^{Creativity – the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something.} 

^{Creative individuals share numerous personality traits including: –}

Motivation. Creative breakthroughs occur as the result of perseverance and hard work. The creative individual pursues their hobbies and interests with an unusual amount of dedication and, as a result, has an in-depth understanding of their specialist field. 

Independent and original thinking. Creative individuals day-dream, often engaging in fantastical and magical ideas. Many will be more creative when working independently: group work can tend to stifle some voices in preference to others. 

Extreme sensitivity and empathy. Creative individuals are sensitive to the emotions of others, and care deeply about social, political and environmental issues.

An ability to problem solve in unconventional ways. Creativity is an essential part of problem-solving, particularly for those problems where conventional solutions do not always work. 

Individuals on the autism spectrum share numerous personality traits including: –

• An overwhelming desire to engage with their personal interest. This will include focusing and concentrating on their hobby to the exclusion of almost anything else. As a result, many autistic individuals will gain an encyclopaedic knowledge around their specific area of interest.
• A keen sense of fair play. The autistic individual will pursue what they feel to be right without compromising their standards or ideals.
• Independent thinking. They are not influenced or deterred by the opinions and beliefs of the majority, but possess the ability to think independently and devise ingenious solutions to problems. 

Can you spot the similarities between these two groups?!!

Three famous autistic individuals who use(d) their creative strengths for the benefit of the wider community.

Alan Turing is regarded as one of the most innovative mathematical thinkers of the last century. Turing helped to crack the ‘Enigma’ code through his work at Bletchley Park during World War II. Turing struggled at school, and was a concern to his teachers because of his obsession with mathematics, and his disdain for the classics, which he felt to be of little importance. 

Greta Thunberg is a political activist and environmentalist. Greta’s ability to hyper-focus has enabled her to develop a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues: she does what she believes to be right, refusing to conform to society’s expectations of a young woman. 

Chris Packham is an English naturalist, photographer, television presenter and author. Chris accepts that some people see him as an extremist. However, he doesn’t mind about his reputation as an activist, as long as climate and the environment are discussed as a consequence.  

Chris says that, ‘People like me have a very aggravated sense of injustice, and I think that has been highly motivational throughout my life.’

Autism Awareness Week runs from 29 March – 4 April. 

April 2022 is Autism Awareness Month.

It isn’t uncommon for children to create imaginary friends: someone for them to talk to, interact and play with. Research shows that two thirds of children up to the age of seven years, and over a quarter of children aged 5 to 12 years have an imaginary friend. These pretend friends can be invisible, something fantastical, a pet, inanimate object or a soft toy.

The benefits of imaginary friends include: – 

• Providing a safe way to practise friendship skills: to learn how to resolve arguments and to share. The child will be able to look at situations from the imaginary friend’s perspective, making it easier for them to appreciate other people’s points of view. 

• More opportunities to develop language and communication skills. As a result of additional speaking and listening practice, children with imaginary friends tend to have larger vocabularies and use more complex sentence structures. 

• Alternative ways to cope with difficult issues: the birth of a sibling, a separation, bereavement or a house move. The child can share the emotional burden with their pretend friend: talking through the situation, thinking of solutions to problems or simply venting pent-up emotions. 

• Provide companionship. The imaginary friend will always be on call whenever the child is bored or lonely and has no one to play with. The imaginary friend will supply unconditional love and acceptance.

• Improving the child’s creativity and imaginative play. Imaginary friends are a sign of a child’s creative resourcefulness. Children with imaginary friends will have a rich internal private life that is totally under their control. The child will have opportunities to experiment with more creative play without risking others laughing at them.

• Exploring different roles. The child can experiment and adopt alternative roles: caring for their friend, explaining that it is bedtime so they have to switch off the TV, bossing the friend about or shouting at them. The imaginary friend is all forgiving, so children can safely test out strong emotions like anger, jealousy and fear. 

Imaginary friends will not be around for ever, but are very useful whilst present. 

