Neurodiverse Classics: constructive connections

I write with news: this blog's topic will be on the programme of next April's Classical Association conference! 

Back in the summer, I had a very enjoyable time building up a proposal along with a group of classicists beyond and within 'the academy' for a panel on neurodiversity and classics. I would have loved to have mentioned this at the time, but decided that I had better not, in case the proposal didn't find its way onto the programme. 

But it wasn't turned down - we recently heard the good news that the panel has been accepted. And so I am now, at last, about to share the proposal. I'll start with an image from one of the hosts of the panel: Asterion, the Minotaur.

Asterion!

And here's the proposal:

The pandemic and lockdown have focussed attention on inequalities in society, and perhaps especially in the educational sector. Students in schools and beyond have reacted very variously to online provision, and some neurodivergent students have been able to flourish online. Social anxiety has been reduced, and different ways of learning have been accommodated (e.g. repetition of material via online hosting). This panel brings together students, lecturers, teachers and heritage professionals to explore ‘constructive connections’ between neurodiversity and classics.

In order to exemplify the kind of inclusive practices that work for many neurodivergent classicists, as well as for others, the panel proposes a variety of complementary formats. We plan a series of short, pre-recorded videos on the topics listed below, to be hosted by the CA in advance of and during the conference. Asterion, a new online space celebrating neurodiversity in classics, will host a series of blogposts as part of a week-long event on the theme of ‘constructive connections’, ideally in partnership with the CA. Comments and questions on these and on the videos will be invited from conference participants, and these will be addressed and discussed by a roundtable of the panellists, in a live online session of the conference. If the CA prefers that this live session be in-person, panel members will accommodate that, but it is important to note that the online dimension fosters and exemplifies good practice for neurodivergent classicists. Finally, panel members will be happy to staff a table or stall during the conference, in person, in order to engage in-person attendees with the videos and blog, and to foster further networking among those interested in neurodiversity and classics.

Topics for videos:

Justin Biggi, How classics helped navigate neurodiverse diagnoses, how my neurodiversity informs my understanding of the classics.

Susan Deacy, The ACCLAIM: Autism Connecting CLAssically-inspired Mythology Network and classical myth resources for autistic children.

Cora Beth Fraser, The Relaxed Tutorial Project: designing inclusive approaches to online teaching in universities.

Laura Jenkinson, Making things easier for Neurodiverse school pupils

Claudina Romero Mayorga, Tactile and multisensorial teaching tools in museums

Ben Tanner, Resources for teaching classics online

Justine T. Wolfenden, Asterion: the case for a network to celebrate and support neurodiversity in Classics 

I very much anticipate blogging further about the panel as April nears...