Inclusive and Supportive Education Congress
International
Special Education Conference
Inclusion: Celebrating Diversity?
1st - 4th August 2005. Glasgow, Scotland
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Inclusive and Supportive Education Congress 1st - 4th August 2005. Glasgow, Scotland |
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Anna M. Donnelly, Ed.D.
Washington College, Chestertown, MD, USA
pdonnelly2@washcoll.edu
Treat people as if they are what they ought to be, and you will help them become what they are capable of being. Goethe
ISEC challenges us to identify practices, relationships, environments and experiences that will contribute to service quality in an inclusive environment. If one accepts the proposition that inclusion is an attitude rather than an action or a set of actions, it is incumbent on proponents of inclusionary practice to provide meaningful activities in an environment that will nourish an inclusive attitude (Falvey, et al, 1995). How can we use, books, one of the primary tools of our trade to assist in this endeavor?
Does a reader lose himself in a book or does he find himself in a book? I suggest that immersion in quality literary works leads the reader to find himself. I propose that Readers’ Theatre is a powerful pedagogical strategy for deepening children’s understanding of diversity issues. Through the use of high quality literature applied to Readers’ Theatre the teacher can nurture in his classroom an empathetic environment that will contribute to implementation of inclusionary initiatives.
To establish an environment receptive to such learning, we cite 5 of the 39 guidelines for social and emotional education as suggested by Elias and his colleagues (Elias, Zins, Weissberg, Frey, Greenberg, Haynes, Kessler, Schwab-Stone, & Shriver, 1997) that are most applicable to the goals of creating relationships, environments and experiences that contribute to service quality in an inclusionary setting. These guidelines suggest that teachers … provide a developmentally appropriate combination of formal, curriculum-based instruction with ongoing, informal, and infused opportunities to develop social and emotional skills from preschool through high school;… use a variety of teaching methods to actively promote multiple domains of intelligence; provide repetition and practice which are vital to the integration of cognition, emotion, and behavior; create a caring, supportive, and challenging classroom and school climate; coordinate and integrate programs and activities into the regular curriculum and life of the classroom and school as these are most likely to have the desired effect on students, and are also most likely to endure (pp 139-140).
The classroom that supports inclusive practice should be a genial place “dedicated to the celebration of learning and young minds; a cognitive greenhouse, so to speak, that honors and celebrates the capacities of each and every student.” (Armstrong, 1998, p 60). In a genial classroom there is belief in every student’s genius, and every student’s experience will be equally honored without judgment. Students will have the freedom to choose in an atmosphere supportive of open-ended exploration. Immersion in quality works of children’s literature that celebrate the diversity of abilities rather than highlight disabilities or other deviations from a “norm” can be an effective contributor to the establishment of such a genial environment.
The Literature- Selections from Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Perhaps the most popular genre of literature for young people is contemporary realistic fiction. Because story characters are leading lives similar to that of the reader, and/or are facing similar experiences, the young reader can easily identify with the fictional characters. They “ring true”. In fact, there is the possibility that the reader views the character as a kindred spirit. Connecting with a character in the “here and now” packs an additional emotional punch (Darigan, et al, 2002). The best contemporary realistic fiction will examine human beings facing and overcoming the challenges of living today. An examination of one schematic of the genre’s subtopics reveals that the suggested categories are not mutually exclusive. In fact, if a character is coping with one or more of the problems of the human condition, such as physical disabilities, or learning disabilities, s/he is certainly coping in an environment that includes family, or family substitute and the diverse world of the classroom.
Figure 1 Web of Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Huck, Hepler, Hickman & Kiefer, (1997)
Many selections are written from the “coper’s” point of view. The character’s “insider voice” lends credence to the challenges he faces trying to become his own person while coping with a special need. People learn best when the curriculum touches their emotions as well as their minds. (Parker, 1991). The emotional intensity of the first person perspective evokes empathy.
Settings of the selections we will review generally include the main character’s school and classroom environment as well as home. Again through the genre of contemporary realistic fiction, the reader can identify with the issues facing the character as existing in his own environment. Watching from a “safe distance” the reader can empathize with the character’s attempts to deal with the demands of his particular environment. Our hope is that there will be transfer of learning that will contribute to implementation of inclusionary initiatives. Our literature selections will therefore include works that explore environments that celebrate diversity and nurture inclusion, and that portray teacher behaviors that support children with special needs and effectively promote their feelings of self-worth. Within the selections exist the opportunity for follow-up discussion of environments and teacher behaviors that do not seem to support children with special needs as perceived by the child character.
