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Is That Clear?: Effective communication in a neurodiverse world
Whether we're aware of it or not, we will all know an autistic person, which makes this exciting new book an essential read for all.
Language experts Zanne Gaynor and Kathryn Alevizos and autism consultant Joe Butler, combine their knowledge and experience in this unique and accessible guide to more inclusive communication in a neurodiverse world.
Every autistic person experiences differences in communication. A lack of recognition of this can lead to miscommunication and heightened anxiety for many autistic people. Is That Clear? recognises and addresses this by offering practical tips, which have all been reviewed and endorsed by autistic readers.
Condensed into bite-sized chapters, the book covers key areas from instructions and questions to figurative speech, the pitfalls of small talk and phone calls - and much more.
A highly recommended read that sensitively promotes inclusion and diversity.
Language experts Zanne Gaynor and Kathryn Alevizos and autism consultant Joe Butler, combine their knowledge and experience in this unique and accessible guide to more inclusive communication in a neurodiverse world.
Every autistic person experiences differences in communication. A lack of recognition of this can lead to miscommunication and heightened anxiety for many autistic people. Is That Clear? recognises and addresses this by offering practical tips, which have all been reviewed and endorsed by autistic readers.
Condensed into bite-sized chapters, the book covers key areas from instructions and questions to figurative speech, the pitfalls of small talk and phone calls - and much more.
A highly recommended read that sensitively promotes inclusion and diversity.
100 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 28, 2020
So nice to see a guide for allistics to improve communication rather than the other way around!
Love how it makes the point that good communication involves tailoring your approach to the individual whether they're autistic or not, and that the person with the most energy and metaphorical 'power' in a situation should be the one making the most accommodations.
It's all laid out very simply and straight forwardly with clear examples of what is meant at every point.
Really glad this exists :)
Love how it makes the point that good communication involves tailoring your approach to the individual whether they're autistic or not, and that the person with the most energy and metaphorical 'power' in a situation should be the one making the most accommodations.
It's all laid out very simply and straight forwardly with clear examples of what is meant at every point.
Really glad this exists :)
March 23, 2022
One of the clearest, most organized books I’ve read on communication.
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June 29, 2021A useful booklet on establishing effective communication with neurodiverse individuals in different settings and contexts - certainly helpful in understanding how I can make the library a more inclusive space.
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February 20, 2022It really warms my heart that these three compassionate allies to the autism community took up the mantle of creating this wonderful little pocket size guide book. For far too long, the emphasis has been on trying to make autistic people do the work of trying to understand and fit into the neurotypical/allistic world. This is tantamount to speaking a foreign language or trying to acclimate to a foreign culture without an interpreter or guide: We’ve been expected to do all the work of decoding the cryptic neurotypical communication, formulate our response, and figure out how to relay our thoughts to them in a way they find palpable. This never really made sense to me, since we are the ones already at a disadvantage because of our disability. After all, one of the four key defining characteristics of autism is difficulty with social communication, so it is unjust that the onus of the extra effort to communicate effectively should always be on us. And far too often, even after we have made our best efforts to be understood, it is seldom acknowledged, and when breakdowns in communication occur, they are attributed to our (autistic people’s) fault. Well, this book is a breath of fresh air because it turns that status quo on its head!
What is so refreshing about this book is that is aimed at Allistic (non-autistic) people, giving them tips, insights, and advise, on how they can improve their communication to be more effective and inclusive for autistic people. I cannot say it better than the quote from Dean Beadle, autistic speaker, trainer, writer, and singer, on the back cover of the book says it all: “At long last, here is a book that not only acknowledges how confusing non-autistic people can be for us autistics, but also supports and empowers them to make their communication with us more successful.”
