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Strategies for reflecting on books that include characters with disabilities.
Abstract
Children’s literature plays an important role in fostering children’s healthy identity. It is vital that children’s literature accurately represents children with disabilities. It is equally important that practitioners evaluate children’s literature for accurate representation of characters with disabilities prior to sharing books with young children. This article provides practitioners with guidelines to evaluate the representations of children with disabilities in storybooks. Examples of evaluating two storybooks that include characters with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) using Nasatir and Horn’s (2003) guidelines are provided. Reflective questions are included to encourage practitioners to evaluate books prior to reading them to young children.
... Prater & Dyches (2008:32) give guideline for building characterization of the characters with disabilities, includes (a) accurate portrayal of the disability; (b) exemplary practices (c) realistic sibling relationships, if depicted; (d) appropriate emotional reactions (e) accurate illustrations of the disability or assistive devices being used. In addition, Price, Ostrosky & Santos (2016) suggested that when selecting books that include the character with disabilities, we must consider about the resolution of problems, the role of the character with a disability, and weight of the relationships between the characters. Strick (2013) stated that,"Books can show that disabled people can have relationships, careers, a family -just like anyone else. ...
... Prater & Dyches (2008:32) give guideline for building characterization of the characters with disabilities, includes (a) accurate portrayal of the disability; (b) exemplary practices (c) realistic sibling relationships, if depicted; (d) appropriate emotional reactions (e) accurate illustrations of the disability or assistive devices being used. In addition, Price, Ostrosky & Santos (2016) suggested that when selecting books that include the character with disabilities, we must consider about the resolution of problems, the role of the character with a disability, and weight of the relationships between the characters. Strick (2013) stated that,"Books can show that disabled people can have relationships, careers, a family -just like anyone else. ...
Peer acceptance from non-disabled students toward students with special needs is one of
the criteria of successful inclusive school. Fostering disability awareness is important to
increase acceptance. Children's books can be used to provide knowledge and experience
to foster disability awareness. This study is a narrative review of previous studies that
discussed children with special needs in the children's books. We reviewed studies by
searching in E-resources National Library of Indonesia and references from relevant
articles published last ten years. 23 studies that met the criteria found.The results of this study tried to make criteria children's book that can use to building disability
awarenessand recommended reading activities with discussions to foster awareness and
acceptance in the inclusive classroom
... One of the ways through which inclusive and transformative pedagogies are being introduced now in schools, given the increasing number of diverse students in the classroom (not only those with special educational needs, but also culturally and linguistically diverse learners) is to introduce diverse narratives, including those about individuals with various exceptionalities (e.g., Garces-Bacsal, 2020;Kurtts & Gavigan, 2008). Diverse picturebooks, in fact, are found to be effective in translating the tenets of culturally responsive pedagogies (Haddix & Price-Dennis, 2012) as they help teachers navigate cultural prejudices and stereotyping (Robinson, 2013), and assist teachers in developing their students' acceptance of diversity and empathy for individuals with special educational needs (Price et al., 2016). ...
Despite the changing school demographics indicating an increasingly greater diversity in today’s classrooms, research indicates how teachers have little cognizance of the cultural backgrounds of their students. This becomes an issue among gifted students who are double minorities: those who are gifted and of a different cultural background, or of low-income status, rendering them doubly vulnerable. One of the ways this can be addressed is by introducing diverse books with an international focus to 9- to 12-year-old gifted students allowing them to see themselves reflected in what they read and to facilitate the learning of social and emotional learning competencies. Using the critical multicultural analysis framework and strategies on promoting multicultural awareness, recommended activities and discussion questions are provided to educators.
... One of the ways through which inclusive and transformative pedagogies are being introduced now in schools, given the increasing number of diverse students in the classroom (not only those with special educational needs, but also culturally and linguistically diverse learners) is to introduce diverse narratives, including those about individuals with various exceptionalities (e.g., Garces-Bacsal, 2020;Kurtts & Gavigan, 2008). Diverse picturebooks, in fact, are found to be effective in translating the tenets of culturally responsive pedagogies (Haddix & Price-Dennis, 2012) as they help teachers navigate cultural prejudices and stereotyping (Robinson, 2013), and assist teachers in developing their students' acceptance of diversity and empathy for individuals with special educational needs (Price et al., 2016). ...