‘Never do today what you can do tomorrow (Procrastination)

If I do too much it’ll only end in sorrow (Procrastination)

I’d have done it all by now but there’s something in the way (Procrastination)

I’ll consult a horoscope just to pick the perfect day (Procrastination)

(‘Procrastination’ The Damned – 2018)

Most of us will procrastinate occasionally: – 

‘I can’t do this essay yet. I don’t have the right books.’

‘I feel a bit tired this afternoon. I’ll start it in the morning.’

‘I don’t need to learn this topic yet. I’ll wait for the test deadline, then revise. I work better under pressure.’

About 20% of the population are regular procrastinators. Research suggests that these individuals often suffer from low levels of confidence; they worry that they are not up to the task, won’t be able to complete the work and will look foolish. Procrastination gives them the perfect excuse as they can claim they simply didn’t have enough time to do the job properly or to their usual high standards. 

The solution to procrastination requires a re-framing of attitude and an acceptance that a ‘good enough’ performance is preferable to a perfect performance that is never quite completed.

‘Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.’

Leonard Cohen – ‘Anthem.’ 1992.

Steps to take to avoid procrastination.

1. Try to work first thing in the morning and tell yourself that you’ll have time for other tasks and activities later in the day.
2. Clear your workspace of things that might distract you: the dirty washing that suddenly calls out to be put in the machine, the pots of pencils that require colour coding, the text messages that might be really important, and so on.
3. Break tasks into smaller sections. Then start working on one without over-thinking. You don’t have to work sequentially by, for example, starting with the introduction to an essay; you could start with the conclusion.
4. Work alongside friends you know can focus and concentrate. If you can work at this sort of friend’s house or go to the library with them, you may find that you can work for longer periods of time.
5. Attend any supervised Homework Clubs or Subject Surgeries at school or college. When sessions are supervised, there will be someone there to keep you on track. 
6. Get rid of distractions. Turn your phone off. Work in a quiet room without a TV or radio and away from the window.
7. Set yourself time limits. I will work for 20 minutes, then have a break of 10 minutes, then work again for 20 minutes. Reward yourself when you have worked for an hour in this way: have a snack, watch 20 minutes of TV. or phone a friend.
8. If a thought comes into your head and distracts you, make a note of it, tell yourself you will deal with it later, and then carry on working.
9. Keep lists of tasks to be done, and tick them off when completed to give yourself a sense of progress and achievement. Be realistic about how many of the tasks you can complete in each session; if you are over ambitious, you will be disheartened.
10. Take advice from others. See how they deal with procrastination, ask them to mentor you or to take charge of your list of tasks and monitor your progress.

When a child or young person has additional educational needs that might require more support or resources than are usually provided by their school or college, the child’s parents or the young person can apply for an Education, Health and Care plan to access additional provision. 

SEND Tribunals have been set up in order to settle any disagreements about the sort of additional provision a child might require. For example, a parent might feel their son needs 1:1 support in the classroom; some input from a speech and language therapist; or further assessments to identify undiagnosed needs, while the Local Authority might maintain that the boy’s needs can be met in his school without such additional input.

The parent or young person making an appeal to the Tribunal will need to present evidence to demonstrate why the current provision the child or young person is receiving is inadequate. In such cases, it is useful for parents to collect evidence: to keep meeting minutes, school reports, the results of any assessments the child or young person has had within school or from agencies outside school: the GP, Speech and Language therapist, Occupational therapist, counselling services, and so on. 

