The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida

https://www.amazon.com

The Reason I Jump By Naoki Higashida

Reviewed by: Breanna Ohler, Shalynn Pace, Michael Morello, and Anakaren Navarro

Review:

https://www.vam.ac.uk/

When reading The Reason I Jump, it is important to keep in mind that the book was written by a then 13-year-old Naoki Higashida. Higashida was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. Due to his condition, Higashida often found it hard to communicate vocally so he leaned towards written communication instead. He learned to write with Japanese characters and quickly began expressing himself through fiction and nonfiction works. The Reason I Jump is a nonfiction book leading into Higashida’s mind as he tackles questions commonly asked about children with autism. The book is neither a memoir nor an autobiography but rather a sort of Q&A between Naoki Higashida and his uninformed (perhaps curious) audience. The structure of the book allows it to be read as a rather casual walk of knowledge. Whereas an autobiography or memoir might have a more somber tone, Higashida’s book is light and easily digestible while still challenging preconceived ideas about children with autism. It effortlessly leads its readers through a path of enlightenment about autism.

As the book takes the audience through a series of questions, it allows them to explore the mind of an autistic child. Higashida tries, through the best of his knowledge and experience, to answer the questions truthfully and accurately. His insightful answers and explanations guide the reader through his thought process as he shines a new light on autism. Where other books written about autism might address certain issues with facts and research, The Reason I Jump addresses them with first-person experience making the answers very human and heart-warming. Higashida’s voice is very easy to relate to also very wise. He speaks with the innocence of a 13-year-old and the wisdom of someone much older. His openness throughout the entire book opened my eyes to many aspects and concepts about autism that I would have never considered otherwise. The first preconceived idea challenged by the book is related the way autistic children communicate. It is often believed that children with autism are not capable of communicating “normally” but Higashida challenges both the perception of what normal is and the belief that children with autism are incapable of it. His book, as a whole, if not the specific answers given throughout the text, prove that he, a 13-year-old boy with autism, is more than capable of communicating eloquently and beautifully. He walks the reader through his rationale, enlightening them about autism on the way. The book proves itself to be adaptable to be taught as both a middle school or high school book. It simple enough to be read by children who might struggle with reading while also being immensely insightful and is heart-warming to people of all ages as it draws its readers in to have a close conversation with Naoki Higashida. 

Biography of Naoki Higashida:

http://www.azquotes.com

While this translated version of the novel is from David Mitchell, it is originally written by Naoki Higashida and shows readers how he sees the world. Naoki was born on August 12^thof 1992 in Japan. He is known as a poet, novelist, and essayist. But mostly, he is known for being autistic. He was diagnosed with autism at the young age of five years old, and being autistic did not stop him from accomplishing all things previously stated. He became a writer because he grew frustrated at the fact that he could barely communicate to the people around him, and he wanted his inner voice to be heard. Most of all, he wanted to be understood. He achieved this dream by learning Japanese characters, and by adults literally guiding his hand to learn to write them. While still learning, his mother noticed his passion and creativity, and she was the one who encouraged him to channel it into poetry and stories. She knew he could accomplish these things, despite his illness that held him back. Twice, at the ages of eleven and twelve, he won in the Grimm Fairy Tales contest, which is a story-writing competition. Since then, Naoki has published more than twenty books, both of fiction and non-fiction. The Reason I Jump, the book we are focusing on, was published in 2007, when he was only thirteen years old. This novel contains over fifty questions that people ask him or others that have autism, and he answers every question. His hopes in writing this novel are that people gain a better understanding of what people with autism go through daily, and he asks for patience and acceptance. Above all, this book shows that he accomplished his goal of being better heard and better understood by those around him. To this day, he is an advocate for those with autism, and he spreads the word that autism is not a misfortune. He leaves everyone with the following advice; “You may be stuck, your suffering may be ongoing, but time flows on…When we know we are loved, the courage we need to resist depression and sadness wells up from inside us.” (TIME). 

Hopper, Nate. “My Autism Allows Me to See the World in a Different 

         Way.” Time, Time, 13 July 2017, time.com/4856602/autism-nonverbal-

         book-naoki-higashida/.

“Naoki Higashida.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Apr. 2018, 

         en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoki_Higashida.

Instructional Resources:

Introductory video about Autism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouQHa-o5J-w

What it is like to have Autism:

https://themighty.com/2016/04/what-does-autism-feel-like/

Real life stories from people with Autism: Danny’s story

http://www.autism.org.uk/about/adult-life/stories/transitions.aspx

Blog entry by M. Kelter, an Autistic blogger:

http://theinvisiblestrings.com/blue-auricle/#more-1803

The world through the eyes of an Autistic child:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr4_dOorquQ

Light It Up Blue Puzzle Project:

http://media.autismspeaks.org/liub/LIUB+Educational+Toolkit.pdf

Autism Society:

http://www.autismsocietyca.org/

Animated Explanation of Autism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fy7gUIp8Ms

Instructional Activity:

Preview:

We believe that this assignment and book will be most efficient if it is taught to students that are in the 11th grade.

Since this nonfiction text is formatted with a series of 58 questions, we thought it would be both engaging and informative for students to create their own questions based off one of the sections in the text. However, instead of developing a similar question that Higashida did, students will formulate their own based off of one of Higashida's that can be applied to other segments of life rather than just to autism; basically, students will develop their own questions that are broad and questions ideas such as life, knowledge, identity, and normality through this activity.

California Common Core Standards:

https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf

Reading Standards: 
10. By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary non ction in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Writing Standards:

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and suf cient evidence.
        a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the signi cance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counter- claims, reasons, and evidence.

2. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most signi cant and relevant facts, extended de nitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

7.Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Resources and Preparation:

Chrome Book or other device with internet connection, the text itself, and access to canva.com.

Instructional Plan:

The objective of this lesson is To promote understanding of those who are different from us and to raise and attempt to answer questions about our lives as humans collectively.Students will come to class having already read The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida. They will start by answering the journal question on the board, “What do you think it means to be normal? Support your answer with at least one quote from the text.” Students will work on their journal for approximately 10 minutes and then share with a partner and then a few students will share with the entire class.

This assignment can be given with or without technology. To create this worksheet, we utilized Canva, a website that has templates for activity worksheets and also allows one to make one's own. If students do not have access to the internet, it is recommended to print out the worksheet ahead of time and have students handwrite it. However, it may be easier if students write their responses online as they can share it with other members in their group more efficiently. Basically, the assignment is that students will be assigned groups of four where they will collaborate to generate their own knowledge question based off quotes, evidence, and personal opinion. First, students need to find a section of the text that interests them. Then, find applicable, significant quotes that pertain to the knowledge question they are developing. Last, students will find evidence in the text and their personal experience to answer the knowledge question. If there is time, students will quickly present their knowledge questions and claims with the rest of the class, so that other students can see lines of reasoning and think critically by pointing out weaknesses in arguments and acknowledging what does and does not hold true.