This qualitative research exploration uses interpretative phenomenological analysis of case studies to investigate the diversity and congruity of the lived experiences of families sharing education between home and school for children with autism. Using semi-structured interview and follow-up questionnaire it examines the perspectives of five mothers, and includes further input from wider family members and professionals.

Of Mice and Men remains a staple text in schools in both the United States and United Kingdom, where both neuro-typical and disabled pupils encounter it. The character of Lennie has learning difficulties and also-as identified by some researchers-exhibits many characteristics of autism. Although the novella is hailed as a modern classic, there are aspects in Steinbeck's portrayal of Lennie as un-human, 'othered' from the other characters in the book and demonised as animal-like that merit challenge if they are to be encountered in the modern classroom. This study asks, 'If Lennie is a monster, what does that mean for pupils' understanding of autism and intellectual disability both inside and outside the classroom?' It considers the portrayal of Lennie from within its origins in the Eugenics movement of the 1930s, the effect of reader sympathies with George in the final action of the book and the moral effect of the 'Briseño' factor, used in Texas to decide on a prisoner's suitability to face the death penalty. The importance of teachers' awareness of disability issues and language when teaching texts of this kind and of the positioning of texts within the disability awareness curriculum is discussed.

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There has, to date, been little discussion of how autism may affect the experience of the reading of fiction for pupils in the classroom, other than through a deficit model. One of the researchers in this study ("Celia") is training to be a secondary school English teacher and identifies as autistic. Her experience provides an enriched understanding of the subject and enables the study to be undertaken in line with best practice for autism research. Her experiences are explored within the concepts of Theory of Mind, empathic regulation, language awareness and local rather than global processing bias. Impact on managing authentic engagement with texts for all pupils is discussed, together with specific questions for teachers regarding appropriate support for-and celebration ofautistic pupils' reactions to fiction.

This pilot study explores the use of an arts-based design to record the experience of a Shared Reading workshop. There is considerable evidence of the effectiveness of Shared Reading as a support for well-being across a wide range of situations and settings, and studies have suggested that this literature-based intervention may have the potential to support both thinking and feeling. However, describing the personal and emotional responses that provoke the impact of Shared Reading is a challenge. The capture of the discussion occurring during this pilot workshop is made visual using both words and pictures, and this ‘capture’ is then synthesized and an evocation is created using the medium of film. This article discusses the process and the effectiveness of this arts-based approach as evidenced during data collection, in interpretation and again in dissemination, and implications for further use of this methodology are explored.