Appendix A contains an annotated bibliography of books for a range of young readers. Each of these books features characters who are living with a special need; each protagonist is unique and believable; each grows and changes in a
plot presented in such a way that the reader cares about the outcome. There may also be unexpected insights about the human experience as characters work their way through their problems. In other words, each book is a work of quality literature for young readers. Any or all of these books can be discussed in the classroom as a selection in Literature Circles or Book Clubs in alignment with curriculum goals and standards. However, their impact can be intensified by converting some selections into Readers’ Theatre performances.
Readers’ Theatre is a strategy believed to build meaning (Rasinski & Hoffman, 2003) through repeated reading (Samuels, 1979) of a script intended for performance emphasizing fluent oral expression. During repeated readings of the script, meaning is built as readers interpret the work for performance. By becoming the story characters, children can vicariously experience the need to feel included; they can find themselves in another person’s skin. The meaning we seek to help children build is empathy for the other. We must first increase students’ awareness of each other’s needs (Stainback & Stainback, 1990) and create a caring, supportive, and challenging classroom and school climate that promotes social and emotional teaching and learning (Elias, et al, 1997). Empathy for another’s feelings precedes one’s ability to celebrate diversity and effectively practice inclusion. To interpret a character through a Readers’ Theatre performance, the reader must ponder his character’s motivations, fears, desires, etc that are generally hidden from the world in order to give meaningful validity to the character’s actions (Adams, 2003).
The teacher can prepare the script herself or in the case of older readers, the students can develop the script based on relevant and meaningful portions of the story. In this workshop, we will review some of these books and perform one or more Readers’ Theatre.
Experiencing the books through Readers’ Theatre
Building on the ideas presented in the previous section, let me reiterate that as educators, we must design a learning environment in which attitudes must be examined, competencies nurtured and knowledge built according to developmental needs and in concert with one another. (Elias, et al 1997) and in which students want to participate. Indeed, that environment must invite students to participate (Keller & Cravedi-Chang, 1995). In keeping with best practices of classroom organization, teachers must consider the use of thematic, activity-based, experiential formats to facilitate the participation of all students including those with special learning needs. Learning takes place in a dynamic interaction between the student and the environment (Udvari-Solner, 1995). Readers’ Theatre offers an effective and inviting means of achieving these goals.
The distinctive feature of Readers’ Theatre as compared to a play performance is that the performers read the script, relying on their voice and perhaps facial expression to convey the story’s meaning. There is no need to memorize lines, nor does the performance require elaborate staging. These allowances permit participation by everyone in the class. Because Readers’ Theatre is a performance activity in which students rely on oral interpretation skills to communicate with the audience, practice is essential (Tyler & Chard, 2000). The more the reader “gets into” the script through repeated readings, the more likely s/he is to empathize with the character s/he is portraying. My position is that by establishing empathy for the special needs of others, a genial and supportive environment can be established that will support inclusion.
As has been stated, workshop participants will participate in a Readers’ Theatre interpretation of a selection from one of the above reviewed books. Appendix B contains a brief outline of the steps involved in developing a script based on an existing text as well as a list of additional sources, should participants want additional support for classroom use. In this workshop, we will also work with selected text to retell it as Readers’ Theatre.
The goal of this workshop is that participants will leave with an understanding of the role quality literature interpreted through Readers’ Theatre can play in promoting and celebrating diversity in their own classrooms, and a basic outline for implementing this pedagogical strategy.
Adams, W. (2003). Institute book of readers’ theater. Chapel Hill, NC: Professional Press.
Armstrong, T. (1998). Awakening genius in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Darigan, D.L., Jacobs,J. S., & Tunnell, M. O. (2001).Children’s literature: Engaging teachers and children in good books . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Elias, M. J. , Zins, J. E. , Weissberg, R. P. , Frey, K. S. , Greenberg, M. T. , Haynes, N. M. , Kessler, R. , Schwab-Stone, M. E. , Shriver, T. P. (1997).
