Autistic genius novelist woos the literary world with novel composed using "Facilitated Communication"

[catsmate]

Right so the High School, Community College, UCLA and Columbia are unable to spot the deluded pushy Mom with a no-hope kid. Got it.

Strawman. As usual from you.

 

[catsmate]

As I said before and as I'll patiently say it again - and you can even look up the essay by a psychologist as referenced in Helen's own wiki extract (which indicates to me she has not read her own references) in which it CLEARLY refers to unethical usage in non-speaking severe learning difficulty (please NOTA BENE!) the example given a man with cerebral palsy who was tricked by that method: he had severe learning difficulty . Woody does not. He is severely disabled, yes, but he has no learning problem and as surely assessed by his school and clinical physicians.

Suppose someone is completely paralysed, can't talk but is perfectly capable of intellectually stimulating activity such as reading, learning, foreign language learning, school certificate, etc., are you seriously suggesting no-one should be allowed to help facilitate communication for them? What about a blind person using Braille?

Being seriously disabled does not automatically equate to being intellectually incapable.

More silly strawmannery.

 

[catsmate]

Ok. So you see a sign language person conversing with a profoundly deaf person. You can't believe it so you are going to drag these two aside and perform your degrading tricks on them just because you can't believe it's possible?

Oh look, yet another strawman.

 

[Vixen]

Well, fraud is a strong word, when it is most probable that the mother is simply delusional. It reminds me of homoeopathy where most of the practitioners really believes in the beneficial effects. And we also claim that homoeopathy never works, even though, according to you, we ought to examine each and every case to see if it works this time!

When it comes to young children why would any teacher worth their salt enforce topics on a kid that has no hope of learning, let alone understanding. I think we should give Woody the benefit of a doubt instead of relying on a wiki extract based on people with severe LEARNING difficulties.

 

[Helen]

Citation please he doesn't communicate with anyone else? I saw a Jenna Book Club clip in which Woody is clearly listening to Jenna and absorbing what she says.

So now you are an expert, after having watched a clip where he "clearly listens and absorbs"? How did you make that assessment?

He only communicates with his mother, that is clearly stated in the Grauniad article.

‘I was in the pit of despair’: Non-speaking autistic novelist Woody Brown on his journey from write-off to writer

As a child, Brown was underestimated, infantilised and dismissed by specialists and teachers. Now 28, he has written an acclaimed debut novel set in an adult day care centre that gives people like him a voice

www.theguardian.com

 

[catsmate]

Citation please he doesn't communicate with anyone else? I saw a Jenna Book Club clip in which Woody is clearly listening to Jenna and absorbing what she says.

Was he communicating with her?

 

[Helen]

Was he communicating with her?

No. But he was "clearly listening and absorbing", according to Vixen, who is an expert on absorbing and listening, I guess.

 

[Jack by the hedge]

His High School teacher reportedly is so proud of Woody, he asked to keep Woody's High School paper.

a) Reported by whom?
b) Who wrote everything that's on that paper?

 

[Jack by the hedge]

Ok. So you see a sign language person conversing with a profoundly deaf person. You can't believe it so you are going to drag these two aside and perform your degrading tricks on them just because you can't believe it's possible?

Why do you write garbage like this? Is it just to deliberately wind people up?

 

[Jack by the hedge]

When it comes to young children why would any teacher worth their salt enforce topics on a kid that has no hope of learning, let alone understanding. I think we should give Woody the benefit of a doubt instead of relying on a wiki extract based on people with severe LEARNING difficulties.

You really seem to be incapable of grasping and responding to what anyone else is actually saying.

 

[Helen]

From the Grauniad;

"There are three computer screens on a mobile cart, and he’s playing or watching each one as we chat – one shows his favourite cartoon, Thomas the Tank Engine, on the second he plays Angry Birds and on the third there are videos of old-school steam locomotives."

He plays Angry Birds, so there is nothing that indicates that he could not be taught to use AAC, which would allow him to communicate with others. This is tragic.

 

[Jack by the hedge]

Reporter: "Hello Woody. I liked your book."
Woody signs: "There is no mode of action, no form of emotion, that we do not share with the lower animals. It is only by language that we rise above them, or above each other—by language, which is the parent, and not the child, of thought. - Oscar Wilde"
Mom: "Woody says he's happy and he likes your red tie."

 

[steenkh]

When it comes to young children why would any teacher worth their salt enforce topics on a kid that has no hope of learning, let alone understanding. I think we should give Woody the benefit of a doubt instead of relying on a wiki extract based on people with severe LEARNING difficulties.

Were you replying to somebody else’s post?

 

[Helen]

Were you replying to somebody else’s post?

And possibly on another forum?

 

[Darat]

I am impressed that you can assess a person's capability by a short clip. Has it occurred to you those clips were deliberately highlighted by the producers to tease the viewer?

Makes no difference - we can see and hear the "communication" - she does not transcribe what he points at, whatever is being communicated does not come from him.

 

[Darat]

Right so the High School, Community College, UCLA and Columbia are unable to spot the deluded pushy Mom with a no-hope kid. Got it.

Yes - they are as I mentioned just like you, critical thinking is hard so don't be too concerned that it is beyond you.

 

[Darat]

From the Grauniad;

"There are three computer screens on a mobile cart, and he’s playing or watching each one as we chat – one shows his favourite cartoon, Thomas the Tank Engine, on the second he plays Angry Birds and on the third there are videos of old-school steam locomotives."

He plays Angry Birds, so there is nothing that indicates that he could not be taught to use AAC, which would allow him to communicate with others. This is tragic.

Yes it is. He'll never be allowed to develop the skills he is capable of, he'll never be allowed to communicate with anyone as long as his mother persists in believing or scamming everyone with her "transcription" of what she thinks he would point out on her letterboard, he'll never have a voice of his own.

 

[Darat]

And possibly on another forum?

Planet?

 

[Matthew Best]

I'm still waiting to hear if Woody's mum speaks all the languages that he supposedly speaks. If he speaks a language that she doesn't, that would be impressive, don't you think, Vixen?

 

[gabeygoat]

It seems like it would be ethical, if she was actually facilitating communication for him, to teach others how to do it. Maybe he'd like to have a private conversation without his mum being around. Or, maybe she passes away before him, and he is again unable to ever communicate again. Plus, if successfuly taught to others, it would be evidence of it actually working.
Also, if successfuly taught to others, it can be used in other cases with other people who may be want to communicate.

I read up a little on AAC as I had no idea what it was. Looks like a very interseting field.