This book came about because Zanne Gaynor and Kathryn Alevizos are language specialists who train employees and business professionals in international communication skills. They published a book in November of 2019, (titled, Is That Clear? Effective Communication In a Multicultural World) that was intended to help native English speakers adapt their language in international settings. In that book they advised using more literal speech, shorter, less complex questions and instructions, and better signposted talks and presentations. During the workshops they facilitated on that book they received feedback from the work shop participants that the same advice applies equally well when communicating with autistic individuals. So Zanne and Kathryn partnered up with Joe Butler of SEND Support, University of Leeds, (who has a twenty year career of working with autistic people, and who has many autistic friends and colleagues). Together they sought the input from autistics in writing this book. They even had review panel of autistic readers! Which is probably why this book is so respectfully written:
In the forward of the book, Joe Butler explains how the four areas of difference in autism (Communication, Social Understanding, Information Processing, and Sensory Processing) can influence clear and effective communication. I really appreciate how she skillfully makes our situation relatable to allistic readers as she explains that, “It is important to recognize that difference does not mean that autistic people are inevitably less communicatively successful…. Whether autistic or allistic, we all experience fluctuations in our ability to understand others and express ourselves depending on our internal state, e.g. stress levels or tiredness, and the context we’re in, place people or time.”
Examples of this respectful attitude can be found throughout this book. One that I particularly appreciate can be found in section 3.1 on Non-verbal communication, where she writes, “As allistic people, we can and should learn and validate how autistic people express themselves. There could be mutual misunderstandings. Challenging our unconscious assumptions and biases about people’s actions is key. For example, repetitive sounds or movements (stim) such as humming, rocking or bouncing a leg can be indicators of emotion, as well as being used to self-regulate. It’s important not to discourage these as they can help autistic people to function, concentrate and process information, as can the use the fidget or gadget toys. Recognizing that autistic people may have their own ways of communicating is part of the shared responsibility communication.”
Gems of advice are offered throughout this book, divided into sections on Adapting Your Language (such as adding pauses to allow for processing time, omitting filler words and ambiguous language), Inclusive, Not Exclusive (making small talk work, making groups work, valuing different identities, etc.), and Different Ways To Communicate non-verbal communication and utilizing visual aids) .
One of my favorite tips that this book offers to its readers that I wish more people were aware of is: “Avoid speaking in an unnaturally loud voice. We can be clear without being patronizing.” In my role of personal support staff, I have seen this so often when I take clients to doctor’s appointments. It seems that nurses, receptionists, and even some doctors conflate all disabilities with deafness because they talk so loudly to the client, as if they thought the client was hearing impaired! I suppose they are trying to be mindful of the client’s disability and they are making an effort to treat them differently, but ironically, most autistics are unnerved by loud and unexpected sounds, so speaking in a loud voice to us is the antithesis of what the situation calls for. I would like to give these professionals the benefit of the doubt and not say that they’re deliberately being patronizing. They just don’t know any better way of interacting. So a book like this would be very beneficial to them. Another patronizing way in which some allistic people talk to us autistic adults is when they use the kind of voice that one would use with a very small child. “Infantilizing” is the term that I have learned for this phenomenon in my interactions with the online autistic community. It is perceived as being very ablest because it denies us our full humanity. People who do this are operating from an assumption that we are less than them, and this is their way of showing that attitude by talking down to us…literally treating us as children…instead of affording us the respect of the adults that we are!
What was said in Section 2.3, Including Everyone, really resonated with me. This section offers excellent insights on why small talk is so difficult for us, and how we can be forced into a passive role, despite having much to contribute, because we get overwhelmed by our communication challenges:
“Autistic people sometimes find themselves unable to formulate responses quickly enough as it is difficult to recall the words they need, or to put thoughts into words. Whilst mentally processing what they want to say, some autistic people might not hear what others are saying because their focus is on retaining the point they want to make. They may try to interrupt abruptly as it is the only way to join in before the conversation moves on. If they wait until they feel able to join in, the conversation may have progressed away from the original topic.”
I also appreciate (and identified with) this explanation (of what I have been told is one of my more annoying behaviors): “Autistic People can experience daily or even constant high levels of anxiety when trying to understand and fit in with how allistic people communicate. They may therefore sometimes try to make social communication more predictable and accessible by unintentionally dominating, appearing to control the interaction.”
