Prater, Mary Anne, Tina Taylor Dyches, and Marissa Johnstun. "Teaching students about learning disabilities through children's literature." Intervention in School & Clinic 42.1 (Sept 2006): 14(11). Academic OneFile. Gale.
by Mary Anne Prater, Tina Taylor Dyches, and Marissa Johnstun
The article discusses the importance of quality literature dealing with disabilities. According to the article, quality books about disabilities “may be used to promote awareness, understanding, and acceptance of those with disabilities” (Prater, Dyches and Johnstun). The problem is that quality literature can be hard to come by. The authors of the article talk about what elements to look for when searching for books about disabilities. One of the most important things is the characterization used within the story. Characters with LD should have accurate feelings and be portrayed realistically in regards to the disability. Another vital quality is making sure all information about the disability is correct so that it is not mistaken for another. Sometimes literature is not clear as to what disability the character has. That means it is not quality literature, because readers are getting misinformed as to how a certain disability is depicted. Illustrations are a third thing to look for when trying to find quality literature. This is because beginning readers start “reading” the stories through the pictures. One problem with this is that characters with LD are hard to represent through pictures. The authors of the article warn not to select books where characters with LD look different: “Because LD is considered to be an ‘invisible disability,’ it is important that children with LD are not portrayed in illustrations as looking different from their typical peers” (Prater, Dyches and Johnstun).
Having such books in the classroom is imperative for several reasons. The first is that books about disabilities can meet an academic and social need for students. Many books are great openers for discussions about disabilities. Teachers should include these books because they “allow readers to look within themselves to understand feelings relationships, and experiences” (Prater, Dyches and Johnstun) that they read about. For those students with disabilities, the books provide a mirror of characters to which they can relate. Literature allows individuals with a disability to become more accepting of themselves.
Overall, this article was very helpful in learning how to find quality literature about disabilities. It showed exactly what to look for and what to avoid. The article provided a list of books toward the end; it even had a lesson plan.
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