Labeling is essentially giving an individual a diagnosis. These diagnosis include developmental delays, autism, and emotional disturbance, among others. Once an individual receives a diagnosis, they have the option to apply for resources that were otherwise unavailable. Although labeling is necessary to procure additional funding for school districts, this additional funding is not always used to benefit the individual needs of a child, but rather the needs as labeled by the disability. A label is only useful when it can procure specific intervention to enable a person to navigate in an environment effectively where the disability has otherwise made it difficult or impossible. When an individual is labeled as having a disability, they are …show more content…
This is detrimental to a person’s self-worth. When a student is removed from a class for special services, all who are present receive the message that a particular child is different. This child is not what society perceives as normal. Once a student’s peers receive this message, the student is often excluded from some activity or another among their peers. Lalvani (2015) states that “Some parents had negative views about labelling per se, articulating beliefs that the identification of a child with a disability alters perceptions of the child” (p.383). While most members of society have an internal knowledge that this is wrong, many are unable to move past the disability to truly get to know a child and welcome them into their lives. Often, people wrongly perceive that a disability defines a person instead of understanding that a disability is just one small part of a person’s characteristics. Especially in young children, a lack of education about a disability can often lead to exclusion of others. Understandably, some children are excluded simply because they do not behave according to societal norms, but many others are excluded beyond that due to the label that has been attached to …show more content…
When students are labeled as special ed, these individuals believe they are different in some way. As a whole, society follows the belief that any deviance from the norm is unacceptable. This belief causes students who are identified as needing special education services to believe there is something wrong with who they are as a person. Boyle and Lauchlan (2007) argue that people take comfort in labels because it confirms that nothing an individual has done change the outcome of the offenses committed by the individual. This in turn gives the individual, as well as educators, parents, and others the notion that it is acceptable to continue to exhibit the behaviors they are currently executing. When a person receives a diagnosis, or label, of any kind, expectations are often also received. These expectations can include characteristics of behavior, ability, and appearance. Simply put, when people are labeled, people are limited, both by oneself and
We must not label children due to their disability. It is important we look at their individual need first without focusing on their impairment. We should be realistic about their expectations and modify the curriculum to suit, give them extra support or their own SEN, depending on needs but also encouraging independence as much as possible.
There comes a time in every child’s life when they become aware of who they are and question their place in the world, this is no different for a child with a disability. Most important is that every child has a safe environment to be able to express themselves without receiving judgement from adults.
In another article, “The Functionalist View of Special Education and Disability: Deconstructing the Conventional Knowledge Tradition,” it discusses how Special Education is problematic, due to professional models, practices, and tools that are created from functionalists assumptions and theories, which have been proven to be ineffective, and sometimes harmful (Skrtic, 2005). This article is a great framework for how society has created the stigma of individuals with health, and physical needs, to the term, disabilities. For example, Skrtic explains how, Special Education was founded in part, by students who were removed, and contained due to inefficient organizations and defective students (Skrtic, 2005). Those students who didn’t fit into societies norms, were considered to be deviant, and then labeled as having a disability, or worse, labeled
Disability is when a child or young person has special education needs, which stands for SEN. The children's and families act 2014 states that "If she or he has a learning disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her".
I have personally used labels when referring to students with a disability, and know that is something we, as educators, should be at the forefront to dissipate. Many of us have used phrases like “the girl with Down syndrome,” or “the autistic boy,” but when we do that we are labeling that person has something wrong with them, or that they are largely different that other people. Jennie Fenton likened that thinking process as asking someone “When did you find out you were bald? What is is like being bald? Do you have problems getting a job? Do you live at your parents’ house, or do you live in a home for the bald?” (TEDTalks, 2014). This thought process resonated greatly within me. I would never think to ask these questions or even feel the need to ask them to a person whom has less hair than someone else. So, why would I think or treat someone with a disability differently, or even believe they should be segregated or excluded from every aspect life has to
Over the course of this semester, I have come to the realization that above all, students with disabilities need to be treated with the respect and dignity that one would give any other child. This is why it is important to talk to and about people that have disabilities with “people first” language (Evans, Civil Rights Final Day, 9.17.16). This stems from the idea that a perceived disability is just one of a person’s many attributes. Students with disabilities are people that have individual abilities, interests, and needs. By using “people first” language, one emphasizes the importance of the individual over their diagnosed disability. According to The Arc, an organization that advocates for people with disabilities, “the language in a society used to refer to persons with disabilities shapes its beliefs and ideas about them” (The Arc, 2016). Using “people first” language not only ensures the person in question knows that they are valued, but it also helps set a precedent for the perception of people with disabilities in one’s environment. It also gives the student the opportunity to define his/herself, instead of being identified solely with their disability (The Arc, 2016).
