Lyfta Time #59: Arlo in the UK

Teacher notes

This lesson introduces a 13-year-old London teen called Imogen in this film. **Please note: since the film was made, Imogen is now a non-binary young person aged 15; uses the pronouns they/them and the name Arlo.** You may want to explore these details with your learners before sharing the Lyfta Time lesson. Arlo is autistic. Their film explores how they struggled at school and was excluded. Arlo uses cosplay as a coping mechanism, creating their own characters and designing and making costumes. **In the film, Arlo discusses sensory overloads and feeling insecure. In one section at the beginning of the film, they jab the table with scissors when feeling overwhelmed; a kind of coping strategy. We explore this in more detail in the lesson plan 'Neurodiversity and self expression'.** This mini-lesson can be delivered either from the front of the classroom using a central computer and screen, or for students who have access to their own computers or devices. Like ALL Lyfta storyworlds, these characters are unique. We don't share stories as being 'typical' or as 'single stories' of people or places. **Please note:** If this is your first Lyfta lesson, please see these specially designed introductory lesson plans first, which introduce the Quest Tracker and how Lyfta works: Option 1: '#1 Lyfta Time: Rob in Cornwall' is a 20 minute introduction exploring one storyworld Option 2: ‘How to use Lyfta’ is a 45 minute lesson exploring multiple storyworlds. **Please note:** Arlos’s film is powerful, and explores many themes about belonging, inclusion and exclusion. We’d recommend as a minimum that you share Arlo’s follow up interview clip rich media article where they discuss how life has changed for the better; even better if you can follow up by exploring other full length lessons that explore neurodiversity, self expression and relationships. Please also note that the website https://www.autism.org.uk/ is a further place of support.