Your way of getting right to the heart of things is magic. (Seriously, you're like a homing device for human hearts!) Thank you for pointing your readers towards Spellers and the work of parents like Alexandra!
This documentary is based on the paradigm-busting book "Underestimated" - I have been reviewing autism recovery claims for almost a decade in hopes of finding common denominators. What works for one does not work for another. But in this case --- communication --- these nonspeakers (with the condition apraxia) learn to use gross movement (their shoulder) to spell on letterboards. Some are able to eventually graduate to a mounted keyboard, at which point they 'prove' to the world that the words are their own. Way before reaching that point, they become 'open' with family, which is really the tear-jerking point -- the point where parents realize their child has 'been in there' the whole time. It begs the question: how much of autism (in nonspeakers) is a result of apraxia -- the inability of one's motor functioning to be controlled by one's will. This is very different than the description offered by the diagnostic label. I also reviewed the documentary on my substack - it is an unconventional review-- a poem ---- https://recoveryguild.substack.com/
I worked in a classroom in 2000-2003. One student was biting and pulling out hair out in frustration. His parents were able to homeschool him for a year and he learned sign language. He was able to come back to the classroom and he was able to learn & communicate. It was in Guilderland New York near Albany. Little Niles. I don’t know how the parents managed .We had a room full of teachers and assistants to help & it was very ( exciting and) challenging.
I was able to watch it on High Wire today as well as listen to the audience and panel Q/A. The film and after discussion were excellent. Thank you, again, Ann. I also wonder, since I teach a phonics-based reading approach to language learning (decoding and encoding based on an Orten-Gillingham method called Slingerland) , whether autistic children might possibly be able to learn from a systematic and explicit approach to phonics using a multi-sensory method such as Slingerland that also has students use their gross-motor skills to learn the code for English reading and spelling. I asked this question in the chat box on High Wire but did not receive an answer from the panel. A parent in the chat wrote, however, that her child had learned at age five to use phonics and that it helped tremendously. Still, I am unsure how impaired her child is, so I remain curious about the answer to my question to autistic learners, older students and adults, if phonics approaches may have helped them use their board to learn to read. If phonics could be a support for these children's literacy onset, I would gladly include them in my practice. Thank you, Ann, if you have any information that could enlighten my understanding regarding this.
Such a beautiful breakthrough. Such pioneering work.
"Instead of a cognitive disability, our children have sensory-motor differences that impact their ability to communicate reliably through speech along with other varying difficulties with motor function. [...] a neurological disorder [...] [T]he loss of the ability to execute or carry out skilled movements and gestures, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform them. [...] hard for people to tell their bodies what to do – often called a brain-body disconnect."
"The Smile Difference: Autism vs. Asperger Syndrome" -- by Forrest Maready (video link below). Maready's work leads him to conclude that sensory-motor nerve damage (labeled austism/asperger's) can occur from the toxic aluminum in vaccines. And, in his book, "The Autism Vaccine", Maready offers a seemingly strong working hypothesis as to why many more boys -- than girls -- succumb to the "toxic aluminum in vax" poisoning -- that results in the sensory-motor nerve damage.
Screenings around the US this week & coming up listed here: https://spellersthemovie.com/watch Autism Action Network sent out a much more comprehensive + updated list for the US, Canada and even Ireland, but not sure how to get that list here! Folks can sign up for screening updates here: https://spellersthemovie.com/connect.
The places they are doing a Live Event is interesting. Out the whole state of CA there is only one location! There ought to be a way one can watch online...even pay to watch.
There were/are more in CA, & all over actually! Here is an updated CA live screenings list from Autism Action Network's last email. Sadly, the live links do not work for this cut n paste. All but one event already screened on 4/30.
Darn it! Perhaps there will be more. You can sign up for future screenings here https://spellersthemovie.com/connect . Hope this doc gets picked up for distribution & livestream networks.
Hi Celia! This is one of those pivotal moments in public speaking where a genuine scholar addresses a governmental body with a warning that NEEDS to be Listened to and acted upon!
A good friend who isn't able to speak and is a quadriplegic due to a brain stem stroke belongs to a advocacy group called CommunicationFIRST. I'll link it below. He has been involved in testing an assistive communication device with the University of San Fransisco that uses an implant in his brain which connects to a computer. This then is able to read his brain waves and interpret his thoughts into written words and speech with a computer program so he is able to communicate. He's going on to his third year in the research study and they are now working on increasing the vocabulary to Spanish (his native language) and soon French (a language he's teaching himself).
