'They just need a chance': Mother of twins with autism calls for more inclusive schools
ULSAN — “Chae-a, do you like drawing?” “Yes!” “You won an award for your drawing. What did you do with your picture at school?” “I showed it off.” “How did you feel when you showed it to everyone?” “Happy. Excited.” The eight-year-old's answers were brief, but her drawings were filled with endless stories. Jang Chae-a, 8, a second-grader at Samdong Elementary School in Ulsan, won the gold prize…
In Ulsan, South Korea, a mother of twins with autism is advocating for more inclusive schools. Chae-a, an eight-year-old second-grader at Samdong Elementary School, recently won the gold prize in the 2026 International Youth Art Contest for her artwork titled "My Wonderful World of Stories." The piece features images of children dressed in traditional Korean clothing.
Chae-a, who has autism, faces challenges in expressing her thoughts verbally. However, her mother, Lee Kyung-geum, emphasizes that this does not indicate her daughter lacks the desire to communicate or the determination to excel. According to Lee, Chae-a's drawings serve as a means to convey all the stories she struggles to articulate with words.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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