Running Head: COMPLEXITIES OF THE DISABLED, MINORITY CHILD
Complexities of the Disabled, Minority Child
Kristi Langley
COMPLEXITIES OF THE DISABLED, MINORITY CHILD
Classrooms today are liberal with multicultural ethnicities. Children of different
cultures bring unique and colorful heritages to our classrooms and create very enriching
learning experiences for teachers as well as for students. They show us that God loves
wondrous variety. Teachers need to recognize that in
we are many. We are culturally diverse, and as a result, we may have different dialects,
and very different learning experiences. Under “normal” circumstances, this can prove
to be a very challenging job for a teacher. When the circumstances are not quite so
“normal”, it can be even more difficult to contend with. A new facet is introduced,
when a child who is in a minority has a disability. They must face some obstacles that
perhaps their white counterparts do not.
The Effects of a Label
Labeling
Unfortunately, race plays a key role in labeling a child “disabled”. Hispanics seem to
have a higher rate of disability in predominantly white districts. African-American
students also have a high rate of disability in these same districts. Could this be the result
of a “label” that we are putting on our multicultural students, or maybe we don’t have
enough information about their backgrounds to properly teach and present material to
them? It has been shown that when a minority child’s culture and language is
incorporated into the curriculum, a greater level of learning takes place. A label can have
a powerful and long-term effect in the life of a child, and I think that in the case of
minorities, “labels” can do more harm than good.
COMPLEXITIES OF THE DISABLED, MINORITY CHILD
Finding
Being Disabled, and
Being Minority
In the cases of true disabilities with minority children, they face some large obstacles.
First, they must overcome the “race” factor. Sometimes, our society is not so kind to
those who have a different heritage than our own. After overcoming the “race” factor,
they are left to deal with their disability. As teachers, we want all of our students to reach
their maximum potential, and to do this, I think we need to minimize the cultural
differences made between students. There seems to be a large gap between “our” culture
and “theirs”. We need to find a way to close this gap, and when we do, I think we will
see some very encouraging results. We need to teach our students to overcome
discrimination with certain ethnic groups, and we need to get parents involved, as well.
In most cases, families who come from minority backgrounds had incomes of less than
$200.00 a week. They are largely one-parent families, and, in a lot of cases, have no
extended family support. They often feel isolated from their peers and feel that they are
“on their own”. All of these things compound the problems that come with having a
disability, and cause families to lose confidence and trust in the system that is supposed
to be there to better help them.
Help Is Needed
Unmet Needs
It would certainly seem that we, as teachers, could recognize when one of our students
is not having their needs met at home, but according to studies, this is not the case.
Parents of minority children report that they had more unmet needs than their white
COMPLEXITIES OF THE DISABLED, MINORITY CHILD
counterparts. The parents identified seven or more areas where they needed more
support than was being provided. These areas included, but were not limited to, learning,
communication, physical abilities, access to leisure opportunities, and learning about
culture and region. (Utting, 1999) We must make every effort to see that all of our
students needs are being met, because if needs are not met at home, learning will be
greatly stifled at school.
Conclusion
Having a disability in addition to being in a minority is a compound challenge. It
means having to face social and material disadvantages that others may not have to face.
Teachers can aid students by being supportive and attentive to their individual situations.
I think that the level of isolation in the classroom can be cut down greatly by
incorporating the child’s culture/cultures into the class curriculum. This is a great
opportunity for the other students to learn about other heritages, and it gives the minority
student a sense of pride and belonging. They should always be included and feel like
they are part of the class. The classroom teacher is a key component in a child’s learning
success. If she can make the learning environment a safe, and comfortable place to be,
the children will be receptive to her teaching and will want to be in class. Having a
disabled, minority child may pose certain challenges, but, a focused and attentive teacher
can help make the child’s path a little easier, and their learning experience more
beneficial. Every teacher should keep in mind that all children can be taught, regardless
of race, or other disabling components, and it is her job to make sure that the child does
learn and succeed.
References
No author.(April, 2003)Education Issues/Federal Education Programs. Retrieved on
No author.(May, 1999)Minority Ethnic Families Caring For a Severely Disabled Child.
Retrieved on
/539.asp
No author. (July, 2002)Users’ Views of Community Care for Asian Disabled People.
Retrieved on
752.asp
Utting,D.(May, 1999)Study Finds Minority Ethnic Families With
Disabled Children
‘Living On the Edge’. Retrieved on
pressroom/releases.190599.asp