Canopus
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Posts posted by Canopus
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The NAS doesn't need to be unfit to support people with high-functioning ASD though. Much of the support that can help with classic autism could also help with Asperger's and other high-functioning autism; it would just be to a lesser degree. Charities can and are able to support more than one type of a condition - Cancer Research is involved in research into several types of cancer, for example. I think a large part of the problem stems from NAS not listening to its own members as well as it should. I wonder if someone with ASD would ever be considered to be on the board of directors for NAS. It might help them understand our situation a bit better.
Take my word for it because it comes from years of experience and inside sources. The NAS is incapable of providing effective services for people with higher functioning ASD. The main reason is due to the way that it is funded. The NAS is not a charity in the true sense of the word. It is a quango. If the NAS was funded by voluntary donations from the public then it would be a completely different beast.
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The independent support groups are not funded to the tune of millions by the taxpayer like the NAS is so they rely on funding from people like you and me. Don't expect much positive from councils because they are known to be crass and incompetent when it comes to providing any services even as trivial as repairing street lighting and emptying rubbish bins. The Autism Act barely touches people with higher functioning forms of ASD. Part of the problem when it comes to higher functioning forms of ASD is that those in power are unclear as to what services need to be provided whereas it is much clearer when it comes to traditional Kanner autism which is why there are more and better services for this faction. My own view is that the NAS is clearly unfit to provide support for people with higher functioning forms of ASD and should focus on low functioning autism like it used to do before AS became known about in Britain.
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The main purpose of the criticism is to stop people with higher functioning forms of ASD from wasting their time with the NAS. It will provide an insight into how the NAS is managed and what it does and doesn't do. It will also stress that reforming the NAS from within is next to impossible due to the way it is funded. The NAS is a business selling services to councils at its best or a quango at its worst.
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What is the best way of launching a damning criticism of the NAS exposing them as corrupt to the core and a scam organisation? I have a mountain of materials about the NAS I have collected over the years but I lack the courage to publish it because of the potential of repercussions resulting a difficult legal battle. A former (and equally disgusted) member of the NAS firmly told me that I am not dealing with a charity but a quango. Real charities take criticism and only fight legal cases over libel or severe misrepresentation because they cannot otherwise afford the costs. The NAS, being 90% funded by the government, has plenty of smart lawyers ready and waiting to defend the organisation against those who dare to expose its corruption.
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I would say that most parents who are favourable of the more unusual GCSEs believe that their kids should also take GCSEs (or equivalents) in maths and English language because they are core subjects. It's subjects like (ordinary) science vs various other science subjects; European languages vs more exotic languages; history vs classical civilisation.dotmarsdotcom, on 27 Sept 2014 - 11:21 PM, said:
I think (& this is just my personal opinion.. I'm not expecting anyone else to agree)....
is that the basic staple qualifications have value.
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Another insidious and badly thought out law is Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. It is vague, imprecise, and open to interpretation and personal opinion of the police, judge, and jury. Earlier this year FOI requests to the Home Office and Police Forces revealed that there is no official list of 'proscribed' publications. The law has been used many times with people being jailed for possessing certain publications that are not otherwise specifically outlawed by Parliament.
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I get what your saying canopus.
I had the same issue/ dilemma with my kids.
Not quite. It isn't an argument between academic and soft subject GCSEs, or GCSEs perceived as being hard and easy.
During the 1960s and 1970s, schools offered a limited range of subjects that could be studied to O Level and most kids took around 8 O Levels. In the 1980s and 1990s the range of subjects expanded and it was common for kids to take more than 8 GCSEs. This has created several different camps of thought amongst parents. One camp believes that traditional school subjects (like those available in the 1960s) are more respected than unusual or exotic subjects so kids should focus their attention on getting good grades even if they dislike them or feel that they have no uses for them. Other parents are more adventurous and believe that kids should follow their interests and take GCSEs in subjects outside of the school curriculum if they find them interesting or have possible future uses for them.
RE, ICT, and D&T: Food technology are mainstream GCSEs offered in every state school but they are generally deemed to be soft subjects. Astronomy, Environmental and land-based science, and economics more unusual GCSEs rarely offered by state schools but they are generally deemed to be academic subjects.
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That's great news. Not sure I understand the connection to Mr Gove though.
I'm still trying to figure than one out. It might have something to do with many of his education reforms destined to come to an end. It is quite possible that next year's Y10 will not have EBacc and non-EBacc sets.
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Is anybody's kids taking (or has previously) taken any of the following GCSEs:
Digital Communication
Electronics (not Design and Technology: Electronic products)
Catering
Home Economics
Manufacturing
Engineering
Applied Science
Additional Applied Science
Environmental Science
Environmental and land-based science
Human health and physiology
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Good news. He has been allowed to take higher tier maths and triple science for GCSE. He is also taking French for GCSE but the school sensibly decided to have different sets according to ability each with students from both the EBacc and non-EBacc set. His parents suspect that success could be connected with the resignation of Michael Gove as education secretary.
