Ability/Disability in the Classroom

The issue of ability versus disability is one that is critical for us to address with our students. We know that every single one of our students has a unique set of abilities, and we plan our instruction to give extra support to some and challenge to others, and try to bring out the unique potential of each child. But are we teaching our students to do this for themselves? Are we teaching them to be tolerant and to bring out the best in others? Do our students understand their own disabilities and how to capitalize on their abilities? Are we doing enough to teach perseverance?

Steven Claunch is an excellent basketball player who started on his varsity basketball team, was one of the top scorers, and won rookie of the year. He was born without fingers on one hand, and one of his legs is several inches shorter than the other. In his 2009 TED talk, Claunch shared an inspirational story of perseverance and overcoming obstacles. Despite his physical limitations, Claunch did not let himself get discouraged. He says, “I focus on what I can do, not on what I cannot do…Everybody has obstacles, a disability, a hurdle. We face a choice: let the obstacle overcome you, or overcome the obstacle.” Claunch is a charismatic, likeable story teller, and the animated video is an excellent companion to help our students visualize Claunch’s ideas. His message that “I don’t just have a disability, I have an ability” is exactly what we need every student to understand and believe about themselves and others.

A great book to address the idea of ability/disability is Freak the Mighty. This book does have some violence, so I would recommend it for upper elementary or middle school, depending on your kids. Both of the main characters, two seventh grade boys, have disabilities that limit them. Freak was born with Morquio’s Syndrome, which has left much of his body crippled. However, he has an exquisite brain, an extensive vocabulary, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. His best friend Max is huge and extremely strong, but he has a learning disability and has always thought of himself as a “butthead”. They bring out the best in each other and allow each other to experience the world in a whole new way.

Another book to address this issue is Wonder, a story in which the main character, August, attends school for the first time in middle school with major facial abnormalities. One lesson idea could be for students to pull their favorite precepts from the story (or their own precepts) and create positive posters to hang in the classroom or around the school. Both Freak the Mighty and Wonder are excellent choices to address the Common Core State Standard for Speaking and Listening, “engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly”.

The Dolly Gray Award is “presented biennially to the author and illustrator of one picture book and one chapter book that includes a character with developmental disabilities” (Kurtts & Gavigan 2008). Although developmental disabilities are just one part of this conversation, this is a good resource for teachers to find quality literature to teach about ability/disability.

References:

English Language Arts Standards » Speaking & Listening » Grade 6. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/6/

Kurtts, D., & Gavigan, K. (2008). Understanding (dis)abilities through children’s literature. Education Libraries: Childrens Resources, 31(1), 25-25.

Overcoming obstacles - Steven Claunch. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ed.ted.com/lessons/there-s-no-dishonor-in-having-a-disability-steven-claunch

Palacio, R., & Knopf, I. (n.d.). Wonder.

Philbrick, R. (1993). Freak the Mighty. New York, N.Y.: Blue Sky Press.