Such information could include: –

1. Any advice from external agencies, for example, contact with the GP re a child’s anxiety, diet, sleep habits or toileting problems. 
2. Information about the child over a period of time: perhaps speech and language therapy reports from their early years.
3. Baseline assessments from the school. Schools will keep baseline scores for pupils from their Reception classes, measuring the child’s progress from that baseline as they move up through the school. Many secondary schools carry out baseline assessments for their new Year 7 pupils, using such assessments to predict the children’s GCSE grades. 
4. Assessments of reading age. Does the school monitor pupils’ progress with reading? If the child has fallen behind their peers, have they been given any support to close the gap, and how successful has that extra help been? Do the school’s reading tests measure reading comprehension, (understanding the content of a passage), as well as reading accuracy, (being able to read the words aloud.) 
5. Assessments of spelling age. If the child has fallen behind their peers in spelling, what has been put in place by way of catch up, and how successful has that been?
6. Whether the child is working at Age Related Expectations, that is at the level expected from a child of their age. Is the child making steady progress in school?
7. End of year reports. Is there any consistency in teachers’ comments over time, for example, do school reports regularly mention the child’s lack of focus, distractibility and poor concentration?
8. Any sensory issues you may have noticed at home: a restricted diet, a preference for soft and comfortable clothing, an intolerance to noise, an aversion to having their hair cut, teeth cleaned or nails cut.
9. Have you seen any evidence of poor co-ordination? Is the child able to ride a bike, catch and throw a ball, eat without making a mess, dress themselves with clothes in the correct sequence and the right way round? Can they colour in, draw, cut out and write neatly?
10. If an Educational Psychologist’s report has been carried out, are there any discrepancies between the child’s Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, Working Memory and Processing Speed scores, or a discrepancy between their IQ scores and their performance in school. 

All children are individual and are certain to develop at different rates. Every child will have strengths and weaknesses, but keeping a record of evidence from a range of sources over a period of time, will provide a Tribunal with the most comprehensive overview of the child’s needs.

Although a parent’s natural instinct is to protect their child from upset and anxiety, it is inevitable that children will face difficult situations sometimes: the birth of a sibling, a house move, bereavement within the family or an episode of bullying at school. Children need to acquire self-regulation skills and learn coping strategies in order to deal with challenging situations independently. 

1. Make space for down-time. Take a break and spend some time doing the things you enjoy: practising your football skills, knitting, drawing, gaming, dancing, listening to music, Lego. You can then become absorbed in your interest rather than your worry.
2. Enjoy some repetitive physical exercise. Running, skipping, cycling, dancing or bouncing on a trampoline will burn off stress. Repetitive activities are particularly effective as they require little by way of conscious thought or specialist skill. Exercise releases tension, improves mood, increases energy levels and promotes quality sleep.
3. Read a book or listen to a streamed story. To lose oneself in a good book is an excellent distraction technique.
4. Use music to change your mood. Music will affect your emotions. Upbeat music will make you feel more energetic and optimistic, while music with a slower tempo will be calming. 
5. Focus on the needs of others rather than your own concerns. Helping others will take your mind off your worries and encourage a sense of perspective. There are certain to be others who are worse off than yourself. Remind yourself of this and re-direct your energy into helping in a practical way by, for example, decluttering your room and taking unused toys, books or bric-a-brac to a local charity shop.
6. Be creative. Colouring, drawing, modelling or writing a journal will clear your thoughts and help you to see challenges from alternative viewpoints. 
7. Get out in the fresh air. Getting outside, whatever the weather, is known to relieve feelings of stress and worry. Going for a walk, a bike ride or a jog around the local park will all provide healthy down-time.
8. Spend time with animals. Animals are excellent at keeping secrets and will love you unconditionally. Take a dog for a walk, clean out a rabbit, hamster or guinea pig hutch. You can talk to a pet and the animal will listen, never interrupt or insist on talking about themself.
9. Experiment with relaxation techniques. Look for YouTube clips on yoga, mindfulness or breathing exercises. You may find something new that will help you to relax.
10. Plan ahead. Organise something pleasurable to look forward to: a shopping expedition, inviting a friend to your house, visiting a grandparent, or planning a trip to the cinema or swimming pool.

‘We can’t all and some of us don’t. That’s all there is to it’ 

Eeyore.

In a world that values the extrovert and admires the vocal and gregarious, shyness could be seen as a disadvantage. Unfortunately, many confident, verbose individuals have nothing of value to say, while their quieter counterparts possess the skills that extroverts often lack: thoughtfulness, empathy, loyalty, respect for others and an openness to new ideas.

However, if and when, a shy individual feels the need to appear more outgoing and confident, there are a variety approaches that they could adopt: –

1. Join a group, so that the focus of attention is on the team rather than the individual; then use that group membership as a way to gradually adjust their mindset.

‘Part of why I started a band was due to feelings of shyness. It was a way to interact with people from a safe distance.’ Jarvis Cocker – musician.

