Session Information
04 SES 04 B, Students’ Experiences in Education
Paper Session
Contribution
This paper draws on critical disability studies, challenging the exclusion of right brained thinkers from an education system designed to privilege left brained thinkers. In this paper I focus on individuals labelled as Dyspraxic, constructed by the education system as disabled.
This paper is based on a research project (2010) exploring the effects of Dyspraxia on a child’s emotional wellbeing and peer relationships at school. Innovatively this research was conducted from the child’s perspective. As little previous research has arisen from the perspective of the parents or professionals (Dixon 2003) these children had previously not been given a voice.
The severity and range of difficulties associated with Dyspraxia vary a great deal, making this disorder complex (Henderson 1987). The disorder is well documented but poorly understood and often referred to as the ‘hidden handicap’ (Kirby 1999). Furthermore issues with personality and behaviour are associated with Dyspraxia (Rose, Larkin and Berger 1997; Skinner & Piek 2001; Kalliopuska & Kirila 1987). .
Problems with Dyspraxia potentially increase in severity once the child reaches school. This case study from the United Kingdom (UK) explores the hypothesis that difficulties may be due to structural discrimination in the school system. Ornstein’s (1997) pioneering research on the bilateral specialisation of the brain in the late 1960’s discovered that each of the two hemispheres of the brain function in different ways and are specialised for different types of tasks. Across Europe, most education is delivered more left brained logically sequentially which matches the learning/thinking styles of those children who are left brain dominant and does not recognise the learning needs of children who are right brain dominant.
Selikowitz (1992) suggests that ‘other children, teachers, relatives and society in general, play an important part in determining how a child sees himself and how well he copes’. Therefore negative experiences at school will have consequences for a child’s emotional wellbeing and relationships. Left-brain dominant schooling is therefore a hidden form of structural discrimination. Left-brained individuals are privileged by this form of schooling whereas right-brained individuals perform less well and have poorer emotional well-being and relationships.
Key research questions in this project included;
What are the educational experiences of children with Dyspraxia?
How are peer relationships affected for these children in the educational setting?
What are the implications for these children’s emotional wellbeing?
How do these children view themselves, their difficulties and their relationships in the educational setting?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Dixon, G. M. (2003). Dyspraxia/DCD – The child’s perspective. The Dyspraxia Foundation Professional Journal. Issue 2, 42-49. Henderson, S.E. (1987) In: Concomitants of clumsiness in young school children. Developmental medicine and child neurology, 24, 448-460. Kalliopuska, M. & Kirila, I. (1987). Association of motor performance and cognitive, linguistic and socioemotional factors. Perceptual and motor skills, 65, 399-405. Kirby, A. (1999) Dyspraxia – The Hidden Handicap. London: Souvenir Press (Educational and Academic) Ltd. Ornstein, R. (1997). The right mind: Making sense of the hemispheres. Harcourt, Brace and company, New york. Rose, B., Larkin, D., and Berger, B. G. (1997). Coordination and gender differences on the perceived competence of children. Adapted physical activity quarterly, 14, 210-221. Selikowitz, M. (1992). Dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Oxford University Press: Oxford, U.K. Skinner, R. A., & Piek, J. P. (2001) Psychosocial implications of poor motor coordination in children and adolescence. Human Movement Science, 20, 73-94. Smith, J. (2003). A practical guide to research methods. Sage Publications. London.
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