EN 
ES 
FR 
PT 
A PARADIGM describes how we think about and understand something. Paradigms are important because they impact our actions and ATTITUDES. There are 3 main DISABILITY paradigms that people draw from today, and they each influence us to think differently about disability. They each command different EMOTIONS from us about disability, ranging from pity to celebration. They each direct us to RESPOND and act differently in relation to disability. How we think about disability matters because it influences how we feel and act toward ourselves and our disabled loved ones.
Spell: ATTITUDES DISABILITY RESPOND
_______ describes how we think about and understand something. PARADIGM
Paradigms can __________ how we feel, think, and act. INFLUENCE
What type of paradigms are we talking about today? DISABILITY
Name something that can be influenced by a paradigm that I mentioned. EMOTIONS; THOUGHTS; ACTIONS; RESPONSE
Name another paradigm.
How many main disability paradigms do people typically draw on today? 3 DISABILITY PARADIGMS
Name 3 emotions that are aroused in you when you hear the disability paradigm.
Since the beginning of the 1900s, neurological disabilities (neurodivergence) have been conceived through a MEDICAL disability paradigm. In this paradigm, NEURODIVERGENCE, for example, autism, dyslexia, ADHD, etc., are understood as a PROBLEM. They are an INHERENTLY negative experience that is inferior to other ways of thinking, sensing, and understanding the world. The problem of disability is inside our brains and bodies. It is a problem in the US. In other words, the problem of disability is INDIVIDUALIZED.
Spell: DYSLEXIA INFERIOR BRAIN
Since the beginning of the 1900s, neurological disabilities have been conceived through what disability model? MEDICAL
What word did I use to describe autism, dyslexia ADHD, etc.? NEURODIVERGENCE
In the medical disability paradigm, disability is what? INDIVIDUALIZED
Within the medical disability paradigm, neurodivergence is understood as what? PROBLEM;
INFERIOR WAY OF THINKING, SENSING, AND UNDERSTANDING; INDIVIDUALIZED
Name a neurodivergence that I mentioned in the lesson. AUTISM; DYSLEXIA; ADHD
In your own words, define individualized.
Name another neurodivergence that I didn’t mention. DOWN SYNDROME; TOURETTES; DYSGRAPHIA; ANGELMAN’S SYNDROME; DEPRESSION; BIPOLAR
Name a problem in your life.
Through the medical disability paradigm, the COMPASSIONATE response to disability, like any problem, is to try to FIX it. Throughout the past century, medical professionals have worked diligently trying to identify, DIAGNOSE and fix neurodivergence. They ask questions like: how can we identify communication disabilities? How can we TREAT autism so that it goes away and stops bothering the people it impacts? What actions can we take so that people with these problems look to us to no longer be impacted by these awful problems? The compassionate response is to find a cure or a way to remediate the problem because problems are BAD!
Spell: TREAT COMPASSIONATE DIAGNOSE
Through the medical disability paradigm, the compassionate response to disability is to try to what? FIX
Who has been trying to identify, diagnose and fix neurodivergence? MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
What is a question that a professional who uses the medical disability paradigm to understand disability might ask? HOW CAN WE IDENTIFY COMMUNICATION DISABILITIES? HOW CAN WE TREAT AUTISM? HOW CAN WE MAKE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE THESE PROBLEMS ARE NO LONGER BOTHERING THEM?
Name something that medical professionals have been working diligently to do. IDENTIFY; DIAGNOSE; FIX
What is a synonym for a fix? REMEDIATE; REPAIR
In the 1960s, disability ADVOCATES, many of who were mainly physically disabled, began QUESTIONING the individualized understanding of disability. They conceived of the SOCIAL disability paradigm, often known as the social model. They asserted that the problem is in SOCIETY, not within individual bodies or brains. They noticed that disabled people were seen as only their disability rather than as people. This gave rise to PERSON FIRST LANGUAGE. They advocated for the PERSONHOOD of someone to be acknowledged first and then their disability. For example, “Amber is a person with autism” or “Hawa is a person with dyslexia.”