2. Practise being confident. While competent, outgoing people may appear to breeze through presentations, speeches and performances, they will undoubtedly have put in a lot of practice to make it seem so easy. They will have practised and anticipated potential problems: nothing will have been left to chance.

3. Use technology and on-line communication in preference to face to face situations. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is painfully shy, but his world famous compensatory communication system is a phenomenal success.

4. Involve themselves in something they are passionate about in order to overcome their reluctance to be centre stage. 

‘It is sometimes our actions and determination that matters more than the volume of our voice.’ Rosa Parks – political activist.

‘I have learned you are never too small to make a difference.’ Greta Thunberg – environmentalist.

5. Be brave, deliberately stepping outside their comfort zone and making themselves cope with any resulting uncomfortable feelings. 

‘As an introverted child, my mother worried my shyness would hold me back as I got older. To help try and tackle this, my mother always challenged me.’ Richard Branson – entrepreneur.

6. Create an alter-ego. It is a surprising fact that many actors and performers were shy children; Their parents enrolled them for drama classes to help to boost their self-confidence. As a result, the children realised the potential of role play, were able to develop an alternative persona, and change their body language, clothing, appearance and personality in line with this alter-ego. Elton John is known for his outrageous on-stage performance, but admits to playing ‘a part’ in order to separate himself from his inclination towards shyness. 

Some shy individuals will prefer to maintain their natural preferences, and adapt the situation to suit themselves, for example: texting rather than phoning, writing a report rather than giving a presentation, and maintain a wealth of strategies they can use to circumnavigate awkward situations. 

The most common advice seems to be ‘Fake it until you make it.’ You’ll probably find everyone else is doing exactly the same.

Since 2002 entries for Modern Foreign Language GCSEs have fallen by almost a half. The government hopes that 90% of pupils will be studying a foreign language as part of their EBacc by 2025. With this target in mind, the Department for Education aims to increase the take up of languages, and, consequently have published revised subject content for French, German and Spanish GCSEs.

From 2024, pupils will study the most common vocabulary used in conversation and writing, (high frequency words), as well as grammar and pronunciation. Pupils will be expected to know 1,200 word families at foundation tier and 1,700 word families at higher tier. An example of a word family would be ‘manage’, managed’ and ‘manages’.

Educationalists appear to view these changes with a degree of scepticism. Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, says that the changes made will put children off languages, rather than motivate them to take them up. 

‘At a time when pupils need to be enthused to learn languages, the government has chosen to make GCSEs both prescriptive and grinding.’

The main complaint is around the emphasis put on pupils learning the lists of high frequency words. These lists have been published to try to avoid the situation of children being faced in their GCSE exams with words they’ve not seen before 

However, one of the problems of static lists is that in the real-world, pupils will come across words they don’t know all the time, and will have to cope. It would be surprising if children visited European countries and only heard high frequency words. Often it is the low frequency words that provide clues in a conversation, and these words are not static, but relate to current topics of interest, for example, vocabulary linked to Brexit, Covid or the Olympics. Slang and informal words do not appear in the vocabulary lists, yet these are words that are useful for young people to know in order to communicate with same age peers. 

A second problem would be that pupils do not learn vocabulary to the extent teachers would hope. Research suggests that the average learner will learn about half of the words they are taught. Some children will not retain vocabulary because they find rote learning tedious, while other children are unable to memorise lists of random words, regardless of the amount of effort they make.

The overarching problem the government is hoping to solve relates to this perception of MFL exams being unfair because of the unseen vocabulary. It is felt this gives pupils with a good general knowledge and a wide English vocabulary an unfair advantage. These children are the ones who may have visited France / Spain / Germany, and seen road signs, place names, and menus. They may have been to museums, swimming pools, restaurants, stations and shops. In addition, the same pupils may have a good prior knowledge of word families, word origins and the roots of words acquired through regularly reading English literature. These advantaged pupils are likely to come from middle-class and upper-class homes.

The solution to middle class advantage lies outside the MFL classroom. It is ridiculous for the government to bemoan the fact that pupils with a rich vocabulary and good general knowledge will do well in language exams. Of course, they will. 

