CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ¢ Ad oN 2 b yRCS ARCS AOL en ny Pee ee eS ons peed Bae ue the way people think about her Pa eee et yd cee Hi eee emote) Pee ee‘Autism (sometimes called autism ‘spectrum disorder, oF ASD) affects how ‘someone experiences and intoracts with the world. What co you know About autism? Discuss wih a partner. ‘Look atthe photo and skim the first two paragraphs on this page. What do you think this passage is mostly about? 1. A woman who studies the challenges of cortain sabes i, Awoman who teaches reople about her sabilty ©. Awoman who has tured her dsabilty into an advantage Write your answers tothe questions below. 1. What posable challenges might people face winen working with animals? 2, What personal qualities 0 you think a person should have to work wll wth animale? 122 + Temple Grandin is an expert in animal behavior. She also has autism. Some people view autism as a very limiting disability, but Grandin disagrees. She believes that if there were no autism in the world, we would "stil be socializing infront of a wood fire at the centrance to a cave." Why? Grandin thinks that ‘some people with autism have brains that can solve problems “normal” brains cannot. = Noone knows for sure what causes autism, but scientists bellove it begins during the very early stages of brain development. Autism exists on a spectrum—from very severe to ‘moderate—and it affects people in diferent ways. Often, people with autism have trouble socializing and communicating normally withPina teh Sots ty. t 25 ‘other people. For Grandin, autism also affects the way she thinks and understands the world. VISUAL THINKER Grandin, tke many people with autism, is a visual thinker—"I thinkin pictures, not in language.” she says. For example, i you ask ‘most people to think ofa shoe, they might "see" in their mind one or two shoes. Grandin, however, eomembars al the specific shoes that she knows and visualizes them in her mind. She says that her mind “works tke Google Images.” Like Google, she can very quickly categorize the images and arrange them in a specific order. She can also “animata" the images and make them into little movies. This abilty to think visually has helped Grandin in her career. For example, she has a unique understanding of how cattle think ‘According to animal researchers, call thnk in pictures, not language—similar to how Grandin's mind works. Wit this insight, ‘she was abla to design plans for livestock farms that reduce the fear that cattle may ‘experience. For example, cattle are easily distracted and worried by things like waving flags or even a hose on the ground. Grandin's designs take away those visual distractions, resulting in calmer lvestock. Grandin’ visual thinking means she can also Picture how her designs might work. She Creates a mental simulation of her designs and does a test run of the equipment in her‘mind. She says that the “normal brain ignores global problems or invent some incredible the details" but her brain looks at every tiny software. As she points out, "the world needs aspect of the design. She makes sure the all kinds of minds” system works even before i's bul «According to Grandin, an autistic mind is “a armeeed eee specialist mind—good at ene thing, bad at somothing ols” Her autism has made her an expert in animal welfare. She believes that cther people with autism ray be able to solve pectum: n.arenge of uae sso, arated: ac rtconcaneategonsonahing because you AUTISM SPECTRUM ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects individuals in ifferent ways and can range from very mild to severe, Impaired socialTeaco rer SCANNING FOR INFORMATION ‘Answer the questions below about the passage and infographic on pages 122-124, 1. What causes autism? 2. According to seientists, when does autsm begin? 3. Whois more ikely to have autism, boys or gts? 4. What ae three affects of autism?Dane Is GETTING THE MAIN IDEAS Use information trom the passage on pages 122-124 to answer each question. 1. What does Temple Grandin co? |. Sho works with animal. . She works with autistic ctteon ©. Sheisa farmer, 2. What does Temple Grandin sy about aul? Autism makes a person good at lot of ferent things. '. People with autism have specialized skis. ©. We have to find a cure forautsm. ‘8, According to Grandin, hw does her autism help her in her job? Complete the sentence. ‘Autism lets Grandin ‘8. avoid using language to communicate ‘think in pictures in a similar way to animals «©. talk more easly to animals UNDERSTANDING KEY DETAILS Grandin describes herself as a visual thinker. Complete the chart with three ‘things her mind is able todo according tothe passage on pages 122-124, fo © _ \ a 126 ) JBUILDING VOCABULARY ‘A. Complete the paragraph using the words below. affect visualy ‘simulations: welfare: “Temple Grandin understands how simplo things ke dark shadows and waving lags animals. When she designs her systems fr fms and eatle-pracessing Plants, she works hard to ensure that animals doit see or encounter hing that wit make them feo afraid. Grandin can visualize her plans in her mind. These mental help her understand how her systems might work, Due to her ability to think land understand animals, Grandin has important insight into snimal B. For each bold word, choose the'word or phrase that Is closer in meaning. 