I think this type of device would be something that would benefit autistic users in addition to the letter board (which is similar to the head stick he used before with his computer or the eye gaze others use for a computer assistive speech device). These people may want to contact CommunicationFIRST to see if they can support each other.
Thank you, Celia, for sharing this powerful and inspiring story with us--can't wait to watch the full movie! As I recall, Del Bigtree had a segment on the Highwire a couple years ago featuring a young man who got hooked up with the letter board method as a teenager, and it really changed his life and his dad's. Made me cry with happiness for them.
So true...most parents have no idea that the ‘shots’ start right at the hospital! And unless they know this ‘going in’ before they get to the hospital, they have little right to decline, as they are not told what the ‘hospital’ will be doing...or likely consent to give these ‘shots’ is embedded in the ‘consent papers’ (in obtuse language), that the parents sign but never thoroughly read or understand.
Your way of getting right to the heart of things is magic. (Seriously, you're like a homing device for human hearts!) Thank you for pointing your readers towards Spellers and the work of parents like Alexandra!
This documentary is based on the paradigm-busting book "Underestimated" - I have been reviewing autism recovery claims for almost a decade in hopes of finding common denominators. What works for one does not work for another. But in this case --- communication --- these nonspeakers (with the condition apraxia) learn to use gross movement (their shoulder) to spell on letterboards. Some are able to eventually graduate to a mounted keyboard, at which point they 'prove' to the world that the words are their own. Way before reaching that point, they become 'open' with family, which is really the tear-jerking point -- the point where parents realize their child has 'been in there' the whole time. It begs the question: how much of autism (in nonspeakers) is a result of apraxia -- the inability of one's motor functioning to be controlled by one's will. This is very different than the description offered by the diagnostic label. I also reviewed the documentary on my substack - it is an unconventional review-- a poem ---- https://recoveryguild.substack.com/
Thank you for this 🙏
I worked in a classroom in 2000-2003. One student was biting and pulling out hair out in frustration. His parents were able to homeschool him for a year and he learned sign language. He was able to come back to the classroom and he was able to learn & communicate. It was in Guilderland New York near Albany. Little Niles. I don’t know how the parents managed .We had a room full of teachers and assistants to help & it was very ( exciting and) challenging.
Back then the rate was one in 148 .
For those interested in an excellent primary source, J. B. Handley and his son Jamie (authors of Underestimated and responsible for the film) are interviewed by Brian Hooker on CHD's Doctors and Scientists. https://live.childrenshealthdefense.org/chd-tv/shows/doctors-and-scientists-with-brian-hooker-phd/giving-autism-a-voice/
Thank you for posting this, Celia! I teach reading and spelling to children with challenges, and I have been waiting for this documentary to come out.
I believe The Highwire is screening the documentary tomorrow. https://twitter.com/HighWireTalk/status/1653550673458343936?s=20
Yes, it is. I am unsure I can see it at that time, but I will see it as soon as possible! Looking forward to it, Thank you, Ann!
I was able to watch it on High Wire today as well as listen to the audience and panel Q/A. The film and after discussion were excellent. Thank you, again, Ann. I also wonder, since I teach a phonics-based reading approach to language learning (decoding and encoding based on an Orten-Gillingham method called Slingerland) , whether autistic children might possibly be able to learn from a systematic and explicit approach to phonics using a multi-sensory method such as Slingerland that also has students use their gross-motor skills to learn the code for English reading and spelling. I asked this question in the chat box on High Wire but did not receive an answer from the panel. A parent in the chat wrote, however, that her child had learned at age five to use phonics and that it helped tremendously. Still, I am unsure how impaired her child is, so I remain curious about the answer to my question to autistic learners, older students and adults, if phonics approaches may have helped them use their board to learn to read. If phonics could be a support for these children's literacy onset, I would gladly include them in my practice. Thank you, Ann, if you have any information that could enlighten my understanding regarding this.
Such a beautiful breakthrough. Such pioneering work.
"Instead of a cognitive disability, our children have sensory-motor differences that impact their ability to communicate reliably through speech along with other varying difficulties with motor function. [...] a neurological disorder [...] [T]he loss of the ability to execute or carry out skilled movements and gestures, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform them. [...] hard for people to tell their bodies what to do – often called a brain-body disconnect."
