Why classical myth and autism?

Why classical myth and autism?

The idea for this project started to take shape at a meeting in 2008 with a special needs teacher, who mentioned that, in her experience and those of her colleagues, autistic children often enjoy classical myth. I began to wonder why this might be the case, and whether – as a classicist who researches, and loves, classical myth – there was anything I could contribute. I started this blog to report on my progress which was often sporadic until the launch of the Warsaw-based European Research Council-funded project Our Mythical Childhood (2016-22) to trace the role of classics in children’s culture.

My key contribution to the project is an exploration of classics in autistic children’s culture, above all by producing myth-themed activities for autistic children. This blog shares my progress, often along Herculean paths, including to a book of lessons for autistic children focusing on the Choice of Hercules between two very different paths in life. The image above, illustrating the homepage of this blog, is one of the drawings by Steve K. Simons, the book's illustrator, of a chimneypiece panel in a neoclassical villa at Roehampton in South West London. The lessons centre on this panel.

Wednesday 17 July 2019

A curriculum for all, autistic imaginations and a bit of Percy Jackson - notes from "Engagement for All in the History Classroom"

A week ago today, I was on my way to Liverpool – to take part in a one-day conference around creating a curriculum 'for all' at John Moores University. The curriculum in question was a History one although the organisers, Peter D'Sena and Lucinda Matthews-Jones, embraced Ancient History and Classics as well. They had invited me to discuss pedagogical innovations that I’m involved in as one of a set of case studies.

From the initial blurb for the event, I could see that the focus was to be on HE pedagogy but very much with a goal of exploring dialogues with learning and teaching in schools. The case study I offered was on based on my autism and myth activities. I stressed that this wasn’t going to involve me discussing initiatives around university pedagogy, but rather that it would concern the work I am involved in as part of the Our Mythical Childhood project’s investigation into the place of classics in children’s culture.
I spent a bit of time introducing my interest in autism and in myth and talking about how what I am doing sits within the work being done by the Our mythical Childhood team. After this introduction, I stated that I was going to be talking about the activities that I am developing for autistic children based on the ‘Choice of Hercules’ at Roehampton. I then said that, rather than sharing a PowerPoint, or a standard kind of academic handout, instead I was going to send round one of the drawings that form part of the activities. This was so that, as I was speaking further, the participants could have a go, if they wanted, at doing the same things that the autistic children will do. With this, people seemed delighted – a kind of ‘woooo…’ went round the room. I’m including some of the resulting artwork in this posting.
There was time afterwards for just two questions – possibly because I took so much time to answer these. I’d love to know what a third person who’d raised their hand wanted to ask. If you’re reading this posting, do get in touch (s.deacy@roehampton.ac.uk) -likewise, anyone who was present who would like to comment on or ask anything.
 
The two questions were both very interesting and I’m glad that I noted them down afterwards or I might have forgotten what was raised. One participant asked whether autistic girls have responded differently to the activities than autistic boys. My answer was that I’d don’t yet know. But I am gong to ponder on this and revisit the pilot study that Effrosyni Kostara and I conducted last October.
The other question was from a participant who asked why it is that autistic children like classical myth – given that it isn’t 'factual based'. This question took me aback – and it has brought home to me something that is often thought to be the case about autism – namely that autistic people are not likely to have imaginations.
However, many autistic people have rich imaginations! And this is one reason why many autistic people might enjoy such things as fantasy literature and sci-fi and video games. Being asked the question is prompting me to revisit the previous attention I’ve given to autism and the imagination, including in the wake of the event with autism specialists that I’ve mentioned previously. The question has also emphasised for me how deep some perceptions about autism go.
One final thing, linked with this… I had a chat at the end with one of the participants whose nephew is autistic and loves classical myth - including, because it offers an imaginative space for him. The gateway to myth for this boy was Percy Jackson – this strikes me as another example of how Rick Riordan has done a lot to open up classical myth to a generation of children including autistic children.

Lots then for me to think about, including some things I've not (yet) written down - and plenty on which to follow up.

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