1. ignore 3. specific 1. notice . pay no attention to 1. general ». particular 2. arrange 4. severe a. sont . understand 2. stong . moderate GETTING MEANING FROM CONTEXT ‘According to the passage, Grandin does a “test run” of her designs in her mind. What ts atest run? Do you ever do test runs of things in your mind? Note some examples. CRITICAL THINKING 41. Inforing. Grandin belies that there were no autism inthe word, we would stil be Socializing in tont ofa wood tke atthe entrance toa cave” What do you think she means by this? 2 Reflecting How do you thnk Grancin’s story might help change people's perceptions of utr? Discuss with a partner, EORnoen ‘Watch Tomplo Grandin’s TED Talk called "The world needs all kinds of minds” at TED.com, \What other things oid you learn about autem that surprised you? Share what you learned with the cass,fe} TEDTALKS DEEP SEA DIVING... IN A WHEELCHAIR ‘SUE AUSTIN Performance artist, TED speaker @ When artist Sue Austin was a young woman, a serious illness forced her to star! using a wheelchair. When she began using the wroelchair, she noticed that some people behaved differently toward her. She felt they saw her ‘mainly asa person with limited mobility, without taking the time to appreciate her ablitios and interests. Today, she creates art to try to change people's preconceptions about disabilities, ‘One way that Austin changes people's ideas is through an artistic ‘organization called Freewheeling. In one project, Austin put paint on the wheels of her wheelchair aid drew lines on the sidewalk. These loops and wavy lines show the freedom that her wheelchair gives her preconception: opens tht poop fm abut samshngbore hey have att In this lesson, you are going te watch segments of Austin's ‘TED Talk. Use the information above to answer the questions. 1. Why did Sue Austin bogin using a wheelchair? 128How did people behave toward Austin when she started using the ‘wheelchair? 1. Haw de you think Austin’s project with Freewhaeting can change the way people see disables?TALKS CHANGING IDENTITIES PREVIEWING Read the excerpt below trom Sue Austin’s talk. Complete the excerpt with your ‘own Ideas. Then share your Ideas with a partner. When started using the wheelchair, it was a tremendous fd seen iy fe slp away and become rested. twas tke having an enormous new But even though | had this newfound joy and freedom, people's reaction completely towards me. it was asi they could see me anymore, ait an ivsblty cloak had descended. They seemed tome in terms of her assumptions ct what it must bo Ike to be in a wheelchair. tremendout: cj. extemeygoor Invi clon: ns cane nat ovr peo and mats impose ora: pope to shen chee How do you think Austin flt when she started using the wheelchair? Discuss with 2 partner 490GETTING THE MAIN IDEA ‘A. Watch (G3) the frst segment of Austin’s TED Talk and check your answers to the Previewing activities. 1B, Read the excerpt below from Austin’s talk and then answer the question. {i wnen | asked people their associations with the wheelchair, they used words the limitation, fear, pty, and retiction | realized I internalized these responses and ithad ‘changed who | was on a core level A part of me had become allonatod from mysolt | was seeing myself no rom my perspective, but vvaly and continuously from the perspective of ather people's responses to me. Internat oka bal ova par fot way ong lente: «tome pooner ses ologe paral whe How did Austin respond to people's reactions? CRITICAL THINKING Inferng. Austin eas that she wants to “reclaim her dentiy" What does she mean by this? Discuss with a partner. AN AMAZING JOURNEY UNDERSTANDING MAIN IDEAS A. Watch (E) the next segment of Austin's talk. Write four words or phrases that ‘describe how you feel when you watch her underwater dive. B. Complete the sentences about Austin, 1. Austin expresses the that sho feos in 2. According to Austin, when pacple see her her wheelehat Underwater i hor wheelchair, they 2. Joy and freedom 1, feel suprised or confused ». croatiity and curiosity b. feo! newous forher ©. satstacton and roi «©. feel the same way she doesTEDTALKS RECOGNIZING TONE AND MESSAGE Read the excerpt from Austin's talk, Then answer the questions below. [itis the most amazing experience, beyond most other things I've experienced in te. Literally have the freedom to move in 360 dogroes of space and an ecstatic experince Of joy and treedom. And te increcibly unexpected thing Is tht other people seem to see ‘And fm thinking, is because in that moment. they have 1 think in a complotly new ‘way. And | think that momen: of completely new thought perhaps creates a fteedom that ‘Spreads to tho rst of aher seope's Ives. For me, this means that theyre seeing the value of ciference, the joy tbrings when, instead of focusing on loss or litt, we soe ‘and discover the power and oy of secing the world fom exciting new perspectives. El 1. Why doos Austin think people's rections to her wheelchair changed? 2. Which two statements do you thnk bast match Austin's overall message? Discuss wih 2 partner. ‘8. People with dlsabilities face challenges that most people are not aware ot. bb, People should value thersferences and not see just intations and resrctons, «©. Seeing or experiencing scmething forthe st ime can create a sense of freedom, CRITICAL THINKING Comparing. Wht perceptions dc Temple Grandin and Sue Austin want to change? What cis Grandin and Austin do to change people's perceptions? * Eames Lok at more pictures of Sue Austins work on the TED Blog at TED com, Watch other videos ot her whesichair dives. Share what you Iked wih your class. Lea 192Shona eens paintbrushes cern aeectae Ts Work witha partner. You are going to research ‘nother person whose accomplishments challenge our preconceptions about dieability (Choose one ofthe people below or chooss your own person to research, and answer the questions. + ‘Sudha Chandran + Lenin Morano * Stephen Hawking + Huang Guoty 1. Whats the parson’ sabi"? 2. What aro tis person's accomplishments or'talents? 3. How isthe persons “sabi” a challenge? 4. Hows the “sabia strengti? Use your information to create a two-minute presentation. You can use maps, photos, and ‘ideo to explain your information. ‘Give your presentations. Which person would {you most ike to talk with and why? What {questions would you ask him or hor? Watch a TED Tak by Sota Young, Aimee Mulins, Chis Downay, or Maysoon Zayic. How i thet Perspective on dsabity simlarto or aiferant trom ho views shared by Grandin and Austin?