Thomas Armstrong To Lecture in Brazil

This next week I travel to Brazil to present at two conferences, one in Sao Paulo (May 19), and one in Sao Luis (May 26).  I’ll be speaking about ADHD and neurodiversity.  For my ADHD presentation, I’ll be lecturing on the growing medicalization of our schools, where children are routinely medicated for not fitting into the “worksheet wasteland” in our classrooms.  I’ll also be talking about neurodiversity, a concept that emerged from the autism community in the late 1990′s, which suggests that people with psychiatric labels be seen as “different” not “disabled.”  Neurodiversity provides a way of talking about the strengths of people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other brain differences.  People with autism, for example, have enhanced perceptual functioning.  They’re great at focusing on details, not the big picture.  They’re systematizers not empathizers.  Taking this perspective allows us to generate new solutions to help them achieve their full potential.   If you’d like more information about the lectures I’ll be giving, click here.   When I get back, I’ll share my experience of visiting Brazil!