It's not what you do; it's the way that you question: that's what gets results

Abstract

Many professionals and carers who support people with the label of autism look to lecturers and ‘trainers’ in autism to provide the answers on how to ‘manage’ the ‘condition’. This article describes how two lecturers in autism respond to this challenge by encouraging their students to focus on questions rather than answers. It is argued here that it is through the process of reflective thinking that people will find the most appropriate solutions to the issues that concern them. The article identifies some of the key questions that can support the reflective process and illustrates the applicability of these, beyond the limitations of labels, to every relationship between educator and learner.

Managing risk in complex adult professional learning: the facilitator’s role

“…From a practical perspective this might be interpreted and implemented through critical questioning, as a process for resolving learning dissonance, and the use of critical incidents as foci for discussion, possibly supported by the use of reflective journals (Williams, 2001;Hodge and Chandler, 2010). However, as Day (1993) suggested it seems that opportunities for reflection and being asked to reflect may not always lead to the critical reflection at the necessary level and depth for change to occur, suggesting that there is something within the role of the facilitator that enables some to manage this process effectively and for deep learning (Biggs, 1999) to occur.…”

How do we create ASD‐friendly schools? A dilemma of placement

“…Likewise guideline seven, providing ‘options for recruiting interests’ (Rose et al ., , p. 484), is applicable to all children (Hodge and Chantler, ), but ensuring the curriculum links into the special interest of an autistic child makes new and prerequisite information, or skills, easier to access (Rose et al ., ). Highly flexible strategies, materials and goals (Rose et al ., ) improve the ASD‐friendliness and inclusivity of mainstream schools by reducing learning barriers.…”

“…Ho (, p. 89) discusses the need to recognise, and not ignore, that by labelling we are ‘pathologising difference’ and positing SEN as synonymous with inferiority. Labels are often based on what someone is unable to do and facilitate educators in ascribing any difficulties in learning to the learner (Hodge and Chantler, ). Hart (1996) and Lewis and Norwich () have concerns over individualised categorisation and labelling, particularly where conceptions of fixed ability (Hart and Drummond, ) and unjustifiable education exclusion result (Rioux, ).…”

Exploring the impact of a developing sexuality on adolescents with autism

“…However, it is likely that they [the people known to the subjects] would be a much better informed and 189 much more practised interpreter (Hodge and Chantler 2010), and will provide a more reliable interpretation of the communicative acts of the boys within the target group.…”

“…I accept that the interpretations of the subject's behaviour given by parents and staff might differ significantly from the student's actual perspective and I am not suggesting that parents and staff will always be an accurate voice of the student participants. However, it is likely that they would 265 be a much better informed and much more practised interpreter (Hodge et al 2010), and will provide a more reliable interpretation of the communicative acts of the boys within the target group.…”