Research studies indicate how most teachers lack the capacity to identify diverse books that portray characters with special needs or exceptionalities that can be used in the classroom to promote empathy and kindness towards those who are typically perceived as “the other.” This lack of awareness is alarming since diverse books are found to promote inclusive practices and show students how to be more accepting of individual differences. Based on a research study that examines the use of diverse picturebooks among students enrolled in a teacher-training institute in the UAE, a database of diverse picturebooks that depict an awareness of special needs and the “others” in society have been analyzed and featured in this chapter. Strategies such as discussion questions and activities linking the titles to inclusive practices were shared using the critical multicultural analysis framework. The authors contend that teachers need to effectively use said resources to help implement more inclusive approaches in the classroom and practice transformative and culturally responsive instruction.
... My findings were disappointingly low. Not only were characters with disabilities not represented, but when they were, I noticed that some of them supported the tropes of a disabled character being lesser than, pitied by the normal characters, or did not help move the action of the story forward (Aho & Alter, 2018;Pennell et al., 2017;Price et al., 2016;Thomas, 2016;Walton, 2011). At best, the characters might be used as a metaphor for inspiration and hard work. ...
... Authentic depictions of characters that realistically represent people with disabilities can serve as a window, mirror, and sliding glass door (Bishop, 1990). Children's literature has the capacity to help teachers have strength-based discussions about the reading difficulties of students with disabilities (Price et al., 2016). Picture books can be crucial instructional artifacts in the elementary school classroom, as they convey narratives through pictures and words that together create powerful imagery (Bishop & Hickman, 1992). ...
Children's literature can be a useful tool to share the experiences of students with disabilities. Given the increased focus on dyslexia legislation in schools across the United States, it is important to examine how characters with reading differences, specifically dyslexia, are portrayed in picture books and the role these artifacts play in equitable pedagogical practices. We conducted a critical content analysis, focusing on characters with dyslexia in picture books and the literacy opportunities, barriers, and consequences. Findings show an imbalance in representation regarding race, ethnicity, and geographic location. While some picture books portray characters with self-advocacy and agency, others perpetuate stereotypical "blueprints" for characters with dyslexia with limited children's school experiences, classroom interactions, and peer exchanges. We conclude that characters with dyslexia should resemble people from the real world, embodying complexity just as they would outside their storied lives. Findings and implications for practice are discussed.
... There have been many reviews of children's literature that explore disability. Typically, the authors of these reviews identify books that can be used to teach children without disabilities about the experiences of those who have a disability (e.g., Artman-Meeker, Grant, & Yang, 2016;Price, Ostrosky, & Santos, 2016) or describe how characters with disabilities are portrayed in texts (e.g., Leininger et al., 2010). Some have examined the ways in which using such children's books enabled democratic discussions about disability in an inclusive classroom (Adomat, 2014) or respectful attitudes toward classmates with disabilities (Ostrosky et al., 2015). ...
This article discusses the importance of making available in classrooms a range of children's literature offering authentic and meaningful representations of characters with disabilities. The focus is not only on reading inclusive literature with typically developing students but also on the importance of making inclusive literature available to students who could identify with characters with disabilities. An annotated selection of current books, along with a list of criteria for evaluating children's books for respectful portrayals of disability, is presented to help educators choose inclusive literature that celebrates diverse abilities.
