Aspie with high IQ but can never produce any written work

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donnysmum, we've had this problem with our son who is now in middle school (almost 12 years old).

If you can, take a look at the following website:

www.inspiration.com

It's for a company called Inspirations software. It provides different ways to use mind mapping, info mapping, etc. (whatever people call it) to help structure the writing and studying. If your son likes using the computer, this might be the very thing to get him over the "hump" of writing problems. It basically helps a student structure their writing into clumps -- kind of like brainstorming -- and then they can manipulate those "clumps" into a more organized form, and then eventually the thought process makes more sense so that the writing can begin. You can also then "cut and paste" those clumps into typed format, so that it doesn't have to be written but can be typed.

My son was so slow with handwritten stuff that I began asking teachers if typing everything would be ok. They agreed, and with the help of this software, he has become a rather good writer. Not perfect, but good. Also, this software has the option of providing pictures for each idea -- and my son has particularly enjoyed that. Basically, the software is an elaborate "graphic organizer" that makes things much more visual.

I highly recommend this.

Kris

My son wouldn't write and when he did, it was slow and hard to read. He didn't want to type either. I told him to learn as much as he could at school but to go at his own pace and feel good about his progress. So he did. He learned a lot, never jumped through all the hoops to get enough credits to graduate but his teachers said he knew the school work well enough to help teach the other kids in the class.

We didn't care about grades. Having a confident kid who wasn't collapsing under pressure, anxiety, panic and phobia was more important. He's in college now, writing and interacting and enjoying classes, doing all the work and getting A's. I think that the learning path for people on the autism spectrum is a way, way, way different path. If they try to follow the NT paths in modified autistic ways, it's not going to let them become who they really are.

I told my son it's like the whole class was ordered to go into a house and head to the living room so they all went in through the front door. He had to take the scenic route into the backyard, through the kitchen door but, eventually he, too, made it to the living room.

Kris - that software looks seriously cool, thanks for the link.

OregonBecky - what an inspiring post, thanks. You sound like an amazing parent.

OregonBecky...that's great! I think you and I have a very similar view on this whole "school" and how/what kids should learn. That is what I attempt to do with my son. Glad your kiddo is now in college...Maybe I'll PM you sometime if I get "stuck" with something

very common problem--I see it every day with all kinds of kids. Writing today is too much work. It is a higher mental process just like reading. Kids are turning away from these higher processing jobs. We are gittin dumber by the minute. throw your sets out (I need to) my son is completely and utterly obsessed with tv.

equinn, are you a teacher? I don't think that those who can't or won't write about ridiculous subjects that a teacher wants you to write about, but that will be of no use to us in our lives means we're dumber... Maybe the real problems or dumb ones are teachers who have not kept up with the times and still want children to write about the same boring subjects they wrote about 40 years ago...

PS- I'm typing on an iPhone, so pardon any mistakes...

Current research suggests that if teachers allow children with ASDs to write about their special interest areas, they are more motivated and are able to overcome some of the fine motor difficulties that they frequently experience when writing!

I totally recommend Inspiration too.

I've had it given to me through a Disabled Students Allowance (government funding to level the playing field for students with Disabilities).

It is fantastic. I completely freeze up when writing essays etc, and can't organise my thoughts of anything. Inspiration enables me to chuck everything in my head onto the screen in a very visual way (rather than lists of words), arrange the thoughts into sensible orders, and means each heading can be added to as more thoughts occur to me. Then it shunts this mind map into an essay plan which I then flesh out.

It has got rid of my essay inertia almost entirely. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Robin