Asperger syndrome is not curable. You can’t cure something that doesn’t need curing in the first place.
It’s not an illness, disease or caused by brain damage: it is a developmental condition. Asperger’s is simply a different wiring of the brain and should not be perceived negatively. Of course, there are challenges but alongside them are so many positives that are often overlooked. Many of us have an incredible sense of social justice that enables us to be loyal partners, colleagues and friends.
When you’re teaching a pupil with Asperger syndrome, patience and understanding are key. If the student asks: “What is the point of learning this?” they aren’t being rude on purpose. A lot of us tend to speak in a literal way and will be asking in order to find out how it will be beneficial rather than to humiliate the teacher. If you know that the student who is asking is on the spectrum, be patient until their intention behind asking the question is clear.
When I was at school, I remember feeling that some subjects weren’t applicable to real life, and were, therefore, wasting my time. For many people on the spectrum, focusing on something that they do not value as being beneficial to them can be challenging and completely illogical.
The importance of structure
Teamwork was always a word that I dreaded: it made me feel really uncomfortable. The anxiety that it caused stopped me from being able to focus, which was frustrating because when I worked alone in these subjects, I was an exceptional student. In teamwork, I either did all of the work myself or became completely uninvolved. Looking back, I can recognise that things were always easier when individual roles were assigned to each member of the team. It made it easier to understand whose responsibilities were whose and assured me that a structure was in place. Structure made me feel at ease because it was clear what was expected of me and I was then able to help my team succeed at the assigned task.
The best thing you can do as teacher of someone with Asperger’s is to research it: understand what it is, what the traits are, what the challenges and positives may be, and understand that every single person on the spectrum is completely different. You may have an understanding of one person with Asperger’s but another person could come along who has a different set of traits that affect them completely differently. This is why it is so important to learn what the diagnostic traits are, as you’re more likely to understand them and be able to support them effectively.
Recently, I wrote a book on what it’s like to live with Asperger syndrome. It combined a range of interviews with young people who have Asperger’s, articles on current issues and the media, and also a section on myself and my own diagnostic journey.
One of the most prominent themes I discovered was an overall agreement that there is still a public perception of what somebody with Asperger’s may act like and even look like. One of my interviewees even said that their confidence meant that they felt like they were “doing Asperger’s wrong”.
This discrimination can - and must - be tackled in schools. Five times more boys get diagnosed than girls because of the difference in how the condition usually affects girls and women. Young girls often feel negativity about their condition, because they have no one they can relate to.This then has a knock-on effect, and these girls can end up feeling isolated, and alone.
The “aspie” characters in the media, particularly in sitcoms, are predominantly male. For somebody who may be finding it hard to accept themselves, role models can be very effective. It is so important that young people with the condition either see female “aspies” portrayed positively in the media, or know real people who they can connect with.
There are many ways that we can reduce the stigma. The most effective way is to celebrate and promote the incredible talents of those on the spectrum rather than focusing on the social challenges that we can sometimes face.
People with Asperger syndrome all have either average or above-average intelligence, which is obviously something that should be used as an advantage. I see my Asperger’s as integral to my success. It’s not a disability to me and I urge others to see themselves in the same light.
As Einstein once said: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” We need to stop focusing so much on the things people on the spectrum may find challenging and start focusing on the things that they excel at.
Kate Shaw is a third-year student at Falmouth University
