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What autistic students wish you knew about who they are and how they learn.
Editor's note: Teaching Tolerance generally uses people-first language. The individuals interviewed for this story, however, prefer the term autistic people rather than people with autism. Out of respect for their preference, we have adjusted our usage.
School was never easy and rarely pleasant for Elly Wong. Their* * smarts were not a question. They learned to read by age 3, and grade school teachers suggested they skip a grade. But social interactions were difficult and classroom settings often battered their senses. "I'm sensitive to noise and get easily overstimulated," Wong says. "My strongest impressions of elementary school are constant crying in response to being overwhelmed." As the meltdowns continued into high school, a counselor recommended a psychological evaluation.
By that time, Wong had been doing independent research "through the magic of the internet" and piecing together a self-diagnosis. The psychiatrist agreed: anxiety, depression and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Wong proceeded to negotiate their own 504 plan; their parents knew little about autism and "the professionals at my school were pretty unhelpful." The accommodations were relatively minor: Extra time on tests, use of noise-canceling headphones, and subtitled videos were among them. Even so, Wong says, "I got constantly challenged over my accommodations."
Last fall, they enrolled as a first-year student at Syracuse University in New York.
Working with and educating students like Wong who are on the autism spectrum has been the subject of much discussion and controversy. The narrative has often been that children with these diagnoses are sources of tragedy for families and a drain on schools. Educators unfamiliar with autism and its range of expressions have often been perplexed and intimidated by students in their classrooms. Many districts lack the resources to help teachers and schools update their practices and become more inclusive of affected students and families. Often, special education teachers must rely on their own research and resourcefulness.
In recent years, however, the neurodiversity movement, characterized by the advocacy of autistic individuals speaking for themselves, has entered the conversation. Advocates and allies are eager to challenge pessimistic attitudes toward ASD and share insights for helping their fellow autistic people learn, cope, and thrive in settings-particularly educational...