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There are a certain number of people around who deny that AS is a genuine condition and think that it is all made up and fabricated. Whenever I mention Hans Asperger's papers they make reference to all the bad things that were coming out of Germany at the time - like eugenics - and how the effects of 1940s German ideology still has impact today such as the Frankfurt school. How can I convince such people that AS is for real?
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Is anybody here a Jehovah's Witness with AS themselves or a parent of a child with AS? Do you know any such people? I'm trying to find out how AS squares with the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.
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Have you read Mind/Body Techniques for Asperger's Syndrome by Ron Rubio?
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Sledgehammer once again used to crack a nut
Christopher Wilson, 22, of Mitford Close, Washington, Tyne and Wear, was jailed for refusing to hand over his computer passwords, a move that frustrated an investigation into claims he launched an attack on a police website.
Wilson, who has Asperger's Syndrome, was suspected of "trolling" the Northumbria Police as well as attempting to break into the Serious Organised Crime Agency's website.
Refusal to hand over crypto keys is a violation of section 49 of RIPA, the UK's sometimes controversial wiretapping law.
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I think that if those with an ASD can gain a GCSE in a certain subject, which maybe along their interests, that can only be a good thing as it demonstrates ability.
There are plenty of high ability kids with AS who get good grades in GCSEs and some which have passed exams before Y11.
The point I am trying to make is whether it's worthwhile taking GCSEs in unusual subjects which interest them with the potential of a good grade. My findings are that parent's views are mixed. Some feel that it's better to get good grades in interesting subjects whereas other parents believe in 'try harder' at school subjects.
As an employer myself, we find that young adults often do not have the skills needed to be employable. And i'm not talking ASD either. Just mainstream kids.
What sort of skills in particular?
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Do you think that kids with AS would benefit from GCSEs in unusual subjects that interest them or would it be better if they focused their efforts onto getting good grades in mainstream GCSEs like English and maths?
There has been criticism of Michael Gove by many parents of kids with AS about how he is trying to turn the clock back to the 1950s with its narrow range of subjects and his focus on academics with EBacc and all that. Narrowing the curriculum has the potential to create more disaffection in schools and kids who end up as failures.
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The question refers to DVDs and TV programmes watched outside of school.
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A survey was carried out in primary schools in West Yorkshire a few years ago that revealed:
BBC1 was the only traditional terrestrial channel remaining in the top 10 most popular channels. In 2001 the top 10 most popular channels also included BBC2, ITV1, and Channel 4.
More than one Islamic satellite channel made it into the top 25 and Channel 5 wasn't even in the top 30. This is despite Ofcom not including cultural and religious TV channels in their viewing figures but they do include Channel 5.
YouTube was in the top 10. Internet television was not even recorded in 2001.
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I can understand where you're coming from in terms of the other children having separate interests that coincide better with mainstream television... But unless that's something which the child in question is upset or worried about, I don't really think their development will suffer. There are other interests that children can share common ground with.
I don't think it is a subject that has been well researched. Most of the research into kids and TV viewing might as well have been written 20 years ago in the era of terrestrial analogue channels and fails to effectively account for more recent developments. I have thought that demographics of the school might play a large part. For example, if there are lots of kids of foreign origin they could gravitate towards their cultural satellite channels or DVDs and rarely watch any of the British terrestrial channels.
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If a primary school kid watched DVDs of classic and offbeat cartoons but did not watch broadcast television then is it likely to harm their development? Think of the situation in the school playground where kids discuss television and they talk about DVDs that very few of their classmates have even heard of whilst they haven't watched the TV programmes that 4 out of 5 of their classmates have watched.
Kids television was simple back in the 80s and early 90s but now the situation is more complex with all the satellite channels, DVDs, and YouTube.
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The DWP and 99.999% of the Job Centre staff know nothing about business and self employment so it's a waste of time discussing it with them. This is also why I'm so against the DWP being brought into the situation for self employed people on Working Tax Credits when (or if) it is replaced by Universal Credit.
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This doesn't apply to vegetarians...
Out of interest, would you or your family object to eating halal meat?
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He has been entered in for Bikeability after submitting a rafter of questions about all aspects of the course and test. He can use a BMX providing it has a front and a rear brake. Instructors are used to dealing with kids of varying abilities including those less experienced at riding bikes. The bikes are all inspected for roadworthyness beforehand and tuned up. They only fail if parts are missing or broken. Everything is now on a lets see how it goes approach. The parents say that it's far from a life and death situation so it doesn't matter if he fails the test.
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It depends on the individual and is a function of several variables. As bed32 has stated, the style of the teaching and learning plays a large part. I think the problem is that this year the French course is very oral and based around social situations which the student finds difficult to handle. A course that is more grammatical would be more in tune with the student's way of thinking. He is interested in foreign languages and has learned a bit of Russian and Japanese outside of school. The deputy head knows this but it means diddly squat to him.
The parents have written to the school governors about the matter and are awaiting the reply.
What has the NAS achieved?
in General Discussion
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That is very wishful thinking. The NAS chases public money and there is next to nothing available for people with higher functioning ASD compared with that available for residential care services for people with low functioning autism or kids that are material for the NAS special schools.
Only if the public money is completely halted by the government do reformers have a chance to get their foot in the door. Otherwise they are wasting their time.