Currently, here at TCNJ, when I would walk down the stairs, grab lunch, or even go to class, I would see visually impaired people walking as if they were just like us. I remember a time when I was on line to grab dinner, and a young woman, who was visually impaired, stood in the middle of the cafeteria because she was lost. Due to the fact that I just arrived on campus, I did not have a clear sense of direction, therefore, I could not assist her. However, another young woman decided to help her. "I could do it!" was the phrase that I overheard the visually impaired young woman say. Not only was she made felt as if she was not capable of performing such task, but as if she did not fit
Everyone is going through a battle that we may not be able to see; however, “American society [is often] unaware or indifferent to the plight of people with disabilities” (Davis, 2013, p. 486). Ableism is one of the most ignored areas of social justice in America. Through my own experiences, I learned that the educational system in particular is not a very knowledgeable, or flexible environment in giving accommodations for students with disabilities. Those who are able-bodied, and do not have invisible disabilities, easily fit the paradigm of an able student in society, i.e., being able to walk to every building, climb stairs to get to class, complete assignments in the allotted time, etc. Our society has socially constructed disability
There are many places that do make things wheelchair friendly, and large businesses often have bathrooms a good size for many wheelchairs. At fast food places and such they often have the touch screen soda machines, which have the wheelchair button so that the shorter people can reach. Places like Children's Miracle Network, which helps with expenses. The Make-A-Wish Foundation that maybe doesn't help with ableism, but helps the kids have a happier life. There are ways to help stop ableism as well, such as being sure the disabled are able to get places, and if there's a way to help them out, even if it's something simple, to do those things helps them feel less segregated, and more like the human beings they are. Be careful not to speak to them in a childish voice and to not look at one and say “i can't believe you're out here doing this! If I was you I would be at home sulking.” They are stuck the way they are, not to be an inspiration or depressing, sometimes they just are. There needs to be people standing for those who cannot. To speak for the silent, and listen like the deaf to understand the misunderstood. Then, someday soon, we will not have to worry about
What is the meaning of bilingualism? Even with a dictionary definition, can it be trusted to give an answer that everyone agrees with? The dictionary definition is controversial, which results in people discussing the actual definition that fits everyone’s perception. But of course, with discussions, comes arguments. Who discusses such topics, and what do they talk about? Two prominent figures who discuss this topic are Martín Espada and Richard Rodriguez. Both have contrasting views on bilingualism, and their views are shown in their essays, which are The New Bathroom Policy at English High School by Espada and Hunger of Memory by Rodriguez. Espada’s definition of bilingualism is the ability to learn a new language and the right to
When someone is bilingual it means they’re fluent in two languages. For Martin Espada this definition goes deeper. For him bilingualism means speaking two languages, but also letting the two languages become a part of him. When a part of someone’s identity is threatened, they don’t just sit back and let it happen, they fight back. This is the same for Espada. He’s been fighting back for the right to speak Spanish because for him he finds that “the best way for me to maintain Spanish is to fight for the right to speak Spanish” (17-18). He stands up to oppressors that don’t want him to speak Spanish, and keeps fighting.
Movements for bilingual education rose in 1974 with the Equal Education Opportunity Act and Bingual Education Act, which ordered federally funded schools to meet special educational needs for students not proficient in English. Unfortunately, dropout rates and lack of English-language proficiency alarmed the states that these bilingual programs were not efficent. Because of this, arguments between English-only advocates and supporters of bilingual educations emerged. Articles such as the New York Times have proclaimed the failures of bilingual education. One cause could be the resistance of immigrants from English language acquisition, who hold tight onto their first language and culture. Despite this, studies show that generations
The United States has many minority groups that face oppression. In the media today, most of the minority issues that are highlighted involve the LGBTQ community, women, and racial minorities. Differently-abled people are rarely given the space to share with the world how they see it. This literature review will discuss terms related to visual impairment, legislative measures taken in the United States to assist those with severe visual impairments, and the oppression and discrimination those who are visually impaired face.
When not allowing the blind to participate in events, educating them, or even producing some kind of program to assist presents a form of rejection. Also, to raise people’s awareness is that everyone deserves and have an opportunity to education, but "disempowering the visual impaired and denying them the opportunity to direct and control their own learning" (Doake) is far from justice.