"The Smile Difference: Autism vs. Asperger Syndrome" -- by Forrest Maready (video link below). Maready's work leads him to conclude that sensory-motor nerve damage (labeled austism/asperger's) can occur from the toxic aluminum in vaccines. And, in his book, "The Autism Vaccine", Maready offers a seemingly strong working hypothesis as to why many more boys -- than girls -- succumb to the "toxic aluminum in vax" poisoning -- that results in the sensory-motor nerve damage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdHorgRootc
www.Spellers.com for more information
Screenings around the US this week & coming up listed here: https://spellersthemovie.com/watch Autism Action Network sent out a much more comprehensive + updated list for the US, Canada and even Ireland, but not sure how to get that list here! Folks can sign up for screening updates here: https://spellersthemovie.com/connect.
The places they are doing a Live Event is interesting. Out the whole state of CA there is only one location! There ought to be a way one can watch online...even pay to watch.
You can watch the film on demand here https://kinema.com/events/spellers-2-foou
Thank you for posting!!
Thank you.
There were/are more in CA, & all over actually! Here is an updated CA live screenings list from Autism Action Network's last email. Sadly, the live links do not work for this cut n paste. All but one event already screened on 4/30.
Carlsbad 4/30/2023
Danville 4/30/2023
Los Angeles 4/30/2023
Morgan Hill 4/30/2023
Mountain View 4/30/2023
Novato 4/30/2023
San Diego 4/30/2023
Thousand Oaks 5/6/2023
Oh I missed it! I could have gone! I’m in San Diego.
Darn it! Perhaps there will be more. You can sign up for future screenings here https://spellersthemovie.com/connect . Hope this doc gets picked up for distribution & livestream networks.
The Highwire is screening this tomorrow. https://twitter.com/HighWireTalk/status/1653550673458343936?s=20
Thanks Celia. The best post I have ever read regarding autism and the industry and pure evil behind it is:
https://tobyrogers.substack.com/p/a-modern-day-witch-trial
Truly shocking story. It was posted yesterday by Toby Rogers PhD - Every person should read it.
Thanks for telling the truth. May there be peace on earth. :-)
PS - I will watch the movie!
aver cents id tooken the srk sped reddin korse mi reddin & speltin hav gotted better
Lol
Hi Celia! This is one of those pivotal moments in public speaking where a genuine scholar addresses a governmental body with a warning that NEEDS to be Listened to and acted upon!
https://twitter.com/stuckndamid/status/1652560486909775872?s=46&t=kCLzGsgj5zwr7X30wgTnhg
Thanks for sharing.
A good friend who isn't able to speak and is a quadriplegic due to a brain stem stroke belongs to a advocacy group called CommunicationFIRST. I'll link it below. He has been involved in testing an assistive communication device with the University of San Fransisco that uses an implant in his brain which connects to a computer. This then is able to read his brain waves and interpret his thoughts into written words and speech with a computer program so he is able to communicate. He's going on to his third year in the research study and they are now working on increasing the vocabulary to Spanish (his native language) and soon French (a language he's teaching himself).
I think this type of device would be something that would benefit autistic users in addition to the letter board (which is similar to the head stick he used before with his computer or the eye gaze others use for a computer assistive speech device). These people may want to contact CommunicationFIRST to see if they can support each other.
CommunicationFIRST - https://communicationfirst.org/
Thank you, Celia, for sharing this powerful and inspiring story with us--can't wait to watch the full movie! As I recall, Del Bigtree had a segment on the Highwire a couple years ago featuring a young man who got hooked up with the letter board method as a teenager, and it really changed his life and his dad's. Made me cry with happiness for them.
PS. Here's a link to that segment on the Highwire a while ago: https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/spellers-take-autism-world-by-storm/
And also just saw that Del will be screening the film this Friday 5/5 at 2pm PT at www.thehighwire.com
What synchronicity!
Thank you Celia. We need good news once in a while.
So true...most parents have no idea that the ‘shots’ start right at the hospital! And unless they know this ‘going in’ before they get to the hospital, they have little right to decline, as they are not told what the ‘hospital’ will be doing...or likely consent to give these ‘shots’ is embedded in the ‘consent papers’ (in obtuse language), that the parents sign but never thoroughly read or understand.