Lorna Selfe

Originally published in 1989. This book is designed as an introduction to the field of special education for all those students and professionals – teachers, social workers, psychologists, medical officers, nurses, speech therapists and others – who encounter children with special needs. The authors first discuss current legislation in its historical context and draw attention to the major issues and controversies. They go on to analyse a variety of learning difficulties. Physical and sensory disabilities, emotional and behavioural problems, may all give rise to special educational needs. The book then considers how children’s special needs may be met in terms of curriculum, resources and provisions. It concludes with some prognostications and a critical review of current practice.

This book re-examines the case of Nadia, discovered as a child aged six, who had been drawing with phenomenal skill and visual realism from the age of three, despite having autism and severe learning difficulties. The original research was published in 1977 and caused great international interest. Nadia Revisited updates her story and reconsiders the theories that endeavour to explain her extraordinary talent.As well as summarising the central issues from the original case study and presenting her remarkable drawings, the book explains Nadia’s subsequent development and present situation in light of the recent research on autistic spectrum disorders and representational drawing in children. The book also considers the phenomenon of savant syndrome: the condition in which those with autism or other learning disabilities have areas of unusual talent that contrast dramatically with their general functioning.Lorna Selfe uses this single case study to discuss theories of developmental psychology and considers the possible links between prodigious talent and underlying neurological dysfunction. The book is especially valuable for students and teachers of developmental psychology and neuropsychology, education and special education, as well as art and art education. Parents of autistic children or those with related disorders, learning difficulties or special needs will also be interested in the discussions presented in this book.

Originally published in 1989. This book is designed as an introduction to the field of special education for all those students and professionals – teachers, social workers, psychologists, medical officers, nurses, speech therapists and others – who encounter children with special needs. The authors first discuss current legislation in its historical context and draw attention to the major issues and controversies. They go on to analyse a variety of learning difficulties. Physical and sensory disabilities, emotional and behavioural problems, may all give rise to special educational needs. The book then considers how children’s special needs may be met in terms of curriculum, resources and provisions. It concludes with some prognostications and a critical review of current practice.

This book re-examines the case of Nadia, discovered as a child aged six, who had been drawing with phenomenal skill and visual realism from the age of three, despite having autism and severe learning difficulties. The original research was published in 1977 and caused great international interest. Nadia Revisited updates her story and reconsiders the theories that endeavour to explain her extraordinary talent.As well as summarising the central issues from the original case study and presenting her remarkable drawings, the book explains Nadia’s subsequent development and present situation in light of the recent research on autistic spectrum disorders and representational drawing in children. The book also considers the phenomenon of savant syndrome: the condition in which those with autism or other learning disabilities have areas of unusual talent that contrast dramatically with their general functioning.Lorna Selfe uses this single case study to discuss theories of developmental psychology and considers the possible links between prodigious talent and underlying neurological dysfunction. The book is especially valuable for students and teachers of developmental psychology and neuropsychology, education and special education, as well as art and art education. Parents of autistic children or those with related disorders, learning difficulties or special needs will also be interested in the discussions presented in this book.