Race & Social Justice Teacher Resources: Disability Culture Experience

Blog article by Ashley Eisenmenger
December 12, 2019

"As language, perceptions and social mores change rapidly, it is becoming increasingly difficult for journalists and other communicators to figure out how to refer to people with disabilities. Even the term “disability” is not universally accepted. This style guide, which covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability, can help. The guide was developed by the National Center on Disability and Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and was last updated in the summer of 2021."

"Words are powerful.
The words you use and the way you portray individuals with disabilities matters. This factsheet provides guidelines for portraying individuals with disabilities in a respectful and balanced way by using language that is accurate, neutral and objective."

Article by Elizabeth Greiwe
Chicago Tribune
June 23, 2016

A discussion of identifying language.
Includes additional resources arranged by self-identification preference.

Article by Rebecca Cokley
The Emancipator
August 30, 2022

Article by Katie Dowd
SFGATE
March 3, 2020

Article by Andrew Pulrang
Forbes
October 25, 2020

Frequently asked questions and answers regarding the ADA.

a.k.a Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990
See the left menu for "Text of the ADA As Amended" (pdf also available).

Serving Region 9 - Arizona, California, Hawai'i, Nevada & the Pacific Basin.

*Click on "Filter Lessons" to search by grade level, social justice domain, subject, or topic.
"These robust, ready-to-use classroom lessons offer breadth and depth, spanning essential social justice topics and reinforcing critical social emotional learning skills."

Explore teaching materials by time period, theme, resource type, or keywords.
"The Zinn Education Project: Teaching a People’s History website offers hundreds of free, downloadable teaching activities for middle and high school classrooms to bring people’s history to the classroom. Coordinated by Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change, the site also lists hundreds of recommended books, films, and websites. The teaching activities and resources are organized by theme, time period and grade level. This is the only collection of its kind for educators — print or online — in the country."

"The Helen Keller Archival Collection at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is the world’s largest repository of letters, speeches, press clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, architectural drawings, artifacts and audio-video materials relating to Helen Keller.
The collection contains detailed biographical information about Helen Keller (1880-1968), as well as a fascinating record of over 80 years of social and political change worldwide. Keller was a feminist, a suffragist, a social activist, and a pacifist, as well as a prolific writer and published author."

"The National Archives holds many records that relate to American citizens with disabilities. From personal letters to historic legislation, these records provide insight into efforts over the past century to establish programs and to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
This page presents a selection of these records from the holdings of the Presidential Libraries."

Brief summaries of situations in which people were supported by the ADA and ADA specialists.

"Established in 2006 by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo, American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books. Dr. Jean Mendoza joined AICL as a co-editor in 2016."

"Here are more than 70 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators." With link to the "Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books."

Browse books by culture, subject, theme, etc., or search for activity by title.

Browse books by Subject; view lesson plans and activities.

By Louise Derman-Sparks

"LGBTQ Reads is a site dedicated to promoting curated LGBTQIAP+ literature for all ages, run by author and blogger Dahlia Adler."
Includes lists of "Books featuring characters anywhere on the queer and/or trans spectra (including but not limited to Queer, Questioning, Undefined, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual, Pansexual, Asexual, Demisexual, Aromantic, Intersex, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, Agender, Bigender, Demigender, Two-Spirit, and/or Non-Binary)."

"Recently, ten librarians from across the country, brought together by the American Library
Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation
(FINRA Foundation), gathered for a series of virtual meetings. Their goal: to create an inclusive list of
financial education titles for children and teens.
Why were these librarians so focused on identifying thoughtful and inclusive financial education
books? Because teaching young people financial understanding and sound practices requires a
genuine embrace of diversity. Our financial world works best when everyone can participate and
when it responds to and respects the many cultures, backgrounds, experiences, circumstances, and
values comprising our society."

Various resources about book selection and a blog including book recommendations. The OurStory book database is free but requires login.

Summer reading booklists by year, created by educators.
"The We Are Kid Lit Collective works to create materials and opportunities to recognize the humanity of Indigenous and People of Color (IPOC) in youth literature."

"Many stories and events related to people with disabilities never make it into the history books or shared public memories. Familiar concepts and events such as citizenship, work, and wars become more complicated, challenge our assumptions about what counts as history, and transform our connection with each other when viewed from the historical perspective of people with disabilities, America’s largest minority.

Knowing these histories deepens understanding of the American experience and reveals how complicated history really is. In addition, when history comes through artifacts, distinct themes emerge—for example, the significance of place, relationships, and technology—that are less apparent when only books and words are used."