Promoting social and emotional learning . Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Falvey, M. A., Givner, C. C. & Kimm, C. (1995). What is an inclusive school? In R. A., Villa, & J. S. Thousand, (Eds.),Creating an Inclusive School (pp.1-12). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Huck, C. S., Hepler, S., Hickman, J., & Kiefer, B. (1997). Children’s Literature in the Elementary School. New York: Harcourt.
Keller. N. & Cravedi-Chang, L. (1995) Voice of inclusion: Developing a shared voice – yours, mine, and ours. In R. A. Villa, & J. S. Thousand, (Eds.), Creating an Inclusive School ( pp. 80-86). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Parker, W. (1991). Renewing the Social Studies Curriculum. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Rasinski, T. V. & Hoffman., J. V. (2003). Oral reading in the school literacy curriculum. Reading Research Quarterly, 38(4), 510-522.
Samuels, S. J. (1979). The method of repeated reading. The Reading Teacher, 32, 403-408.
Stainback, S. & Stainback, W. (1990). Facilitating support networks. In W. Stainback & S. Stainback (Eds.), Support Networks for Inclusive Schooling: Interdependent Integrated Instruction. (pp 25 -36). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Tyler, B & Chard, D. J. (2000). Using readers’ theatre to foster fluency in struggling readers’: A twist on the repeated reading strategy. Reading and Writing Quarterly,16(2), 163-167.
Udvari-Solner, A. (1995). A process for adapting curriculum in inclusive classrooms. In R. A., Villa, & J. S. Thousand, (Eds.), Creating an Inclusive School (pp.110-124). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Appendix A
Children’s Literature for Celebrating Diversity
Amazing Grace Hoffman, Mary Binch, Caroline Dial 1991 K-2; 3-4 CRF; PB
African Americans;Race Relations; Identity
Grace is a highly imaginative girl who delights in assuming the persona of fictional characters. When her teacher announces that the class will prepare a production of Peter Pan, Grace decides that she will seek the lead role but is told by her classmates that she can’t have the part because she is a girl and because she is black. Grace’s mother and grandmother encourage her to try anyway. Grandma takes her to a ballet performance where the prima ballerina is a black girl, to show Grace that being black does not have to be a barrier to success.
All weekend Grace practices the part of Peter Pan for the auditions. On Monday, her performance wins her the part. This book shows the power of words to hurt and of actions, such as those provided by Grace’s family and her teacher, to heal.
I Have a Sister, My Sister Is Deaf Peterson, Jeanne Whitehouse Ray, Deborah Kogan Harper 1977 K-2 INF; PB
Deafness ; Physical Disabilities; Sisters
This is a poetic picture storybook about two sisters, one who hears, and one who is deaf. In parallel format, the hearing sister tells about the things she and her sister do together. While told form the hearing sister’s point of view, we see the competencies of the deaf sister and gain insights into everyday events from both perspectives.
Maizon at Blue Hill Woodson, Jacqueline Delacorte 1992 5-6 CRF
African Americans; Schools ; Gifted Children; Race Relations
Maizon Singh, one of the brightest students at her city school, is offered a scholarship to Blue Hill an all-girls’ boarding school in the country. Despite her misgivings and her comfort level in her present environment, she agrees to give it a try because her grandmother wants it for her. On her arrival, she learns that she is just one of a handful of black students. Maizon explores the different paths the girls have taken to benefit from the school’s offerings. Maizon Singh gives the reader an insider’s view of racial biases. Through the reading we learn that there are some encouraging house mothers who reach out to Maizon, but we learn nothing of the school’s attempts to establish an environment where this kind of inclusion can effectively exist.
Egg-Drop Blues Banks, Jacqueline Turner Houghton 1995 5-6 CRF
Dyslexia;Schools; African Americans; Brothers; Twins
As Egg Drop Blues opens, we meet sixth grader Judge Jenkins and his mother as they sit in a conference with the school principal who mistakenly calls Judge by his twin brother’s name, Jury. The principal wants to discuss Judge’s dyslexia, which she has difficulty naming, preferring to use the term “right-brain thinker”. The story concerns Judge’s attempts to engage his brother in the upcoming Einstein Rally, a science festival, to have some school success.
This story gives us first person insights into dyslexia. It also shows us how the words and actions of parents, peers, teachers and administrators can affect an inclusive environment.
