Author Shares Ways To Confront Disability Bias
During the 2022 ECE-RJ Kallah, disability rights activist Emily Ladau provided attendees with tools to help confront disability biases and move beyond low expectations.
"We have an opportunity as early childhood educators to set the example for the children and families we work with," said Ladau. "Kids learn what they live and develop an understanding of who and what surrounds them."
The author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally also said, "When we ensure disability-inclusive representation in our classrooms, we foster generations of people who will recognize disability as a natural part of the broader tapestry of humanity."
Ladau also provided the following list of picture books and a video to teach children to empathize and be comfortable around those with disabilities.
- Bodies are Cool Tyler Feder
- We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire, and Eduardo Trejos
- All the Way to the Top by Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins
- What Happened to You? by James Catchpole
- Video: Story time with James Catchpole sharing What Happened to You?
The Charlie and Emma series, written by a mom with a child with disabilities, is another set of wonderful books to use in a classroom.
Unite Staff
February 2022
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