Positively Autism ~ Lesson Modifications and Accommodations ~ November, 2007

Lesson Modifications and Accommodations
Volume 2, Issue 10 ~ November, 2007

Positive Autism News

18-Year-Old with Asperger's Syndrome Competes in National Spelling Bee
Mason Green, a high-school senior who has Asperger's Syndrome has made a variety of achievements this year, including placing 16th at the National Spelling Bee. He also earned a cameo role in the movie about a spelling competition, “Akeelah and the Bee,” starring Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett. Mason's other interests include politics, history, and math. His other school and community activities include participating in his school's Knowledge Bowl team and Junior Optimist Club, and serving as a student election judge in his town. He says, “I’ve always had an interest in politics. I want to be a socially aware person." At this time, he is considering his college and future career options. Click Here to Read the Complete Story

Ballet Dancer with Autism to Perform in "The Nutcracker"
9-Year-Old Beverly Hagan, who has studied ballet for the past four years, has earned the role of a solder in an upcoming presentation of The Nutcracker. Beverly has also performed in other ballet productions. Her mother reports that she has a great memory for, and interest in, numbers, which may help her with ballet: "It's based on counting, so I don't know if that's part of her love of dance." Her director is also very positive about Beverly's experiences with dance: "It's fabulous to have all kinds of dancers involved...you can see her maturity gain from year to year." Click Here to Read the Complete Story

Film Offers Positive Take on Autism
A new film, “Autism: The Musical,” follows five children with autism as they write, rehearse, and perform their own musical. For this project, the children worked an acting coach who is the parent of a child with autism. In describing the film, producer Perrin Chiles has said, “What we wanted to do was to take away the statistics and the research and look at these kids as human beings and recognize their abilities rather than disability.” Click Here to Read the Complete Story