Eğitimde kapsayıcı terimi özel gereksinim, cinsiyet, dil, din, etnik köken, sosyo-ekonomik düzey, hastalık gibi herhangi bir nedenden dolayı eğitime dahil olamayan veya dahil olduğu halde sınıftaki öğrenme süreçlerine katılmayan tüm çocukları eğitim ve öğrenme süreçlerine dahil etmek anlamında kullanılmaktadır. Erken çocukluk eğitimi programlarının ve eğitim ortamlarının kapsayıcı olması ve eğitimcilerin çocukların kültürel, dilsel ya da bireysel deneyimlerini anlaması tüm çocukların gelişiminde fark yaratmaktadır. Bu nedenle son yıllarda kapsayıcı bir bakış açısıyla eğitim ortamlarının nasıl zenginleştirileceği önemli bir araştırma konusu olmuştur. Çocukların başka insanların yaşamlarını ve deneyimlerini inceleyerek kendilerini ve başkalarını daha iyi anlamalarını sağlayan resimli çocuk kitapları ise bireysel farklılıklara ilişkin ilk algılarının oluşmasında eğitim ortamlarındaki en önemli faktörlerden biri görülmektedir. Bu nedenle bu derlemede, erken çocukluk döneminde kullanılan kapsayıcı resimli çocuk kitaplarının özellikleri ve eğitim ortamlarında nasıl kullanılacağı incelenirken; kapsayıcılık özel gereksinimli çocuklar, farklı kültürlerden gelen çocuklar ve toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği bağlamında ele alınmıştır.
Bu çalışmanın amacı özel gereksinimli karakterler içeren çocuk kitaplarının niteliklerini betimleyerek okul öncesi eğitimde özel gereksinimli bireylere yönelik farkındalık geliştirmek için başvurulabilecek kitapları belirlemektir. Bir doküman incelemesi olan bu nitel çalışmada özel gereksinimli karakterler içeren çocuk kitaplarının içerikleri değerlendirilmiştir. Örneklemin belirlenmesinde Türkiye’de kitap satışı yapan üç web sitesi ve çeşitli yayınevlerinin web siteleri taranmış ve ulaşılabilir örnekleme ile toplam 58 çocuk kitabına ulaşılmıştır. Bu kitaplardan seçim ölçütlerini karşılayan 20 tanesi belirlenmiştir. Kitaplar, araştırmacılar tarafından uluslararası bir araç kullanılarak değerlendirilmiş ve puanlayıcılar arası güvenirlik hesaplanmıştır. Bulgular, kitapların genel özellikleri, kişisel tasvirler, sosyal etkileşimler ve özel gereksinimli karakterlerin deneyimlediği örnek uygulamalar açısından olumlu veya kabul edilebilir nitelikte bulunan eserlerin özel gereksinimli bireylere yönelik farkındalık geliştirmede öğretmenler tarafından kullanılabileceğine işaret etmektedir. Ancak, bazı kitaplar için duyulan uyarlama gereksinimi, bazı yetersizliklerin kitaplardaki düşük temsili ve Türkçe yazılmış kitapların sayıca azlığı özel gereksinimli karakter içeren okul öncesi çocuk kitapları konusunda önemli bir boşluğa işaret etmektedir.
Young adult literature that features respectful representations of fictional characters with reading difficulties can play a role in building classroom communities and helping readers understand more about themselves and their worlds. Furthermore, language arts teachers and special education teachers can use texts that feature positive portrayals of characters with reading difficulties to build students’ competencies for critically reading and participating in discussions on topics such as challenging the usefulness of disability labels. In this article, the authors highlight the positive and dynamic portrayals of main characters with reading difficulties featured in 14 realistic fiction books for readers in grades 6–8. The processes for locating and analyzing texts are shared so they can be replicated by middle school teachers and students who seek to analyze the portrayal of characters with reading difficulties in other texts or genres.
Although many authors have identified guidelines in the evaluation and subsequent selection of contemporary children's literature, few have studied how individuals with mental retardation and autism (MR/A) are depicted in children's literature. Dyches and Prater (2000) took a unique approach in creating evaluation guidelines based not only upon general literary standards, but also with regard for the portrayal of individuals with disabilities (Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, & Leal, 1999). Based on the Dyches and Prater guidelines, characterizations and plots in eligible children's books published during 1997 and 1998 were evaluated. Twelve books are discussed in detail, in terms of each guideline. The results showed that there was inconsistency in the books, in terms of the themes that emerged: (a) characterization and positive portrayal, (b) relationships, (c) changes in characters without MR/A, and (d) changes in characters with MR/A. Special topics that were present in the books are also discussed: schooling, recreation, and residence. The characters in the books were portrayed as making more choices in their lives, and were educated in more inclusive settings, than characters in books in an earlier study by Prater (1998). The conclusion highlights the use of this study as the basis of an international award for children's literature that includes characters with mental retardation and/or autism.