The Other Side of Silence Mahy, Margaret Viking 1995 5-6 CRF
Mutism -- Elective ; Self-Realization; Family Problems
In The Other Side of Silence we meet Hero, a twelve year old girl in her third year of elective mutism. We soon learn that she is the third of three very bright and articulate children in what she describes as a "word" family. By her own admission, Hero remains a "word child" though she has "magicked " herself in the silence of a dual life, which she designates as real and true lives. Surprising events in both of her domains of existence culminate in Hero's finding her voice again. As she says, I only knew that my silence was the way in which I had made myself special, made myself powerful in a family in which everyone struggled to find their own power. "Not talking's my way of being famous," I said, knowing, for the first time, this was true. In a family that let words flow away like wasting water, silence had been an alternative authority. Through Hero's soliloquies and silent interaction with the people in her life, we are able to enter Hero's world to understand what it is like to live in the state of elective mutism.
Do Bananas Chew Gum? Gilson, Jamie Pocket 1980 5-6 CRF
Reading Disability ; Schools
Sam Mott is the “new kid” in his sixth grade class where he is hoping to be accepted by his classmates and most of all to be called Sam. This is a concern to him because in his last school, he was called “Dumbhead Sam” because of his reading problems. So he is quite dismayed when his mother tells him that the school wants to test him again. Convinced that he is just plain stupid, he resists until a challenge is laid down to him by the mother of the boys he baby-sits after school. Through the intervention and assistance of the learning support teacher and a fellow classmate, Sam learns more about his abilities and how to manage his learning challenges. This book provides an excellent first person insight into a child’s self-perceived assessment of learning differences and of the impact of a teacher who believes that all children can learn.
Tangerine Bloor, Edward Harcourt 1997 7+ CRF
Visually Handicapped; Physically Handicapped ; Brothers
Paul Fisher, legally blind since the age of five, moves with his family to Tangerine Florida, where his Dad has taken a job. He lives both in fear of and in the shadow of his older brother Erik, a high school kicker football hero. Paul's sport is soccer, so he is delighted to join the soccer team in his new school. That pleasure is short-lived as he is told that he cannot play because of the IEP he received for his "blindness". He gets another chance when many of the portable classrooms of his school disappear into a sinkhole and he exercises an option to attend a neighboring middle school in the heart of the city. Paul proves himself on and off the soccer field, showing that he can actually "see" much more than many others around him. Through his experiences at the urban middle school, we also receive insights into minority cultural mores.
Freak the Mighty Philbrick, Rodman Blue Sky 1993 7+ CRF
Learning Disabilities; Physically Handicapped ; Friendship
Maxwell Kane has grown up as the neighborhood and school outcast. His father is in prison for murdering Max's mother, so he is accustomed to hearing, "Killer Kane, Killer Kane, had a kid who got no brain." In Max's words, "I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while, and that's the truth, the whole truth, the unvanquished truth." Max's life changed in the summer before eighth grade when Kevin Dillon, moved in down the street. Kevin had problems of his own, as he suffered from a rare disorder which kept his body from growing but had't kept his genius from developing. Quickly Max and Kevin establish the practice of combining their strengths. Kevin sits on Max's broad shoulders and Max becomes "legs" for both of them. Together they are Freak the Mighty. In Kevin's words, "Sometimes we're nine feet tall, and strong enough to walk through walls. Sometimes we fight gangs. Sometimes we find treasure. Sometimes we slay dragons and drink from the Holy Grail!" This describes the summer of their friendship. Things change for Max when he returns to school in the fall. He no longer attends his LD classes, but is assigned to all of Kevin's classes so he can continue to serve as Kevin's legs. We see the strengths and needs of both boys and of the adults who impact their lives.
Thank You, Mr. Falker Polacco, Patricia Philomel 1998 3-4; 5-6 CRF; PB
Reading; Teachers ; Self-Perception
Trisha, the littlest girl in the family, grew up loving books. Her schoolteacher mother read to her every night. Her redheaded brother brought his books home from school and shared them. And whenever she visited the family farm, her grandfather or grandmother read to her by the stone fireplace. When she turned five and went to kindergarten, most of all she hoped to read, but she didn’t. She felt different and dumb when she still couldn’t read by third grade. Then her mother got a teaching job across the country, so they moved. Trisha hoped the children at her new school wouldn’t know how dumb she was. But at the new school it was the same, until Mr. Falker arrived as the new fifth grade teacher and took an interest in her. This book is a poignant look at what it feels like to be unable to satisy your deepest longings. From Mr. Falker and Miss Plessy, the reading teacher, we learn what it takes to reach and teach someone like Trisha, a dyslexic. The story is all the more moving when in the epilogue we learn that the story is autobiographical.
