehension and then train students to think actively while reading, the ultimate reading skill.

Teenagers start with Fast ForWord Literacy and Literacy Advanced. Most high school students complete at least two programs in our reading series, typically Reading Level 3 and Reading Level 5, which work on reading accuracy, making inferences from paragraphs, and metacognition skills as required for SAT, ACT and college level reading.

Logistics and Compliance
Our reading programs can be helpful before sitting ACT or SAT, although they do require consistent effort and attendance, a challenge for some high schoolers. Older students see results quickly, in 2-3 months in most cases.