This truly is a great resource that I cannot recommend enough. It is even thoughtfully “packaged”: It is a small, pocket sized paperback book, it has color coordinated sections for easy reference, it utilizes bulleted easy actionable items, and I love the feel of the cover: It has a kind of rubberized texture to it, so it doesn’t slip out of your hand.
What is so refreshing about this book is that is aimed at Allistic (non-autistic) people, giving them tips, insights, and advise, on how they can improve their communication to be more effective and inclusive for autistic people. I cannot say it better than the quote from Dean Beadle, autistic speaker, trainer, writer, and singer, on the back cover of the book says it all: “At long last, here is a book that not only acknowledges how confusing non-autistic people can be for us autistics, but also supports and empowers them to make their communication with us more successful.”
This book came about because Zanne Gaynor and Kathryn Alevizos are language specialists who train employees and business professionals in international communication skills. They published a book in November of 2019, (titled, Is That Clear? Effective Communication In a Multicultural World) that was intended to help native English speakers adapt their language in international settings. In that book they advised using more literal speech, shorter, less complex questions and instructions, and better signposted talks and presentations. During the workshops they facilitated on that book they received feedback from the work shop participants that the same advice applies equally well when communicating with autistic individuals. So Zanne and Kathryn partnered up with Joe Butler of SEND Support, University of Leeds, (who has a twenty year career of working with autistic people, and who has many autistic friends and colleagues). Together they sought the input from autistics in writing this book. They even had review panel of autistic readers! Which is probably why this book is so respectfully written:
In the forward of the book, Joe Butler explains how the four areas of difference in autism (Communication, Social Understanding, Information Processing, and Sensory Processing) can influence clear and effective communication. I really appreciate how she skillfully makes our situation relatable to allistic readers as she explains that, “It is important to recognize that difference does not mean that autistic people are inevitably less communicatively successful…. Whether autistic or allistic, we all experience fluctuations in our ability to understand others and express ourselves depending on our internal state, e.g. stress levels or tiredness, and the context we’re in, place people or time.”
Examples of this respectful attitude can be found throughout this book. One that I particularly appreciate can be found in section 3.1 on Non-verbal communication, where she writes, “As allistic people, we can and should learn and validate how autistic people express themselves. There could be mutual misunderstandings. Challenging our unconscious assumptions and biases about people’s actions is key. For example, repetitive sounds or movements (stim) such as humming, rocking or bouncing a leg can be indicators of emotion, as well as being used to self-regulate. It’s important not to discourage these as they can help autistic people to function, concentrate and process information, as can the use the fidget or gadget toys. Recognizing that autistic people may have their own ways of communicating is part of the shared responsibility communication.”
Gems of advice are offered throughout this book, divided into sections on Adapting Your Language (such as adding pauses to allow for processing time, omitting filler words and ambiguous language), Inclusive, Not Exclusive (making small talk work, making groups work, valuing different identities, etc.), and Different Ways To Communicate non-verbal communication and utilizing visual aids) .
One of my favorite tips that this book offers to its readers that I wish more people were aware of is: “Avoid speaking in an unnaturally loud voice. We can be clear without being patronizing.” In my role of personal support staff, I have seen this so often when I take clients to doctor’s appointments. It seems that nurses, receptionists, and even some doctors conflate all disabilities with deafness because they talk so loudly to the client, as if they thought the client was hearing impaired! I suppose they are trying to be mindful of the client’s disability and they are making an effort to treat them differently, but ironically, most autistics are unnerved by loud and unexpected sounds, so speaking in a loud voice to us is the antithesis of what the situation calls for. I would like to give these professionals the benefit of the doubt and not say that they’re deliberately being patronizing. They just don’t know any better way of interacting. So a book like this would be very beneficial to them. Another patronizing way in which some allistic people talk to us autistic adults is when they use the kind of voice that one would use with a very small child. “Infantilizing” is the term that I have learned for this phenomenon in my interactions with the online autistic community. It is perceived as being very ablest because it denies us our full humanity. People who do this are operating from an assumption that we are less than them, and this is their way of showing that attitude by talking down to us…literally treating us as children…instead of affording us the respect of the adults that we are!
