Neurodiversity: Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Brain Differences »

Thomas Armstrong, PhD, is an award-winning author and speaker who has written fourteen books, including 7 Kinds of Smart. Dr. Armstrong has also written for many publications and appeared on television and radio programs, including The Today Show and CNN. He lives in northern California.

Bestselling author Thomas Armstrong reframes the debate about neurodiversity, offering current research on brain differences while pinpointing the gifts of people with neuropsychological disorders.

Publishers Weekly

Armstrong (7 Kinds of Smart), an educational consultant turned author, argues that there is no “normal” brain or “normal” mental capability and that we are making a serious mistake in assuming that the kinds of differences we see in people with conditions like autism or dyslexia involve only deficits. People with these conditions also have strengths, he emphasizes, and by focusing on these, rather than on the “labels,” we can find the modes of learning and living that can help them thrive. Focusing primarily on seven “labels” (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities, and schizophrenia), He offers some good teaching tips. Yet while claiming not to romanticize, say, depression, his conclusions fall too close, as when he writes, “in some mood disorders, there may be a silver lining,” citing how Jung and Beethoven found creativity in the depths of their depression. In equating anecdote with pattern, he strains credibility. Armstrong is strongest in emphasizing that a broader understanding of neurodiversity will generate more respect and better results for people with the conditions he discusses. (June)

Preface vii

1 Neurodiversity: A Concept Whose Time Has Come 1

2 The Joy of the Hyperactive Brain 27

3 The Positive Side of Being Autistic 53

4 A Different Kind of Learner 75

5 The Gift of Mood 95

6 The Advantages of Anxiety 115

7 The Rainbow of Intelligences 137

8 Thinking in a Different Key 159

9 Neurodiversity in the Classroom 181

10 The Future of Neurodiversity 203

Resources 221

Notes 235

Index 257