25 February 2010

Temple Grandin: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

Temple Grandin, autism advocate extraordinaire, gave a 20-minute talk this month for TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html

Grandin, who has written numerous volumes on autism spectrum disorders and recently had an HBO biopic released in her image (see the blog announcement here), speaks here about the value of people who think differently in society. Grandin explains her own visual way of thinking by likening her brain to those of animals, who are strongly sensory-wired. She suggests modifications to education for children on the spectrum, including putting geometry and trigonometry before algebra, encouraging work experience, and teaching basic social skills early on. Finally, she delves into the essential role people with autism and other neurological disorders play as graphic artists, engineers, and leaders in detail-oriented professions.

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