Resources+specifically+for+Teachers

Resources only for teachers and not for use with students

=TIM= Want to read a good book? Or prefer to watch a movie? Either way, give“Tim” a go. Tim, the novel, was Colleen McCullough's first novel, written in 1974. It was then made into a movie in 1979, starring a young, gorgeous Mel Gibson and the lovely American actress Piper Laurie plays Mary, an unmarried businesswoman (oops, that’s two examples of discriminatory language in a row!).

Tim has an intellectual disability, and the story depicts his life in a working class family, and his struggle to be accepted by society. That said, Tim is surrounded by the love of his family, who watch with concern as he develops a friendship with an older woman. This friendship develops into love and the story explores the issues surrounding this relationship from many perspectives. Tim’s parents raised him to be a part of mainstream society, yet his family’s to let him go is a wonderful study of relationships. Both book and film also explore Tim’s emotions and the battle he has to be allowed to make life-changing decisions for himself. The story also looks at Mary and the internal struggle she faces as she falls in love, as well as the reactions from friends and associates.

Although it can seem a bit dated, and becomes a little too sentimental at times, there is no doubt that the story is one worth watching as we study RINE. Hopefully, all of the students we will teach will become adults, and this story gives an insight into some of the scenarios and relationship issues they may face. Both book and the movie can be found from time to time on ebay, and the movie is available to buy from online dvd stores. The movie is PG, but does contain adult themes, so not for the littlies. Great for a rainy Sunday afternoon. I have a copy of the book if anyone wants to borrow it (but not before I read it again!) .

=WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE= This is a wonderful movie. It stars Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and Juliette Lewis. Fabulous actors starring in an emotional and thought provoking movie. The movie is made in 1993, and yes, it's a very young Leonardo and Johnny. I am reading the blurb from the back cover and it states "Gilbert Grape (Johnny) is a young man trapped in an eccentric family in a small town. He works hard to care for a developmentally disabled teenage brother, Arnie (played brilliantly by Leonardo)". And oops, the referencing to 'developmentally disabled teenage brother' has been noted! The story revolves around Gilbert and Arnie and the bond and affection they have for one another. It also demonstrates how having a teenager who is developmentally challenged, operates and performs within the context of a family. Juliette's role is that of a 'nice new girl' who arrives in town and rescues Gilbert.

The movie is rated PG.



=A FRIEND LIKE HENRY by Nuala Gardner=

This non-fiction book is the story of a family in Scotland who desperately want to get support for their children, Dale and Amy - two siblings with autism. It is a remarkable tale of how a chance purchase of a dog called Henry enabled Dale to begin to communicate and opened up his world. Henry allows Dale to reveals his thoughts and the way he views the world, giving a wonderful insight into the confusion of everyday life to a child with autism. It also shows the battle the parents had in getting their children's autism recognised in a time when it was considered rare and any help was hard to find. It is a story of a family struggle with lots of emotional ups and downs and a really good read. Check out the link on Youtube - "A Friend Like Henry" and hear their story. There is also a movie version called "After Thomas" - I haven't seen it but if it's anything like the book it would be well worth reading.



=**Adam (2009) PG**=



The movie Adam follows the story of a man with Asperger’s, who works as a toy designer. His life is set off balance however when he meets a new tenet in his building, a young woman named Beth who finds Adam’s quirky behaviour somewhat appealing.

While this movie is essentially a romantic comedy the detail and effort put into portraying Asperger’s syndrome is not wasted, and a keen observer can learn a lot about how someone with this syndrome interacts with others.

Highlighted is how Adam communicates. He is often pedantic with his language, taking words for face value rather than inferring the meaning many of us might pick up on. For example at one point Beth is asking to borrow the key to the laundry room, only she words her question “Do you have a key?” to which Adam simply answers, “Yes.” Before trying to walk off. The inferred meaning being delivered through tone, body language, and social circumstances are completely lost on Adam. Another aspect to watch for is how Adam’s interactions are coloured by his condition. He often has a single minded focus for his passions to the point of them becoming unpractical for his work, and is unable to fathom the concept of a ‘white lie’ as regardless of how innocent the lie is, there is still his concept of a broken trust, and can result in catastrophic meltdowns.

The movie has been acclaimed by those with Asperger’s syndrome as being one of the most realistic and down to earth portrayals of the condition, often remarking on how the movie appears to reflect their own life.

TV Movie - 90 Minutes Written by Mark Haddon
 * Coming Down the Mountain (2007) **

Coming Down the Mountain could be described as England’s version of the Australian movie “The Black Balloon”. The story is about two brothers, one with a disability, one without and their relationship.

A teenage boy, Ben, with a lot of teenage angst, has a brother with downs syndrome, David. Ben is angry at his patents and his brother, because he has been forced to move from London, his friend’s and more importantly his girlfriend, to a small country town called Derbyshire. This move is all for David, so that he can attend a special school.

This movie is suitable for students in year 10+. These teenage boys are dealing with teenage issues.

I would use this movie to bridge the gap between students with additional needs and those without. It would enable students to see both sides of disability coin. No only how it affects the student with the disability but also the whole family that they come from. It would be great to use as a precursor to establishing a “buddy” system in the school.

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Documentary Running time: 77 minutes This inspiring documentary looks into the medical, emotional and personal aspects of dyslexia. It explores the misunderstanding the general population have in regard to learning difficulties and gives an insight as to what it is like to grow up with dyslexia. It contains interiews with leading doctors who give hope with research into future technology and successful adults who have lived their lives with dyslexia and have eventually seen it as something of a unique gift. I think this movie would be useful for teachers to watch, especially if they have any students with dyslexia, or in the later grades of high-school as a way for students to empathise and be inspired. More information can be found at []. The producers of this documentary, Alan and Susan Raymond, have also released many others; such as, "Hard Times at Douglass High: A No Child Left Behind Report Card" and "I Am A Promise: The Children of Stanton Elelmentary School".
 * Journey Into Dyslexia**

References:

HBO. (2011). //Documentaries: Journey Into Dyslexia//. Retrieved from []