[Reader-list] Fighting Prejudice and Discrimination Against People With Learning Disabilities

[Chintan Girish Modi]

Excerpts from
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/fighting-prejudice-and-discrimination-against-people-learnin

In these lessons, students will work toward understanding what it means to
have a learning disability. The goal is make them aware of prejudice and
discrimination aimed at those with learning disabilities.

*Framework*

In any educational context, there is a wide range of interests as well as
learning strengths and areas of difficulty. A specific learning disability
can stand in the way of a student’s positive experience of school and
learning. And, if the student does not receive necessary support, it can
hamper academic achievement. Moreover, even when learning disabilities are
diagnosed and children receive help, these students may face discrimination
by teachers and their peers due to underlying assumptions regarding the
meaning of intelligence. In these lessons, students will work toward
understanding what it means to have a learning disability. The goal is make
them aware of prejudice and discrimination aimed at those with learning
disabilities.

*Objectives*

*Activities for the lower grades (3-5) will help students:*

* understand the meaning of the term “learning disability”
* consider their own, their school’s and society’s biases related to
learning disabilities
* discuss ways in which labels about intelligence are used to inculcate
prejudice and lead to discrimination against people, and develop more
constructive, specific vocabulary for discussing learning needs
* consider ways to fight prejudice and discrimination against those with
learning disabilities
* make a graphic ‘zine about fighting prejudice and discrimination against
those with learning disabilities

*Activities for the middle grades (6-8) and high school (9-12) will help
students:*

* understand the meaning of the term “learning disability”
* learn about important characters in history who struggled with learning
disabilities and succeeded despite their difficulties
* consider their own, their school’s, and society’s biases related to
learning disabilities
* discuss ways in which labels about intelligence are used to inculcate
prejudice and perpetuate discrimination against people for reasons relating
to race and culture as well as learning, and develop more constructive,
specific vocabulary for discussing learning needs
* consider ways to fight prejudice and discrimination against those with
learning disabilities
* make a graphic ‘zine about fighting prejudice and discrimination against
those with learning disabilities

*Essential Questions*

* What is a learning disability?
* How can learning disabilities affect students’ experiences at school? How
can they affect life outside school?
* What prejudices have caused schools and society to discriminate against
people with learning disabilities, and how can we fight this discrimination?
* How does prejudice and discrimination against people with learning
disabilities connect to other forms of prejudice and discrimination, and
what can we do to fight against these biases?
* What are some advantages of living in a world in which people learn in
different ways?

For more, read
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/fighting-prejudice-and-discrimination-against-people-learnin