You must write a 750 word essay. And touch on some of these questions.

You do not have to answer all.

And they can just serve as guides to what your essay should entail.
What are the criteria for an intellectual disability (!"# What does ! loo$ li$e# (e.g. low % and
functional s$ills& inability to function at an average intelligence level& etc." What evidence did you see
in the movie of a 'ossible ! (a$a (ental )etardation" or an argument against an !# f you feel an !
diagnosis is a''ro'riate e*'lain if the disorder was re'resented correctly in the movie. f you feel an !
diagnosis is ina''ro'riate give certain criteria that would need to be met to ma$e it a''ro'riate and
e*'lain why it wasn+t met. ,e s'ecific and give e*am'les in the movie that either su''ort or e*am'les
that may even challenge your claim.
What are the criteria for autism# What does autism loo$ li$e# What evidence did you see in the movie
of a 'ossible autism diagnosis or an argument against such a diagnosis# f you feel an autism diagnosis
is a''ro'riate& e*'lain if the disorder was re'resented correctly in the movie. f you feel an autism
diagnosis is ina''ro'riate give certain criteria that would need to be met to ma$e it a''ro'riate and
e*'lain why it wasn+t met. ,e s'ecific and give e*am'les in the movie that either su''ort or e*am'les
that may even challenge your 'osition.
really enjoyed this movie and haven-t seen it before. .he morals and messages& the
ins'iration& and the overall story and 'lot ma$e this a great film. ,ut 'sychology related& it de'icts the
life& behavior& and innocence of a man with autism. )adio& the man with autism& and football /oach
0ones are the two most major characters. 1rom the beginning of the movie& you $now that there is
something different about )adio. .o be honest& /uba 2ooding& 0r. (the actor for )adio" does an
e*cellent job of 'ortraying a man with autism. .here are different functioning levels of autism& but still
this actor re'resented this disorder correctly. t never actually states in the movie that )adio has autism
most li$ely because they didn-t fully understand or diagnose what his condition was& but there are 'arts
in the movie of his behavior that you can recogni3e as what we now define today as autism or
As'erger-s syndrome.
You first see )adio 'ushing a sho''ing cart down railroad trac$s and he waves at the train as if
it was alive or could res'ond or wave bac$. 4ne of the criteria for autism is an o'en and innocent
nature. )adio sees the world as a child might see it. 5ven though he might be shy with other 'eo'le (at
first"& he is still very curious about the world and what goes on around him. 6e tends to observe others
and is curious about what they are doing. 7i$e a child& his attitude towards others could be described as
initially shy& but innately willing to bond or interact with others. As the movie 'rogress& )adio gets
involved in the local high school football team and eventually ado'ted by the entire high school. At
first he is very cautious towards coach 0ones& but once he o'ens u' he says hi to everyone& gives hugs
to 'eo'le in the hall& and is eager to be around other 'eo'le. f you never tainted a $id with
ina''ro'riate behavior& their natural tendency is to be caring towards others. )adio is nice to everyone
around him and li$es to 'at 'eo'le on the shoulder or head& which he does though out the movie to
show than$s& congratulation& or even love. 5ven when members of the football team treat him 'oorly&
he doesn-t get even but actually a'ologi3es to them when they get in trouble. )adio also e*'resses
im'atience& fear& confusion& and the desire of a''roval or acce'tance. .his innocence and child8li$e
state (or lac$ of further develo'ment" is a characteristic that varies in 'eo'le diagnosed with autism.
4ther characteristic of autism include routine behaviors and 'articular habits& li$es9disli$es& and
talents. 6e loves to listen to music& es'ecially on the radio which is where he obtained his nic$name.
live near a $id (:well technically he-s a man due to his age& but he has been nearly the same 'erson he
was since first met him" with autism& who also loves to listen to music. .his isn-t necessarily a trait
for all autistic 'eo'le& but the 'erson that $now has a set genre and style of music that he listens to
and he roc$s bac$ and forth while doing so. )adio shows similar behaviors when listening to the radio
in /oach 0one-s truc$& when he changes from the country station and starts roc$ing bac$ and forth.
)outine behavior is another mannerism of 'eo'le with autism. )adio wal$s around the football field
everyday and has followed this routine for years. .he sho''ing cart that he 'ushes around is full of
item of value that he has obtained& including a radio and a football. 7i$e )adios interest with radios&
my neighbor is interested in languages. (y neighbor has learning difficulties and 'robably would have
a hard time learning 1rench or )ussian& but he has ;invented< more than two languages with full
vocabularies and al'habets& and you can as$ him anything about it and he would $now if off the to' of
his head= don-t care who you are& but that is 'retty ama3ing. Yet& he can-t 'rogress through school li$e
many other 'eo'le and lac$s in many other social areas of life. >eo'le with autism tend to have habits
that others without autism may have& but routines and a select few habits or talents can be considered
criteria for autism.
,esides mental and emotional as'ects& )adio-s disorder also seems to have some 'hysical
affects on him& mostly referring to his 'osture and movement but also his eye contact and s'eech. As he
'ushes his cart around& he bends hunched forward. 6e dis'lays this sort of 'osture through the movie&
including when he wal$s. )adio tends to coc$ his head to the side when thin$ing or listening. With his
movement and motor s$ills )adio tends to move a bit slower and uncoordinated& which may not be a
direct cause to his disorder& but is still a result of autism. 6e tri's and falls over the o'ening of a shed
and he also has a 'articular gait as he wal$s or runs. With both my neighbor and )adio& eye contact
isn-t always direct and seems unfocused or random and s'eech is slower or sometimes stammered. ?ot
saying either of them is indirect& unfocused& or random as individuals or that anything negative towards
them& but that both affected eye contact and s'eech may be sym'toms of autism.
n conclusion and summary& the disorder of autism was sufficiently diagnosed in this movie. t
dis'layed innocent and uneducated behavior& routines and habits& and relatively lower levels of mental&
emotional& social& and 'hysical functioning. Again& levels of functioning vary with 'eo'le& but the film
Radio still gives a great general illustration for what autism is and what is loo$s li$e. t also made me
a''reciate 'eo'le with such and similar disorder more than had before.