Autistic Learning

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Yeah, that threw ME for a second as well. I don't think he means he tested as being below normal, but below what HE is. He goes on to say that self testing showed him as 5SDs above! SO, HIS testing indicated perhaps 175, but THEIR testing only showed about 130.

It follows that, if his theory was correct and consistant by amount, that a person with an IQ of 120(high normal), would test as 75(ret*d). Gifted would test as low normal.

Frankly, it is a variant on a complaint raised for many decades. The ONLY difference is that, rather than context, his theory centers around method.

Ah, yes, makes sense now.

Yes, gifted can easily score as normal or even low average (maybe lower even). It frequently happens in forms of ADD too. But with ADD, it is now more commonly recognised that circumstances must be administered to help the child reach his 'true' IQ score. Means, the concentration deficit must be taken into account.

The same thinking is usually lacking in testing autistic people still. If a person is non-verbal, he or she is still tested and given a verbal score or a verbally administered non-verbal test. That's illogical. Especially if, when a person becomes verbal, they suddenly score 15+ points and higher than only a few months/1 year before.

If those with ADD are subject to additional help and non-standard testing methods, then autistic people should receive the same help that suits them and their strengths/deficits. Means, I think a (non-verbal) autistic person should get additional access to a non-verbal test like Raven's.

I SAID "you must allow that there will be losers in any bunch." These of course are mostly the ones that get promoted. You read Dilbert, right? Seriously, though, think about it, who more likely to buck for promotion than the ones who are more concerned about their careers than about the students. But here again, to be very fair, i must say that i have also known some great administrators who are there for the students above all. I will certainly allow that the ones i've known are from areas more likely to have a majority of caring staff. Schools (US) vary wildly from truly hideous to fabulous.

At this point, i have to ask you what country you are in and from whence your information comes in order to understand your perspective and compare it to mine. Are you actually working in the US in the field, or is your info from articles and/or news alone?

deadpanhead,

I'm from the US. I know what I said has been true of California and Texas, and probably every other state. My knowledge there comes from being a student, knowing teachers, attending certain meetings, and the news. Of course, my knowledge about texas was only from the news.

Sora,

Interestingly, I HATE timed tests! EVEN if I normally finish in a given span, and am given a span twice as long, I get NERVOUS, and my ability drops. So I have an idea of where everyone is coming from.

Non-verbal tests are usually timed. I love these!

You'd have fun doing the verbal test parts I think. They're not timed and focus on language.

But yes, 'processing speed' would also have to be taken into consideration due to sensory and motor difficulties. If someone has issues touching a certain material or has trouble writing/with coordination due to motor problems, they'd potentially screw some tests although they could do them under different circumstances.

And even just that, I suppose, makes testing autistic people hard for the average, non-specialised psychologist/psychiatrist...

I have a little story I like to tell about the less capable getting rewarded at my workplace. We had something called the Superior Performance Award. Some people had received several of these over the years. I never received one even though I got all my work done on time and no one ever complained about the quality. I simply assumed these people were just better than I was at what they did. After being clueless for years as to what one had to do to receive one of these, I finally realized that the recipients were people who put in lots of overtime and appeared to be working very hard. I never worked overtime. I never needed to. I was able to get all my work done in an 8 hour day. Turned out the people who got the awards were far less capable then I was. They worked lots of overtime because they couldn't get their work done in 8 hours. So here's another example of the less capable being rewarded while costing the company more money. I complained to my supervisor about this and he figured out a way to get me one. He didn't disagree with my logic.

Kudos to you for standing your ground in a way that won him/her over! That's not easy to do.

The wave theory of learning seems to fit me, I eat, digest, then eat again. Constant eating gives indigestion. It is too much, then not nearly enough.

I went from a love of learning to hateing school. After I got out of school I started learning again.

I have a learn, assimilate, then do, style. I often write reports on what I know to myself. It is in there, but writing forces me to put it in order.

My cycles get longer, several running, and then one day it fits, and I apply it.

The idea of lifetime learners seems to be what I have always done.

Many have not read a book since school, and have none in their homes.

As a whole the population has a functional education of half way through Eighth Grade with a C-.

The results of the educational system are minimal at best.