“All children with disabilities must have an individualized education program (IEP), a free and appropriate public education, and be served in the least restrictive environment” (Esteves and Rao, 2008, p.1). Children whom have a leaning disability are looked at differently in society unfortunately, so we need to be there to help them learn that the negativity is not them. We need to help and support families and their children to understand we can help them be successful, it may take longer to get there, but what’s the rush after all we all learn on different paths and, levels. So why judge them if they need more time to process information, we can find avenues to assist them, which are parents like myself that have children in special education, it is just a classroom setting not a label that prevent them from being productive citizens, we need to be there resource as their educators, we not only educate the students, but we help educate the families to help their
Furthermore, school is a place where you make friends and integrate with one another. However, individuals with disabilities are often susceptible to face vast number of stereotypes, labels or discomfort at school. That is because of the lack of consciousness and biases that is created by imposing a distinction between non-disabled versus disabled from an early age. Valerie Piro tells us that some her classmates told her that she has a “perfect personal essay topic” (Piro 3). Her friends imply that she has the “perfect essay topic” because of her disability. Yet, it is rather confusing that they are being ironic, jealous or making fun of her situation. As Piro emphasizes, human beings need to “encourage one another to demand that society accept”
…“Children with disabilities should be educated in the most open and normal environment possible (the least restrictive environment); when needed, evaluations, diagnose, and treatments should be done without stigmatization and discrimination.”… (Pg. 176)
“Labeling is a process of creating descriptors to identify persons who differ from the norm” (White, 2014). “Labeling is required to be included in special education (Government, 2005). Under current law, to receive special education services, a child must be identified as having a disability and, in most cases, must be further classified into one of that state’s categories, such as mental retardation or learning disabilities” (Heward, 2010).
The mandate to provide a free and appropriate education for children regardless of disability and to provide that education in a regular classroom whenever possible, effectively striped educators of the authority to transfer or suspend any student classified as needing special education. This would not have been an issue if it only included the wheelchair bound or blind students who we typically think of as disabled. However, over the past few decades, the increasing number of children classified under the disability categories of Learning Disabled and Emotional Disturbance has shot up. Not so long ago, these children were called “unmanageable” or “antisocial.” Now, part of the definition of emotional disturbance is “an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.” Often teachers and principals will refer children with an emotional disturbance to special education classrooms perhaps because they see the mandated state and federal money, at the very least, as a promise to help the neglected and damaged population of children beset with social and emotional problems. It could be that
Skiba has provided the reader with recommendations to solve the problem of disproportionality. His recommendations provide guidance in both the short- and long-term. According to Skiba (2013), it is no longer acceptable for the states to define disproportionality. Each state has a different political and social culture. Certain cultures have a tendency to be more racial and ethnically bias. Disproportionality should be defined at the national level (Skiba 2013). Skiba (2013) also suggests that there should be an emphasis on the identifying disabilities early. We as a nation must focus on the intervention and prevention of the practice of disproportionate representation. The Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act of 2004 “mandates that states have in place policies and practices to prevent over identification or disproportionate representation by race or ethnicity” (Skiba, 2013, p. 116-117). The states have failed to meet the needs of their students. It is time for the states to be held accountable for their blatant discrimination. It is important for us as a society to provide a voice for the millions of students that are being misidentified by their
Although in many cases teachers have the students’ best interest at heart and hope to benefit them from a referral for an evaluation, inappropriate labeling can bring serious consequences for pupils. As noted on Truth in labeling: disproportionality in special education (2007), once admitted into the special needs program, students tend to remain in special education classes, they are more likely to encounter less rigorous curriculum and lower expectations, they often face social stigma, and have less contact with academically able peers.
One in five American students has a learning disability this is according to the documentary “Misunderstood Minds’’ produced by WGBH. Children with learning disabilities are more likely to become outcasts in school and in society. The documentary follows five families dealing with a differently abled child; Nathan V, Lauren, Sarah Lee, Adam, and Nathan S. The film focuses on difficulties the families go through, professionalism or lack of it by school officials and demystification.
Labeling is an important aspect of today’s society. Although, it often has negative effects on the individual, it is able to help them in a positive manner. Through labeling, individuals are able to receive the care, and adaptations at are needing in order to live as independent as possible. Many laws have been put into place in order to protect and help individuals with disabilities.