Reading dis/ability: interrogating paradigms in a prism of power

Learning Disabilities as a Non-negative Ontology: Mental Hygiene, Medicalization and Education

“…Understanding LD as a non-negative ontology allows educators to focus on the strengths of students with LD. For example, Graham and Grieshaber (2006) highlighted that educators are often fixated on expecting all students to fit a certain academic achievement standard. For Graham and Grieshaber, students who fall outside such achievement standards are often problematized.…”

“…Before LD can be understood as a non-negative ontology, a broader understanding of social and historical processes that have led to current social practices and current ideologies that maintain and/or reinforce the status quo of LD is required. A reframing of LD from a negative ontology to a nonnegative ontology requires a critical consciousness from all sectors of society, particularly educators, parents and individuals labelled with LDs (Brantlinger, 2004;Graham & Grieshaber, 2006). King (1991) uses the term "dysconsciousness" (p.135) to describe a mindset where one takes for granted the current social practices as a naturalized matter of fact; society becomes ignorant of the historical significance of oppressive social practices.…”

Inclusion as an instructional approach: Fostering inclusive writing communities in preschool classrooms

“…This research and the formation of this inclusive preschool writing community are rooted in the work of those who interrogate inclusive environments, literacy development and a sociocultural approach to special education (e.g. Bernhard, Winsler, Bleiker, Ginieniewicz and Madigan, 2008; Brown, Odom and Conroy, 2001; Graham and Grieshaber, 2008; Kliewer and Biklen, 2007; Morrison, 1999; Mutua and Smith, 2007; Stonier, 2009; Vaughn, Hughes, Klingner and Schumm, 1998; Wiebe Berry, 2006; Wolfberg, Zercher, Lieber, J. et al, 1999). Rather than focusing on the ratio of students included when discussing inclusion, I contend that we need instead to focus on the instructional techniques that include students, all students, regardless of services received through special education (Sapon-Shevin, 2007).…”

Scribbling Away the Ghosts: A Bakhtinian Interpretation of Preschool Writers and the Disruption of Developmental Discourses

“…Although many scholars reject these developmental monologues, often termed 'metanarratives' within post-foundational literature (Ryan & Grieshaber, 2005), they continue to heavily influence the early childhood field, as evidenced by what is valued in classrooms and how teachers respond to children like Walter and Dominique under best-practice mandates (Graham & Grieshaber, 2008;Grieshaber, 2008). Under certain framings, Walter would be considered a highcaliber peer and be expected to be a language model for Dominique.…”