.

I do wonder to what extent motivation and time management are undermined by the way people on the autistic spectrum are supported in schools. What you describe isn't unusual in NT kids, but they have more collective distractions that the AS kid is generally not part of. But I think the way young people on the spectrum are approached is also damaging to motivation.

A common problem at university level is the individual who doesn't want to disclose his/her AS status, even though that denies them access to support. They are often over-saturated with being special needs, and fed up with the platitudes of some support systems, especially the number of do gooders who seem to be convinced Thinking in Pictures therapy is useful to over-16s who are able to pass exams.

TEACCH underpins a lot of thinking. It is supposed to involve parent collaboration and is supposed to employ "generalists who understand the whole child, and do not specialize as psychologists, speech therapists etc" (a long standing NAS notion). Does anyone ever see this in practice? It might have been OK in the 1980s but why is it still floating around today, given we know so much more?

Most young people on the spectrum have been subjected to systems for their benefit and improvement, which really aren't what they are cracked up to be. A lot of these systems are more for the benefit of special needs educators. 

I do think may young people on the spectrum get over-dosed with this sort of thinking and it undermines self confidence and motivation. Shutting it out with headphones seems to me perfectly understandable.

I do wonder to what extent motivation and time management are undermined by the way people on the autistic spectrum are supported in schools. What you describe isn't unusual in NT kids, but they have more collective distractions that the AS kid is generally not part of. But I think the way young people on the spectrum are approached is also damaging to motivation.

A common problem at university level is the individual who doesn't want to disclose his/her AS status, even though that denies them access to support. They are often over-saturated with being special needs, and fed up with the platitudes of some support systems, especially the number of do gooders who seem to be convinced Thinking in Pictures therapy is useful to over-16s who are able to pass exams.

TEACCH underpins a lot of thinking. It is supposed to involve parent collaboration and is supposed to employ "generalists who understand the whole child, and do not specialize as psychologists, speech therapists etc" (a long standing NAS notion). Does anyone ever see this in practice? It might have been OK in the 1980s but why is it still floating around today, given we know so much more?

Most young people on the spectrum have been subjected to systems for their benefit and improvement, which really aren't what they are cracked up to be. A lot of these systems are more for the benefit of special needs educators. 

I do think may young people on the spectrum get over-dosed with this sort of thinking and it undermines self confidence and motivation. Shutting it out with headphones seems to me perfectly understandable.