This study examined the effects of contact, books, and discussions on the attitudes of kindergarten-age children toward people with disabilities. Children in the high-contact group participated in a program designed to promote acceptance of people with disabilities; the low-contact group had incidental contact with children with disabilities; the no-contact group had neither direct nor indirect contact with children with disabilities. At pretest, all participants had low levels of acceptance of people with disabilities. At posttest, significant gains in levels of acceptance were found only in the high-contact group. The program appears to be an effective strategy for promoting acceptance of people with disabilities.
Early literacy experiences are critical for young children’s development. More specifically, quality literacy experiences are beneficial to children’s understanding of their world. Ensuring that early childhood literature appropriately reflects the diversity of children’s life experiences can support their sense of belonging within an early childhood environment. Considering that the number of children with diverse abilities who attend general education classrooms is increasing, it is imperative that these classrooms provide welcoming and supportive environments for all children. One way to support inclusive environments for children with disabilities is to ensure that classroom books include characters with and without disabilities. As many early childhood teachers and family members regularly use community libraries to find books to read to young children, exploring how characters with disabilities are represented in library books is important. Results of a study focusing on children’s library books revealed that characters with diverse abilities were represented in ways that promote their inclusion, however some books displayed poor insight into the individual lives of characters with varying abilities. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Purpose
Echolalia is a common element in the communication of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Recent contributions to the literature reflect significant disagreement regarding how echolalia should be defined, understood, and managed. The purpose of this review article is to give speech-language pathologists and others a comprehensive view of the available perspectives on echolalia.
Method
Published literature from the disciplines of behavioral intervention, linguistics, and speech-language intervention is discussed. Special areas of focus include operational definitions, rationales associated with various approaches, specific procedures used to treat or study echolalic behavior, and reported conclusions.
Conclusions
Dissimilarities in the definition and understanding of echolalia have led to vastly different approaches to management. Evidence-based practice protocols are available to guide speech-language interventionists in their work with individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
This article synthesizes findings from existing research on inclusive literature that portrays characters with disabilities. They present teachers with a meaningful and easy-to-remember acronym (I AM NOT THE DISABILITY) to highlight the key criteria in quality inclusive picture books. The expectation is that teachers will consider these criteria while selecting books for planning lessons and for classroom libraries. While inclusive classrooms are not a universal trend in education across the world, this article explores the value of addressing the social stigma often associated with physical disabilities while developing awareness among educators and other adults about appropriate representation of individuals with disabilities.
This article was originally part of the introduction to and a chapter for a book proposed by Larry, tentatively titled Picturebooks: Visual and Verbal Art. Neither the proposal nor the chapter was finished at the time of his death. Rather than speak for him, we have decided to use only his own words, with minor editing, leaving the gaps that existed in this draft. In places where he made notes about other scholars he planned to consider, we indicate that using italics. We completed the references as best we could; where he mentioned only a name and an idea, we have included that, as is. It is our hope that this piece will be important to other scholars as they continue to explore text-picture relationships in picturebooks. The original draft was written in the summer of 2010, while Larry was at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, working with materials at the Kerlan Collection. This version was lightly edited by Lee Galda.
This article discusses disability as one aspect of diversity in inclusive early childhood classrooms and offers a framework for evaluating children's books that address disability as a part of diversity. The nine criteria are explained and discussed: illustrations, story line, lifestyles, relationships, self-image, author/illustrator backgrounds, author's perspective, loaded words, copyright date, and target age. Nine specific books are recommended. (Contains references.) (DB)
We read all books that received the Caldecott Medal and Honor status awarded between 1938 and 2005 and found 11 that included a character with a disability. For each book we analyzed characterizations of those with disabilities, and generated tips for using the book to teach about disabilities. We argue that accurate portrayals of characters with disabilities, particularly the types of disabilities encountered most frequently by young children, are needed in award-winning picture books.
Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children
- L Derman-Sparks
Derman-Sparks, L., & Anti-Bias Curriculum Task Force. 1989.
Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children.
Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of
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Andy and His Yellow Frisbee
- M Thompson
Thompson, M. 1996. Andy and His Yellow Frisbee. Bethesda, MD:
Woodbine House.