How I speak to my friends differs from the way I speak to my teachers. How I speak to my family differs from the way I speak in public. Does my ability to speak multiple dialects of English infer I am bilingual? Society commonly interprets bilingualism as the capability to speak multiple languages. In reality, someone’s cultural and emotional connection largely helps define bilingualism. I define bilingualism as someone’s ability to express their culture(s) while speaking a language(s). The writers Martin Espada and Richard Rodriguez discuss their views of bilingualism within their essays. Espada teaches at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and conducts political poems. In his essay “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School” he
Who else can there be? Helen Keller, the amazing author who was both blind and dead at 19 months old. She lives most of her life struggling and stressing out, not being able to do much. She was the first disable person to graduate school and even received a Bachelor of Art Degree. But she didn’t do it all alone. Her teacher, Anne Sullivan, contributed to her success. She taught Helen the manual alphabet, hand writing, and other forms of communication and understanding,"I learned to spell in this uncomprehending way a great many words, among them pin, hat, cup and a few verbs like sit, stand and walk. But my teacher had been with me several weeks before I understood that everything has a name.” Anne and her husband helped Keller with her first book, the autobiography, “The Story of My Life”. After her success, she wrote more books and inspired other disabled people to do things in life and paved a path for
I was taken back by how often I had to give verbal cues as to the condition of the road or sidewalk. In a place like old town, which is considered a historical landmark, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations are not usually employed, so for a person with a disability this can be challenging to navigate as the sidewalks are narrow, unbalanced and obstructed. Every bump and crack in the road is a tripping hazard to someone whose vision is impaired. Keeping my patient from running into people or telephone poles and when to step up and down curbs was a task. Several times I had to walk behind her because the two of us could not fit side by side on the walking paths. In addition to the extremely slow walking pace we had to maintain to avoid falling, I would forget she could not see what I could see and kept telling her to look at this store or sculpture, she then would remind me she could not see it so I would then describe it to her or take her to the item so she could feel it for herself. Another thing I noticed is the amount of attention you suddenly get as strangers watch you with curiosity, whereas they would normally probably never have given us a second glance if we were not portraying a person with impairments. One concerned onlooker did approach us as we were going down uneven
As stated by the founding fathers of America “All men are created equal.” Black, white, brown, short, tall, smart, and dumb, all are created equally. Therefore every person deserves fair judgement. Unfortunately, it is a profound fact that not everyone is born normal and capable of task typical for a common person, who is free from disability. In my opinion, the quote “All men are created equal” serves to promote a friendly environment that helps encourage equality among people and aids to recognize the similarities rather than the differences that separates men. Even so, with this hope, the disabled community still struggles for equality. According to Legal Rights by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), “Almost 10 percent of all
With that being said, I can see how some visually impaired individuals are talked down by their peers. For example, some students were not as advanced as others; some would still be walking with another student or teacher while another blind student would be walking alone. Some are more advanced due to the way their family and peers act towards them along with their behaviors. Another example is, Couple days at the park in North Manchester I saw a visually impaired teenager playing on the playground and swinging just like any other child would do while at the park. She was not scared of doing anything, and nothing stopped her from climbing the rock wall, swinging or going down the slide. For me, these examples prove that blind people can really see if they set their mind to it and want to believe that they can they will succeed. It is all about emotions, beliefs, and assumptions. To be successful, the first step is getting outside your comfort
On the other hand for the blind they have certain tools they can use in public such as braille being scripted onto most of items whether its in a school, church, or even their home. Now for the mentally crippled people there are challenges such as not being social, having depression, and communication. There aren't too many differences between the groups but the thing they have in common is the discrimination they get. For most it doesn't affect them at all. As, Nancy Mairs, once stated in "On Being A Cripple" "Whatever you call me, I remain cripple".
To be honest, I’m not sure how heteronormativity was normalized for me growing up. But I do remember my first crush was back in kindergarten. I guess bible study and looking at stories like Adam and Eve, simply looking at couples from church, and movies helped me figure out that couples were meant to be a male and a female and if wasn’t. So I guess my parents just assumed heterosexuality, but they were really open to talk about “gays” when I had questions about it. I learned at an early age that being “gay” was a sin and people that were gay would go to hell when they died. But we should still treat each them with love because God still loved them just not their
Seeing an individual with an evident disability is not uncommon. Usually in a large crowd, say at a subway station, there are groups quickly maneuvering around obstacles with ease. Upon closer examination, there is typically a disabled individual, incapable of joining a crowd, examining how exactly they are going to progress with their movement. This is an