Challenging Ableism in Efl and Esl Classrooms: Suggestions for Teachers

Year 2021, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 127 - 138, 30.12.2021

Sezen Arslan

Abstract

There are millions of disabled people across the world, and they are often vulnerable to discrimination. As a result, they experience difficulties concerning health, education, and employment because non-disabled people are considered more normal and superior than disabled people. This kind of segregation leads to ableism which is based on the belief that disabilities are flaws and disabled people are inferior, more fragile, and less strong. Ableism is an understanding that values the general physical and/or mental abilities of the people. It can manifest itself in different forms. Among them are the verbal expressions which refer to the ableist language. Considering that one’s perception of the world is immensely affected by the language that s/he uses, it is of crucial importance to eliminate ableist language. Apart from non-ableist language, a non-ableist pedagogy should also be promoted. To achieve a more inclusive world, the education settings should reflect a non-ableist pedagogy by including disability themes and related activities. English as foreign and second language classrooms can provide convenient contexts to develop an awareness of non-ableist language and pedagogy. Therefore, drawing on the extant literature, this study sets out to suggest pedagogical implementations that can be used in English classes to promote non-ableism. 

Keywords

ableism, ableist language, English as a foreign language, English as a second language

Yabancı Dil ve İkinci Dil Olarak İngilizce Sınıflarında Sağlamcılık ile Mücadale: Öğretmenler İçin Öneriler

Abstract

Dünya genelinde milyonlarca engelli insan vardır ve bu insanlar genellikle ayrımcılığa karşı savunmasız durumdadırlar. Bunun sonucu olarak, engelli olmayanlar, engellilere göre daha normal ve üstün kabul edildiğinden engelli kişiler, sağlık, eğitim ve istihdam konusunda zorluklar yaşamaktadırlar. Bu tür bir ayrım, engelli olmanın kusurlu olduğu, engelli kişilerin daha güçsüz ve daha hassas olduğu anlayışına dayanmaktadır. Sağlamcılık, insanların genel mental ve/veya fiziksel yeteneklerine önem vermektedir. Dolayısıyla, kendini farklı şekillerde gösterebilir. Bunlar arasında, sağlamcı dile atıfta bulunan sözlü ifadeler vardır. Kişinin dünyayı algılayışının kullandığı dilden büyük ölçüde etkilendiği düşünüldüğünde, sağlamcı dilin ortadan kaldırılması büyük önem taşımaktadır. Sağlamcılık karşıtı dilin yanı sıra, sağlamcılık karşıtı pedagoji de desteklenmelidir. Daha kapsayıcı bir dünya için, eğitim ortamları, engellilik temalarını ve etkinliklerini dahil ederek sağlamcılığa karşı olan bir pedagojiyi yansıtmalıdır. Yabancı dil ve ikinci dil olarak İngilizce sınıfları, sağlamcılık karşıtı dil ve pedagoji bilincini geliştirmek için uygun bağlamlar sağlayabilir. Bu nedenle bu çalışma, mevcut literatürden yola çıkarak, sağlamcılık karşıtlığını destekleyici İngilizce derslerinde kullanılabilecek pedagojik uygulamalar önermektedir. 

Keywords

sağlamcılık, sağlamcı dil, yabancı dil olarak İngilizce, ikinci dil olarak İngilizce

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