Episode 32: Where are the GLPs in Autism Literacy Research

Today’s podcast criticises two research papers, Chiang & Lin (2007) and Nguyen, Balsamo, & Garnett (2024), for neglecting to address the reading comprehension needs of autistic students who process language holistically, known as Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs). I argue that these papers, despite claiming to be comprehensive, fail to acknowledge the existence and research on GLPs, which constitute a significant portion of the autistic population. They perpetuate ineffective strategies for teaching reading comprehension that only cater to analytical learners, potentially harming the educational experiences of autistic students. I call for a more inclusive approach to autism research that recognises the diversity of autistic learners and incorporates strategies specifically designed to support GLPs.

Here’s the source material: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/reading-comprehension-for-autistics

Let me know what you think.