AUTISM DOES NOT PREVENT SUCCESS, DON'T LET THE EDUCATION SYSTEM DO IT.

There are many personalities who throughout history and suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have achieved absolute success in different fields. Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist and one of the most influential scientists in the world; Greta Thunberg, climate activist and youth rights advocate; Satoshi Tajiri, creator of the Pokémon video game franchise; Anthony Hopkins, Oscar and Golden Globe winning actor and Tim Burton, film director known for films such as Beetlejuice, Barman or Edward Scissorhands, are just a few examples.

So what is autism? Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects one in every 160 births worldwide according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019. The studies published that same year by Autism Europe and shared by Autism Spain, show a prevalence of approximately 1 case for every 100 births; that is to say, 1% of the population could present ASD, which would imply that only in Spain there could be more than 450.000 cases.

However, in spite of the commonness of this disorder, there are not few challenges that autistic people have had to face in the traditional educational system:

the challenges that autistic people have faced in the mainstream education system

Social difficulties

Autistic individuals may have difficulties in understanding and participating in social interactions, which may negatively affect their integration and relationship building in the educational environment.

Communication difficulties

Verbal and non-verbal, which hampers their ability to express their thoughts and feelings, and to understand instructions and social interactions in the classroom.

Sensitivity Difficulties

Autistic individuals may be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to sensory stimuli such as light, sound and touch, which can make the traditional school environment overwhelming.

Scheduling difficulties

Autistic people can benefit from structure and routine, but the traditional education system is often unpredictable and constantly changing, which can be a major challenge for them.

Learning difficulties

Autistic people may find it difficult to learn in a traditional learning environment, as this system often focuses on auditory and visual learning. Autistic people may learn best through hands-on experiences and independent exploration.

Despite experiencing some of the difficulties encountered in the traditional educational system, many people with autistic disorder have also demonstrated exceptional talents and abilities in a variety of fields, including science, art and entertainment. These special abilities are more common in autism than in other groups; studies, reports and psychometric tests have even shown that one third of autistic people show superior abilities to the rest of the population, largely due to their unique way of processing information and experiencing the world. Some of these talents and abilities that may be more common in autistic people include:

Our directors take care to create a tailor-made plan for students with special needs.

“History has shown that having autism does not mean that a person cannot succeed in life,” said Dr. John Smith, neurologist and director of the Autism Research Center at Columbia University. “In fact, many people with autism have unique skills and talents that can be an asset in certain fields. The key is to recognise and support these abilities rather than focusing solely on the challenges presented by autism.” And today we know that the education system is key to the development of special talents and skills in people with ASD. This is where the success of the LMI College system lies and, thanks to its high capacity to adapt to the special needs of students with autism, it is able to provide them with the support they need in and out of the classroom.

At LMI College we know how important it is to take into account the individual needs of pupils with autism and that is why we have adapted the environment and our teaching practices to suit them:

We have created a calm and structured environment for students with autism by minimising unnecessary noise and distractions in the classroom, and by establishing a clear and predictable routine in their daily lives.

As supplementary study materials, students with autism are provided with visual aids such as diagrams, graphs and photographs in each subject to help them better understand the information and instructions.

Use of hands-on learning. It has been shown that autistic people can learn best through hands-on experiences and independent exploration, so LMI College has chosen to offer them that opportunity to explore and discover for themselves.

Clear communication is a basic aspect of dealing with students with ASD, so at LMI College we are clear and specific when giving instructions to our students. We also know the importance of being patient and giving them time to process information and respond.

The teaching of social and emotional skills is key at LMI College. In addition, students with autism receive specialised emotional support and the school provides them with a unique opportunity to develop their social skills in a safe environment.

Parents and caregivers of autistic persons can provide valuable information about each student’s individual needs and strengths, and their collaboration with LMI College specialists is essential to ensure that their personal needs are met.

While each person with autism is unique and faces individual challenges, we at LMI College know that autism does not define a person and should not be an obstacle to success in any field. In addition, we offer a specialised curriculum for these students based on individualised planning and psychological and emotional support.

Many people with autism have unique skills and talents that can be an asset. The key to their success lies in recognising and supporting these abilities in the educational environment.