Using Children's Literature to Examine the Disability Discourses of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers

• In Event: 72.049 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 72.049-16 - Producing In/Exclusion: Uncommon Narratives of Discourse, Voice, and Representation

Abstract

I investigated the disability discourses of pre-service teachers in one Social Studies methods courses for undergraduates in an early childhood teaching program. In one course assignment, pre-service teachers used children’s literature with a disability theme to examine and discuss disability with early childhood learners. To help the pre-service teachers conceptualize disability as a diversity issue and to understand mainstream disability discourses and their effect on children’s perceptions of disabled people, a Disability Studies lens was applied. My qualitative analysis of data collected included transcriptions of class sessions, reading responses, field notes, and lesson plan documents. Findings generated four prevalent discourses: the discourse of labeling; the discourse of being human; the discourse of inclusion and segregation; and the discourse of authority.

Author

• Sue Mankiw, William Paterson University