What was said in Section 2.3, Including Everyone, really resonated with me. This section offers excellent insights on why small talk is so difficult for us, and how we can be forced into a passive role, despite having much to contribute, because we get overwhelmed by our communication challenges:
“Autistic people sometimes find themselves unable to formulate responses quickly enough as it is difficult to recall the words they need, or to put thoughts into words. Whilst mentally processing what they want to say, some autistic people might not hear what others are saying because their focus is on retaining the point they want to make. They may try to interrupt abruptly as it is the only way to join in before the conversation moves on. If they wait until they feel able to join in, the conversation may have progressed away from the original topic.”
I also appreciate (and identified with) this explanation (of what I have been told is one of my more annoying behaviors): “Autistic People can experience daily or even constant high levels of anxiety when trying to understand and fit in with how allistic people communicate. They may therefore sometimes try to make social communication more predictable and accessible by unintentionally dominating, appearing to control the interaction.”
This truly is a great resource that I cannot recommend enough. It is even thoughtfully “packaged”: It is a small, pocket sized paperback book, it has color coordinated sections for easy reference, it utilizes bulleted easy actionable items, and I love the feel of the cover: It has a kind of rubberized texture to it, so it doesn’t slip out of your hand.
October 18, 2023
Neurodiversity is a new term to encompass the many ways different brain makeups impact our ways of being in the world. The word is most heavily used concerning the autism community to refer to different ways of relating. Many with autism express frustration and frank exhaustion with ineffective communication practices. Many of us who don’t have autism can learn a few relatively simple techniques, described in this book, that will enhance our communicative abilities with co-workers, family members, and friends.
It’s no secret that diagnoses with autism have been on the rise for several decades now. While scientists debate the exact cause, the need to include a wider swath of people is clear. Books like this can direct those of us without autism (the “allistic”) how to make life easier for others. Most excitingly, helpful communication traits for the autism community are close to the same as those for the wider world. That means that books like this can simply amplify better communication habits for all humans.
At 98 pages, this book is short and accessible. It’s color-coded with illustrations. It’s almost a handbook more than a traditional linear text. This is in keeping with autistic styles of communication. Thankfully, it does not over-generalize but merely point out trends that might or might not apply to individuals. It divides its material in three main sections: Language, inclusive practices, and means of communication. Readers can quickly grasp common hangups in their personal communication style and find easy remedies to improve.
As the authors point out in their conclusion, everyone these days knows someone with autism. So everyone can benefit from becoming aware of better practices. I’m reading this to help a work colleague and to help my wife work better with one of her co-workers. Again, the secret is that while focused on one community, this book helps with communicating with everyone. That’s why this book has been nominated for book awards and will continue to inform the English-speaking world for years to come.
It’s no secret that diagnoses with autism have been on the rise for several decades now. While scientists debate the exact cause, the need to include a wider swath of people is clear. Books like this can direct those of us without autism (the “allistic”) how to make life easier for others. Most excitingly, helpful communication traits for the autism community are close to the same as those for the wider world. That means that books like this can simply amplify better communication habits for all humans.
At 98 pages, this book is short and accessible. It’s color-coded with illustrations. It’s almost a handbook more than a traditional linear text. This is in keeping with autistic styles of communication. Thankfully, it does not over-generalize but merely point out trends that might or might not apply to individuals. It divides its material in three main sections: Language, inclusive practices, and means of communication. Readers can quickly grasp common hangups in their personal communication style and find easy remedies to improve.
As the authors point out in their conclusion, everyone these days knows someone with autism. So everyone can benefit from becoming aware of better practices. I’m reading this to help a work colleague and to help my wife work better with one of her co-workers. Again, the secret is that while focused on one community, this book helps with communicating with everyone. That’s why this book has been nominated for book awards and will continue to inform the English-speaking world for years to come.
January 22, 2023
Decent workplacey type book that makes a lot of good recommendations for adapting communications and working environments for autistic people. Brief and fairly practical.
