All children thrive when education and parenting nurtures and supports the children’s intrinsic motivations and sensory needs rather than focuses on obedience.
An excellent webinar on the topic of using low arousal approaches in learning environments by Gareth Morewood:
The techniques originally developed by Ivar Lovaas, the originator of “gay conversion therapy” and “autistic conversion therapy”are today known as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), and are still used today in some jurisdictions. This explains why Autistic rights activism and neurodiversity rights activism are so important. Sometimes ABA techniques are applied under different brands to obscure the connection to “gay conversion therapy”.
Why Positive Reinforcement Isn’t So Positive: Troubling Questions About Behaviorism with Alfie Kohn:
The following talk explores critical questions about the school experience of most Autistic children, and the long term impact of these experiences. The way schools generally deal with autistic children involves many factors:
- What ideas do most schools bring to understanding Autistic children?
- What are their goals for Autistic children?
- What about children’s experiences do schools need to understand, and how can they be more effective?
Connect with Autistic educators and parents
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