6 year old was admitted to Oxford University

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ASPartOfMe
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12 Feb 2019, 4:15 am

This gifted boy with autism is the youngest ever to attend Oxford University at age 6

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At age six, most young children are entering first grade, but not for the extraordinary Joshua Beckford.

Living with high-functioning autism, the child prodigy from Tottenham was, at the age of six, the youngest person ever to attend the prestigious Oxford University.

Now 13 years, the young scholar who has dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon was recently listed in the top 30 most remarkable people in the world with Autism who have impacted society.

ut he has his father to thank for this incredible feat. At just 10 months old, Beckford’s father, Knox Daniel, discovered his son’s unique learning capability while he was sitting on his lap in front of the computer.

With the keyboard being the child’s interest, Daniel said: “I started telling [Joshua] what the letters on the keyboard were and I realized that he was remembering and could understand.”

At the age of three, Beckford could read fluently using phonics. He learned to speak Japanese and even taught himself to touch-type on a computer before he could learn to write.

“Since the age of four, I was on my dad’s laptop and it had a body simulator where I would pull out organs,” said Beckford.

In 2011, his father was aware of a programme at Oxford University that was specific to children between the age of eight and thirteen. To challenge his son, he wrote to Oxford with the hopes of getting admission for his child even though he was younger than the age prescribed for the programme.

Fortunately, Beckford was given the chance to enrol, becoming the youngest student ever accepted. The brilliant chap took a course in philosophy and history and passed both with distinction.

Having a keen interest in the affairs of Egypt throughout his studies, the young genius is working on a children’s book about the historic and ancient nation.

Aside from his academic prowess, Beckford serves as the face of the National Autistic Society’s Black and Minority campaign. Being one with high-functioning autism, the young child helps to highlight the challenges minority groups face in their attempt to acquire autism support and services.

Last month, the wonder child was appointed Low Income Families Education (L.I.F.E) Support Ambassador for Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network in Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and the United Kingdom.

The young boy also raises funds for three autism charities (two in Africa and one in the U.K.) and is celebrated for his campaigns to save the environment. He recently wrote the poem Saving Mother Earth at the TEDx International Conference in Vienna.

Parenting a child with high-functioning autism comes with its own challenges, his father added.

“[Joshua] doesn’t like loud noises and always walks on his tip toes and he always eats from the same plate, using the same cutlery, and drinks from the same cup,” he said.


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neptunekh
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12 Feb 2019, 2:30 pm

That's amazing for a 6 year old!



Arganger
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12 Feb 2019, 2:33 pm

Impressive!


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kraftiekortie
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12 Feb 2019, 2:45 pm

We’ll have to keep track of his progress.



Prometheus18
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12 Feb 2019, 2:53 pm

Impressive, but not as impressive as William James Sidis.

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Also supposed to have been autistic.



League_Girl
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12 Feb 2019, 3:45 pm

Now just imagine seeing a 14 year old being a professor or something and teaching at a university.


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Prometheus18
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12 Feb 2019, 4:06 pm

League_Girl wrote:
Now just imagine seeing a 14 year old being a professor or something and teaching at a university.


Sidis was a professor at around that age, until he got beaten up by older students and began living the life of a recluse.



AnonymousAnonymous
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12 Feb 2019, 5:00 pm

Amazing!


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CockneyRebel
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12 Feb 2019, 6:09 pm

Sweet! :mrgreen:


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IstominFan
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12 Feb 2019, 9:12 pm

Wow!



renaeden
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12 Feb 2019, 9:46 pm

I hope he does become a neurosurgeon. He could be really good at it and save lots of lives.



kraftiekortie
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13 Feb 2019, 2:37 am

I hope people don’t screw him for his abilities—or that he allow his abilities to create a swelled head within himself.



EzraS
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13 Feb 2019, 9:01 am

Wow I had to wait until I was 9 to get accepted to Harvard.



IstominFan
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13 Feb 2019, 9:55 am

If he takes up running, he could be a lot like Roger Bannister.



RobertWhittemore
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24 May 2022, 3:02 pm

This is unbelievable, and it is not the first case of amazing abilities in children at such a young age. I have also seen such a fact at a university on a website with materials on that institution. I think that such people will eventually drive civilization to further development because they can achieve new heights at an age when people are just beginning to discover their talents.



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24 May 2022, 3:20 pm

ASPartOfMe wrote:
6 year old was admitted to Oxford University.

Hmph!

And why not Cambridge?







:wink: Just kidding!