Mary Marony Hides Out Kline, Suzy Bantam 1993 K-2; 3-4 CRF
Stuttering ; Schools
Mary Marony is a second grader who loves to read. In fact, she has just finished reading a new book by her favorite author, who is coming to Elm School. At the assembly, which included all of the students from third grade through sixth grade the author asked if anyone had read her newest book. Of course, Mary had not only read the book, but she had brought it with her for the author to sign. Mary's friends prompted her to raise her hand, and she did so reluctantly. The author asked her to stand up and to say her name. This was a crisis for Mary because she stuttered; her most difficult letter was, you guessed it, "m". So, in front of the entire assembly, all she was able to say was, "Muh, muh, muh, muh, muh, muh…" prompting her teacher to supply her name. Humiliated, Mary ran to her hideout during lunch. It is announced that one student from each class will be selected to have lunch with the author on the following day. Mary wins the chance in her classroom by being the last one standing in a "Wasp bee", however her humiliation from the day before overrides her desire to speak with her favorite author so she runs away again. Mary's classroom teacher sends Mary's speech therapist to find her and we are able to read about how she works with Mary.
Are You Alone on Purpose? Werlin, Nancy Houghton 1994 5-6; 7+ CRF
Physically Handicapped; Autism; Family Life; Twins; Jews
Alison has always been the "good child" in the Shandling family. Alison had been making sure of that for as long as she could remember. Adam, her twin brother, who is autistic, was the child who worried her parents. Alison was the one who wasn't any trouble. When Adam, despite his autism, begins private tutoring with Rabbi Roth in preparation for his bar mitzvah, Alison accompanies him for security though she dreads an encounter with Harry Roth, the Rabbi's son. However, when Harry becomes a paraplegic after a diving accident at summer camp, Alison begins to know him in new ways.In this book, we see two adolescents who inhabit personal "prisons" built on their own need to manage the special environmental circumstances. Much to the surprise of both parents, Alison and Harry gain insight into their respective "aloneness" and help each other begin to emerge from it.
Joey Pigza Loses Control Gantos, Jack Farrar 2000 3-4; 5-6 CRF
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ; Fathers and Sons; Alcoholism Joey Pigza wears a daily patch to control his ADHD. This story takes place during the summer recess from school when Joey is invited by his estranged father to join him at his home in another part of the state. All goes well as Mr. Pigza delightedly includes his son, an excellent pitcher, on his little league team with hopes of winning the championship. Things are progressing smoothly when Joe’s Dad, a recovering alcoholic, decides to “help” Joey by removing his ”crutch”, that is by throwing away his patches. Joey, who has an amazing ability to observe and analyze his own behavior warns his father against this course of action but tires to make it work. It doesn’t and he loses control. This book is one of the best books giving an insider’s voice to ADHD.
Yellow Bird and Me Hansen, Joyce Clarion 1986 5-6; 7+ CRF
Dyslexia; Schools; African Americans; Friendship
James Towers, aka Yellow Bird, the dyslexic class clown and Doris, the sixth grade class "brain" are an unlikely pair. Doris misses her best friend, Amir, who moved away; Yellow Bird misses him too. When Amir was there, the three would study together. Yellow Bird desperately wants to continue to study with Doris but she won't hear of it until she receives a letter from Amir that makes her change her mind. Events in school convince her to work with Bird so that he can raise his grades and be a part of the school's drama club. Doris comes to understand Yellow Bird and even to value him. Through their tutorial relationship, she learns a great deal about herself as well. This book is filled with insights into the minds of these sixth grade students. The classroom scenes will be familiar to anyone who has worked with challenging students.
Appendix B
CONVERTING A TEXT TO READER’S THEATRE FORMAT
Selecting a text for RT
Writing the script
Formatting
Interpreting the story for RT
Performing the RT
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