West Pembroke marks World Autism Month
Primary school pupils created an art project as part of a bid to embrace their differences.
Schoolchildren at West Pembroke Primary School created colourful puzzle pieces as part of a project for World Autism Month, which was held in April.
Zola French-Ray, the teacher of the school’s Autism Spectrum Disorder class, spearheaded the project.
She said: “No matter our size, colour, shape, likes or dislikes, or learning style, we all fit together.”
Ms French-Ray said that all pupils at the school — including the eight pupils in the ASD class — took part in the project with the help of ASD class teaching assistants Brittany Cox, Donna Govia and Oneka Trott.
Ms French-Ray said that it was “essential” for pupils in the ASD class to be part of all the activities at the Pembroke school.
She added: “The exposure develops social, expressive, and receptive language skills and fosters their innate desire to simply be a child.”
Ms French-Ray said that many pupils in the ASD class also spend time in regular classes among pupils their own age.
She added: “Our students with autism are embraced by their peers in the mainstream classes as a result of their constant and consistent interactions.”