The Negative Impact Of Labeling Children With Disability

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

By labelling a child because of there disability can prevent us as seeing the child as a whole person like their gender, culture and social background the medical models is a traditional view of disability and that through medical intervention the person can be cured where in fact in most cases there is no cure. They expect disabled people to change to fit into society.

What is important is that most of these individuals, who have been labeled disabled are fully able people that if under different circumstances would have more opportunity to advance. However, due to their labels they must fight society in order to fight for themselves.

This can cause the student with the disability to distance himself from people including people in his community. They also learn that if they do not want to do something that they can just act out and it goes away. They grow up and do not obtain employment because of their lack of acceptance of people and people accepting them.

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 may be a variety of reasons why pupils are not able to achieve. This may be caused by;

The impacts will likely depend on the type of condition and severity, as well as the physical, emotional, and financial wherewithal of the family and the resources that are available. For parents, having a disabled child may increase stress, take a toll on mental and physical health, make it difficult to find appropriate and affordable child care, and affect decisions about work, education/training, having additional children, and relying on public support. It may be associated with guilt, blame, or reduced self-esteem. It may divert attention from other aspects of family functioning.

Poor health and disability will affect a child’s social and emotional development because they may not be able to do things that their friends can do and not feeling included. Disability can have a positive affect for other children who are friends with a disabled child because they learn empathy and to accept their disability, not just point and stare when they see a disabled person. It also helps the disabled child to feel included with their peers. It also helps the children to learn to care for each other.

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.

Invisible disabilities are exactly what they seem to be: hidden from view. Invisible disabilities come in almost endless varieties, including mental illnesses, HIV, AIDS, diabetes, learning disabilities, epilepsy, and more. While there may be visible components to these disabilities, all of them can be virtually invisible and “hidden” from view. People often make assumptions based on what is visibly seen, so when someone is suffering from something invisible, it is assumed that the person is fine, because they appear to be fine. This assumption causes the reinforcement of stereotypes and prejudice that form misconceptions regarding invisible disabilities. Despite these physical and psychological

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.

classes their academic performance is usually affected. As a matter of fact, it is difficult for

Merely from knowing that a person is disabled they form wrong opinions about other unrelated characteristics of that person. Like people treat one who is mute as in they are deaf by talking in a high-pitch tone.

The curriculum and lesson plans can be too challenging for some student, the student(s) can

When teachers have low expectations of students their learning is negatively impacted and affected in several different ways. The teacher’s and the students’ attitude to their work is wrapped in low motivation, because teachers seem to think that because much is not expected and if the teacher lacks effective strategies for working with such students, then the outcome of success is low then they are less likely to want to teach these students and teach them well. If per chance the student notices the teacher’s attitude towards them then again it doesn’t work well as it is perceived as evidence of their low competence and the drive to perform well is erased.