Learning and Visual Supports
This week’s symposium topics including learning and visual supports. One set of resources that I particularly enjoyed was Temple Grandin’s Ted Talk and article on visual learning. Temple Grandin clearly articulates her thought processes and how they differ from the typically-developing individual. For example, an individual with autism may not think logically, but may think in associations. This is why maintaining an on-topic conversation is difficult: once something is said, the individual with autism may already be thinking of something else, instead of an appropriate response to the other person. However, Grandin makes a wonderful case for the benefit and advantage that different-minded thinking can make. In a world where there are visual learners, pattern learners, and verbal learners, different-minded learners should work together and collaborate to achieve the best result. To assist those with visual minds, using visual supports in therapy and in day-to-day life can help. Visual schedules help to keep individuals on-task with a picture of what they are expected to do, and a to-do list organized in the order that things must be accomplished. This type of organizational system helps to provide structure and expectations in day-to-day tasks.
Watch the TED Talk here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF4sP-uC-yI
-Nerissa