November 9, 2025
Simple, straightforward and easy read as a guide to slowing down and understanding the needs of an autistic communication partner—very helpful.
December 23, 2021
Is That Clear is an excellent resource for building relationships with people on the spectrum and breaking down the communication bearers. Filled with wisdom from individuals with autism and presented in a practical format with pictures and diagrams. As a young adult with autism I wish my teachers and bosses would’ve read this book and applied the methods of communication. This would’ve made life much easier for me and instructions less confusing. Best of all this book is packet size, making it, perfect for a quick reference. I highly recommend Is That Clear to every person working with people on the spectrum who have a heart for inclusion and understanding.
Ron Sandison, author of A Parent’s Guide to Autism and founder of Spectrum Inclusion
Ron Sandison, author of A Parent’s Guide to Autism and founder of Spectrum Inclusion
June 25, 2023
This book was refreshingly brief…I read it in about 30 minutes. I love what it is trying to do, but there were some things about it that made it hard for me to be very excited about this book…
I *think* I have autism, but I know I have ADHD too, and not all these suggestions would be helpful for me…such as if a speaker were to slow down and pause more frequently, I would just give up and tune them out. I struggle with colors and text-boxes on pages so those were distracting to me as I read the book. It had examples, but I didn’t find those easy to understand or helpful.
I love the idea of making speech more literal, efficient and visual for a neurodiverse world, and I am glad I read this, but I kind of wish it were just an article or pamphlet as opposed to a “book,” because it was too much and not enough all at the same time.
I *think* I have autism, but I know I have ADHD too, and not all these suggestions would be helpful for me…such as if a speaker were to slow down and pause more frequently, I would just give up and tune them out. I struggle with colors and text-boxes on pages so those were distracting to me as I read the book. It had examples, but I didn’t find those easy to understand or helpful.
I love the idea of making speech more literal, efficient and visual for a neurodiverse world, and I am glad I read this, but I kind of wish it were just an article or pamphlet as opposed to a “book,” because it was too much and not enough all at the same time.
December 27, 2023
The book has some great tips. The fact that everyone has a unique communication style is said rather late in the book. As the first chapter states a lot of stereotypes who are not true for all autistics, this info comes rather late and may cause more harm than good. Not everyone will read the full book.
Also the title refers to neurodiversity, which is not a synonym for autism. The book is only about communication between people with and without autism. So that was very disappointing.
Also the title refers to neurodiversity, which is not a synonym for autism. The book is only about communication between people with and without autism. So that was very disappointing.
March 7, 2023
I LOVED this book. It’s a really well written and easy to understand. As a multiply neurodivergent person I read it to see if it was something I could recommend to my coaching clients, and I absolutely will.
It’s a great conversation starter with people who are misunderstanding the neurodivergent communication styles.
It’s a great conversation starter with people who are misunderstanding the neurodivergent communication styles.
January 10, 2021
Short, clear-cut strategies to communicate with 'neurodiverse' people (ASD)
March 9, 2023
This is a great little book! Easy to read, well-laid out, and I love that Actually Autistic people read and gave feedback on it. Everyone should read this.
May 12, 2025
As an autistic woman and a Communications professional, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I have already shared it with my team and annotated the book for what is relevant for my particular flavour of autism.
It’s very well laid out and simple to read, took me less than two hours. It’ll also be easy to use as a quick reference when I need to refer back to it in future.
This book is also a very good mix of “accessibility benefits everyone” and “we’ve consulted those with lived experience to get into the specifics of what works with them” and “there is no one size fits all”
It’s very well laid out and simple to read, took me less than two hours. It’ll also be easy to use as a quick reference when I need to refer back to it in future.
This book is also a very good mix of “accessibility benefits everyone” and “we’ve consulted those with lived experience to get into the specifics of what works with them” and “there is no one size fits all”
February 8, 2026
Brilliant book about communication. Easy to read and really helpful to set out basic communication differences. A book everyone should read at some point.
May 26, 2024
I appreciate the format of this book, it's short and digestible for both neurodivergent minds and neurotypicals with small attention spans. But in all honesty I want more.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews