Perceptions of disability: moving beyond stereotypes and negative language

¶ … hear the word 'disability, the first images that come to mind are people with obvious disabilities, such as physical limitations. But now I know that disabilities come in many shapes and sizes. Learning disabilities are not always immediately apparent to even the trained eye of a seasoned teacher. A student with ADHD can seem very normal running around on the playground, and it is not until the child is sitting in a classroom environment that his or her 'disability' becomes evident on a test.

The first words which come to my mind when I hear 'disability' tend to be negative words: it is difficult not to see a disability as a liability rather than simply as a difference, although from the point-of-view of a teacher it is better to view it as such, and is more empowering for the students to do so as well.

Question Box 2 on

Most of the movies I am aware of that use the term 'retarded' are relatively old, like 'teen' films from the mid-1980s like Pretty in Pink or The Breakfast Club. However, I do often hear people use 'retarded' in a negative context in everyday dialogue. Usually this is said in jest, in a humorous fashion, and is not directed at someone who is actually developmentally disabled. In the past week, I would say that I have heard people use the term 3-4 times, and that usually the people who do so are fairly young. Still, the use of such a term still implies a negative view of people who are developmentally challenged, and should be avoided at all costs. The word 'retarded' literally means 'slow' and thus is a very meaningless term to describe individuals with challenges, given that they may have great strengths (or quickness) in non-academic spheres of their lives, in terms of the kindness they show to others.

Chapter 2: Question Box 3 on pg. 7

The first thoughts that come to my mind when I hear the words ADHD are of a student who is 'hyperactive,' constantly walking around the classroom, distracting other students, and talking out-of-turn in class. I think of a student who has problems with self-management and who must constantly be monitored to ensure that he is not distracted and does not distract other students. With some students it can be difficult to tell when the disorder ends and genuine disobedience begins, given that all students manifest signs of distractibility at times. Usually, the dividing-line is that of medication: a child with an official classification of ADHD will often be given some sort of treatment so he or she can behave 'normally,' but this may be due more to diagnosis than a genuine difference.

Answer: Question Box 4 on pg. 14

The book is very adamant that ADHD is a distinct, medical condition and is not simply the result of over-diagnosis. The disorder clearly does exist in some children, and the stress that this is less a disorder of 'hyperactivity' and more one of 'distraction' is important. Children with ADHD simply lack the cognitive skills to filter out information that might otherwise go unnoticed, like the fact that there is a lawnmower buzzing outside. Teachers can make lessons more manageable for ADHD students by breaking lessons down into small 'chunks' that the students can focus on piece-by-piece. Minimizing distractions in the room is useful (such as not sitting the student near windows or the back of the class). Reading the book, in short, has changed my perspective from seeing ADHD as something that is behavioral in nature, and made me see it more like a learning difference with which the teacher must cope.:

Read: Chapter 4: Question Box 6 on pg. 29

Students who have been abused, assaulted, witnessed or been the targets of traumatic or violent incidents are more likely to manifest behavioral disorders like oppositional defiance disorder and conduct disorder. Children who exhibit these conditions are often extremely difficult to deal with, even frightening to teachers as well as to other children. Having a BIP is useful to provide structure for both the child and the teacher, to ensure that their interactions do not become personal and even angrier in nature. The child by definition already has problems with personal authority figures, and the BIP is an objective guide to ensure that negative behaviors are met with consequences in an objective fashion, not a manner that looks subjective and unfair. Rules in a BIP are reasonable and consistently enforced.