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Offer a model for meaningful and productive exchanges of thoughts, ideas, and emotions that honor the gifts of neurodivergent young people.

Synopsis

The Tangram Method is an innovative approach inspired by the ancient puzzle and shaped by the voices of neurodivergent young people. This transformative book offers a practical framework for meaningful conversations that unlock deeper understanding, raise self-awareness and encourage unmasking autism.

Through engaging stories and practical insights, you will discover the seven key principles that form the foundation of the Tangram Method, each represented by a unique character inspired by a real neurodivergent young person.

This book is for:
* Educators, therapists, and social workers working with young people across various settings.
* Parents and caregivers seeking to better understand and support their children.
* Anyone passionate about neurodiversity awareness.

Young people who are neurodivergent navigate the world with an awareness of the limitations and challenges posed by neurotypical norms. Caregivers, educators, and other professionals working with neurodivergent children and young adults can enhance their communication approaches by understanding Hilra Gondim Vinha’s research and practices on “The Tangram Method.” The author has worked extensively with young people on the autism spectrum for many years. Her research explored how learners in mainstream educational settings serve people with a learning disability. In the book, she explains the seven components of an inclusive communication model: talking, analyzing, normalizing, growing, reconciling, accepting, and moving on. Vinha demonstrates the model through “encounters” or short case studies of discussions and interactions with several fictional characters. Readers get a sense of how and why the method works to draw out meaningful and productive exchanges of thoughts, ideas, and emotions that honor the diverse gifts of people with a neurodivergent label, inspiring hope for more effective communication.


The book emphasizes recognizing and celebrating neurodiversity, advocating for an inclusive society where differences are normalized and valued. For young people on the autism spectrum, the book encourages them to see their differences as strengths rather than deficits. ​In addition, the book provides practical frameworks and strategies for meaningful conversations, using tools like the Tangram puzzle and neurodiversity cards to support self-reflection and growth. ​


As a diversity researcher and practitioner, I am interested in learning more about the experiences of people on the autism spectrum. In my work, I have observed workplaces becoming more intentional about disability inclusion. Thus, it is important for hiring managers and diversity leaders to understand how best to create inclusive spaces for people with all abilities. Although the book is based on Vinha’s research works, the author presents her findings in an approachable and conversational tone. Vinha offers her early personal experiences growing up with her brother Jose, who was neurodivergent. While the accounts are fictionalized, the real-life stories of neurodivergent individuals illustrate the application of “The Tangram Method” and the positive impact of these conversations on their lives. ​


Reviewed by

I curate the "Colors of Influence" book blog featuring works by authors of color on racial identity, decoloniality & social justice. I also engage in works of poetry, spiritual awakening, business, psychology, magical realism, history, natural science & cultural anthropology. Everything Zen.

Synopsis

The Tangram Method is an innovative approach inspired by the ancient puzzle and shaped by the voices of neurodivergent young people. This transformative book offers a practical framework for meaningful conversations that unlock deeper understanding, raise self-awareness and encourage unmasking autism.

Through engaging stories and practical insights, you will discover the seven key principles that form the foundation of the Tangram Method, each represented by a unique character inspired by a real neurodivergent young person.

This book is for:
* Educators, therapists, and social workers working with young people across various settings.
* Parents and caregivers seeking to better understand and support their children.
* Anyone passionate about neurodiversity awareness.

The research

..



My research was about how learners in mainstream settings represent people with a learning disability, in comparison to those in special schools. To capture their views, I used pictures of body parts created especially for the study, which the participants used to build self-portraits and portraits of people they knew. They produced an intriguing collection of images showing how they perceived people with a learning disability.

From my conversations with these young people, I wrote a fictionalised story and included it in my thesis. I created fictional characters based on the participants; and I used the transcripts from interviews to build the narrative. I used their portraits combined with their verbal and nonverbal cues to create two short graphic episodes inside the story. Next, I introduce the young people who inspired the story. I gave them nicknames to protect their identity. Immediately after introducing the participants, I share the fictionalised episode, Encounters, which is an abridged extract from my thesis.

The young people behind the fictional characters

Carl

he/him/his

Carl was fourteen and attended a special school when I met him. He was autistic and described himself as an artist. Carl told me he did not like copying anyone’s creations, preferring to produce his own. All pictures that Carl created of himself with the paper body parts had only a head and legs. However, when picturing other people, Carl included other body parts.

Lynne

she/her/hers

Lynne was also fourteen and was Carl’s best friend. They attended the same special school. Lynne was not autistic and had speech, language and communication difficulties, yet she was talkative.

Lynne was always accompanied by her teaching assistant Mrs Bell. Mrs Bell constantly interrupted Lynne to correct her posture, the placement of her hands or what she was saying. Fortunately, on the occasions that Mrs Bell left the room for a brief period, Lynne would make the most of the time and speak freely. All of Lynne’s self-portraits had separated parts (except the ones Mrs Bell ‘corrected’). Even when asked to hand draw herself, Lynne drew a body with disconnected parts. Only when picturing other people did Lynne join the body parts together.

Alicia

she/her/hers

Alicia was autistic and was thirteen at the time. She attended a mainstream school, while her younger sister who was also autistic attended a special school. I interviewed both sisters and their mother. The younger sister did not engage much in the interviews, only saying she wanted to have friends, but the other children were unkind to her. Alicia in contrast, spoke profusely about school and her pictures were realistic.

Jay

she/her/hers

Jay represents a child with Down syndrome who attended the same special school as Alicia’s sister; she visited the family during one of my interviews. Jay was not part of the study but I created a character to represent Jay because of the disturbing names the younger sister called her.

A glimpse of the fictionalised story

Encounters is a shortened version of that fictionalised story. Through the narrative I told the stories of what those young people shared in the interviews and included some interactions I had with the adults working with them, such as Lynne’s teaching assistant. The fictionalised device allowed me to bring to light some of my feelings, impressions and thought processes, which in a formal research report are typically expected to be left out. The fictionalised story also permitted me to keep the tradition of including my brother. He appears as the visitor to whom I introduce my fictional neighbours (the young people in my research) and I also share some of the emotions that emerged from my conversations with them.






























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About the author

My career has been profoundly shaped by personal experiences and a deep commitment to inclusion. Growing up with my brother, who has a complex intellectual disability, I value neurodiversity. The book tells the story of the method and how to employ it with neurodivergent young people. view profile

Published on September 26, 2024

30000 words

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Genre:Education & Reference

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