I have an article in the current issue of SEN Magazine, entitled Can teachers recognise SEN in bright pupils.
Both my sons, Giorgio aged 12 and Luca, 13, have Asperger’s syndrome, and both are extremely intelligent. Luca, however, struggled with understanding the norms of behaviour, was prone to emotional or physical outbursts and was virtually friendless. He needed to be first in everything and this constant rushing affected the quality of his work. Giorgio, a gentle soul, could read at three, but still struggles to write legibly. Group work was impossible and his original way of thinking made it hard for him to follow instructions. One teacher remarked that, “He has informed opinions which he expresses well but they are often tenuously linked to the subject matter.”
Before they were diagnosed, their infant school tried behavioural charts for Luca, and eventually, after I insisted, a literacy software programme for Giorgio. However, when you don't know why a child is experiencing problems in the first place, it's difficult to put the right help in place....
To read the rest of the article, click here (SEN Magazine website)
Tania Tirraoro
Journalist & author of two novels and a guide to SEN statementing. PR & social media expert. Rare Disease & chronic pain patient advocate.
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