All educational research points to vocabulary and general knowledge being a vital component of academic success. We should be working to ensure every child has a rich and varied vocabulary. Unfair isn’t the absence of vocabulary lists; unfair is allowing pupils to move through school with poor lexical knowledge. 

Tortoises can tell you more about the road than hares.

Maths anxiety is believed to affect about a quarter of the population. This would equate to more than 2 million schoolchildren in the UK. 

Maths anxiety is not linked to intelligence or ability. Three quarters of children with high levels of maths anxiety are above average achievers on curriculum maths assessments. 

Maths anxiety can affect any individual at any age or stage of learning. with recent studies reporting that children as young as four feel anxious about maths.

The causes of maths anxiety are varied and complex, but include:

• The child being put under pressure, perhaps by being judged on how quickly they can produce an answer. 
• The child feeling that they are in competition with their peers.
• The child experiencing insensitivity from teachers, perhaps being ridiculed for getting something wrong in a lesson. Working memory is important for solving mathematical problems, and any anxiety will reduce the capacity of a child’s working memory. When a child feels anxious, they will struggle to understand any maths being taught. 
•  Non-specialist teachers and the child’s parents transmitting their own lack of confidence in Maths, giving the child the impression that Maths is something complicated and difficult.

Maths anxiety can have far-reaching consequences. Anxious pupils will underperform, and their achievement be out of line with their underlying ability. This will create more anxiety which, in turn, will lead to more underperformance. The secondary-aged pupil may avoid choosing subjects that involve Maths in any form. Parents may avoid supporting their children with Maths homework. The individual may believe that they are incapable of improving their Maths skills. 

Solutions.

• Reducing classroom pressure such as time limits in tests, would help to alleviate maths anxiety. It is important for pupils to work at their own pace, without feeling the need to master a mathematical concept immediately 
• Teachers need to be aware that maths anxiety can affect students’ maths performance. Maths is a subject where answers are either right or wrong, and teaching methods that focus on quick recall, and on answers given in front of the class are unhelpful to the anxious child. 

Confidence is as important as competence when it comes to Maths achievement. 

• When memorising is valued over understanding, slower thinkers may be put off Maths. Children need to appreciate that if they struggle with a topic, their struggle will lead to deeper understanding. Peers with good memories may not retain what they have learnt to the same level, as their lack of effort results in superficial learning. 
• The idea that speed is a reflection of ability is outdated. A child does not have to be quick to be talented. Some of the world’s most able mathematicians think slowly and deeply. Society needs creative, flexible mathematicians to solve the challenges of the future, rather than those who are able to reproduce taught content at speed. Speed and fixed approaches will only get the mathematician so far.

In his autobiography, Laurent Schwartz, winner of the world’s highest award in mathematics, the Field’s Medal, described feeling “stupid” in school because he was a slow thinker, but he continues to stress that:

‘There is a distinction between the quality of our thoughts and the speed by which we generate thoughts. Just because we can think quickly, does not mean we think well or have thought an idea or insight through.’

Neuro-diversity is a term used to describe brain functioning and behavioural traits that could be considered different from the norm. Dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism and attention deficit would all be considered to be examples of neurodiversity.

It is calculated that 15% of the population, or 1 in 7 individuals in the UK today are neuro-diverse. 

This 15% of the population attend schools, colleges, universities and places of work. 

When such a large group is marginalised, there are social and financial implications for society, in addition to the personal cost felt by the individual. 

A more inclusive society would bring innumerable advantages: increased creativity, improved social mobility, alternative problem-solving patterns, and a shift away from traditional thinking and the reinvention of the wheel. 

Possible ways to progress the inclusion of the neuro-diverse population: –

1. Consulting neurodivergent individuals and groups.

The inclusion of marginalised groups within the mainstream community is about handling difference and empowering people. The size of the neurodiverse community means that they have a voice and their everyday experiences, positive or negative, need to be recognised. 

2. Raising awareness among architects and urban designers around the planning of public buildings.

The needs of the whole population must be considered at the initial stages of planning, and adaptations not made as afterthoughts. The effect of spaces in schools, colleges, universities, offices and public buildings on those who use them must be thought through. 

