Abstract
This study contributes to the growing body of research that seeks to destabilize dominant notions of literacy and disability. In particular, we explore teacher candidates’ understandings and constructions of literacy and children with “special needs”, or children identified as having a “learning disability”, before and after they complete their kindergarten-grade six teacher certification (B.Ed). We examine how dominant discourses of dis/ability present themselves in these teacher candidates’ initial and subsequent understandings, and how courses and a tutoring practicum can and cannot work to open up new ideas about literacy and dis/ability. Our intention is to add to the discussions of literacy education and curriculum informed by sociocultural and critical disability theory. This study highlights the connections between literacy and dis/ability as they intersect and are inextricably intertwined throughout the discourses and tensions seen in the data.
Highlights
Over the past forty years, educators and researchers in curriculum studies have recognized that questions of what to teach, and how to teach, can never be adequately addressed without an understanding of students
What initial understandings do teacher candidates have about literacy and young children with special needs and/or children identified as having learning disabilities prior to beginning their Bachelor of Education program?
How can a tutoring placement with special needs learners and literacy focussed courses affect teacher candidates‟ understandings of literacy and children with special needs or children identified as having a “learning disability”?
Summary
Over the past forty years, educators and researchers in curriculum studies have recognized that questions of what to teach, and how to teach, can never be adequately addressed without an understanding of students This recognition and our work with teacher candidates has led us to believe that discussions of dis/ability should be prerequisites for all conversations about literacy and education. These questions informed by perspectives of literacy and dis/ability as socially situated and constructed have been recognized as important for researchers and activists working within New Literacy and critical disability studies (Pahl & Rowsell, 2005; Titchosky, 2007) What is informing teacher candidates understandings of literacy and dis/ability? These questions informed by perspectives of literacy and dis/ability as socially situated and constructed have been recognized as important for researchers and activists working within New Literacy and critical disability studies (Pahl & Rowsell, 2005; Titchosky, 2007)
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