Public buildings need specific zones: hubs for social interaction and conversation, dedicated areas for quiet work, and easily accessible calming, green spaces for relaxation and energising. All buildings need adequate sound proofing, sensitive heating systems, a good provision of natural light and access to fresh air.

3. Increasing awareness among employers and teachers.

In schools, everyday accommodations should be available to all pupils: adjustable lighting, personal work stations, a good flow of fresh air, sensitive heating systems. quiet working spaces, noise cancelling headphones, visors to cut glare, and school uniforms that are designed with the comfort of the pupil in mind.

Key point = Good provision for the neurodivergent is good provision for all.

Adaptations at work need to include the same simple, generic accommodations as above, in addition to the choice of working from home if feasible, and flexible working hours.

4. The use of assistive technology. 

Assistive technology, on-line working, and IT resources will help all pupils and employees to work more effectively, for example, alternative ways of recording and reading such as: speech-to-text and text-to-speech software, dictation tools, digital recorders and screen overlays. 

5. Extending the understanding of professionals through mandatory training.

Mandatory training should include raising awareness around sensory issues, and the effect that sensory issues can have on an individual’s behaviour. Virtual reality software could be used to immerse the neurotypical population in the sensory world of the neurodiverse, with training to demonstrate the impact of anxiety, fear and panic on a child or adult. Such training must be mandatory for school staff, members of the emergency services, such as the police, and Human Resource departments. 

‘I am who I’m meant to be, this is me.’

(The Greatest Showman.)

Young children gradually learn to adapt their behaviour and language to suit different situations. They will behave in one way in the playground and another way in the classroom. They will use different language when talking to a grandparent and when talking to a friend. 

Children on the ASD spectrum find these adaptations to behaviour and language almost impossible to navigate. They have to be constantly alert in order to avoid committing social blunders, always watching their peers to work out what is acceptable and what is not. This continual social manoeuvring is made even more challenging because of the children’s poor understanding of the rules governing social interaction. If you laugh for too long or too loudly at a joke, you will be considered weird. If you don’t laugh at all, you will be accused of not having a sense of humour. 

ASD children will mask their natural responses and emotions in order to fit in, and negotiating such tricky interactions all day, every day will leave the children exhausted. 

Social communication difficulties are common in both boys and girls on the autistic spectrum. However, as a result of their early socialisation, girls tend to be compliant, sociable, considerate and more likely than boys to try to blend in with their peers. This behaviour will come at a high cost when the girls mask their real feelings in order to be the same as everyone else. The need for good social skills accelerates in secondary school, and this is the time when many children experience a dramatic decline in their confidence; feeling isolated and mis-understood.  

Traditional assessments for autism were designed with boys in mind, therefore boys’ behaviour is more likely to match the diagnostic criteria. The implications for women and girls of research that involves only male subjects, is just beginning to be acknowledged. Characteristics displayed by autistic females will not always fit the accepted ASD profile. For example, one recognised autistic trait is that of having all-consuming interests. Such interests have traditionally included: transport systems, mechanics, science fiction, numbers, computers or gaming.  Girls’ special interests are more likely to be socially acceptable, for example: pop stars and bands, horses or collecting soft toys. 

As a result of the lack of awareness about the presentation of ASD females, misdiagnosis is common: 42 % of women and girls receive at least one mis-diagnosis before securing an appropriate one. Common mis-diagnoses include: anxiety disorders, mood disorders, depression, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders and even schizophrenia. Women and girls are likely to experience isolation, loneliness, fatigue, anger and poor self-esteem as a result of such mis-diagnoses; but then be seen by professionals in relation to these secondary conditions, and prescribed unnecessary drugs or given ineffective treatment. 

The present government launched a consultation in the summer of 2021 to explore gender inequality within the UK health system and to recommend the improvements that need to be made. 

Following this consultation, the government will publish a ‘Women’s Health Strategy’ in the Spring of 2022. The need for research trials to reflect all members of society will be part of this strategy.

It’s been a long time coming, let’s hope it’s worth the wait.