Spell: QUESTIONING PHYSICALLY DISABLED
Who created a new disability paradigm in the 1960s? DISABILITY ADVOCATES
This new paradigm was the _________ disability paradigm. SOCIAL
Through the understanding of this paradigm, where was the problem? SOCIETY
Advocates for the social model of disability wanted people to acknowledge what first when they spoke about people with disabilities. PERSONHOOD
Give me an example of a person’s first language in a sentence. [NAME] WITH [DISABILITY]
What is one of the ways we refer to this paradigm? SOCIAL DISABILITY PARADIGM; SOCIAL MODEL
What does it mean to question something?
How long has it been since disability advocates have argued for the social disability paradigm to be adopted? 2021- 1960= 61 YEARS
What is a common belief that you question?
Advocates for the social paradigm of disability demanded social changes so that people with disabilities could PARTICIPATE in society just like anyone else. They asserted that if every building had a RAMP and elevator, people who use WHEELCHAIRS would not be disabled. Similarly, they advocated that support and ACCOMMODATIONS are required by neurodivergent people so that they can also participate in society, education, and community just like anyone else.
Spell: ACCOMMODATIONS RAMP WHEELCHAIR
Advocates demanded ___________ change. SOCIETAL
Advocates believed that with these changes, people with disabilities could ________ like anyone else. PARTICIPATE
To make a building accessible for a wheelchair user, the owner could install a ramp or ________. ELEVATOR
What is one way to make a wheelchair user not disabled? RAMP; ELEVATOR; CURB CUT
Under the social disability paradigm, what would be provided to a Deaf person? ASL;
What is one thing society can provide to make neurodivergent people able to participate like anyone else under the social disability paradigm (that I mentioned)? SUPPORTS;
ACCOMMODATIONS; EXTRA TIME ON TESTS; SEPARATE WORKSPACES; NOTE TAKING; TEXT-TO-SPEECH
What is another way that the social disability paradigm has argued to change society in order to support people with disabilities?
Can you think of an activist who fought for the social disability paradigm?
What is something you enjoy participating in?
What is something you would like the opportunity to participate in?
Advocates for the social paradigm of disability have made incredible gains for disability communities. They helped establish rights and LAWS that are in place today to ensure that EVERYONE, regardless of disability, has a RIGHT to participate in society. Rather it is society’s RESPONSIBILITY to ensure we have what we need to participate. We see these gains in new BUILDING CODES, individualized EDUCATION plans, and accessible learning centers.
Spell: EDUCATION BUILDING CODE RESPONSIBILITY
The social paradigm has made incredible gains for who? DISABILITY COMMUNITIES
Advocates have established rights and laws to ensure that ___________ has a _______ to participate in society. EVERYONE; RIGHT
Name one of the gains that I mentioned in the lesson. BUILDING CODES; INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS; ACCESSIBLE LEARNING CENTRES
Social model advocates have established what? RIGHTS; LAWS
Look at the infographic below. Poke the image representing the medical paradigm. Poke the image representing the social paradigm.
Watch this short video about the social model of disability to learn more:
Within the past two decades, AUTISTIC activists and writers have begun advocating for a NEURODIVERSITY PARADIGM of disability. The neurodiversity paradigm argues that the BINARY between the disabled and the neurologically normal is CREATED and maintained by our cultures and societal structures and practices. It works to dismantle this binary and believes that NEURODIVERSITY, the diverse range of sensory, emotional and cognitive PROCESSING STYLES present in human beings, is itself the NORM.
Spell: PROCESSING SENSORY DIVERSITY
Who started advocating for the neurodiversity paradigm? AUTISTIC ACTIVISTS
______________ is the diverse range of sensory, emotional and cognitive processing styles present in human beings. NEURODIVERSITY
The neurodiversity paradigm argues that the ________ between disabled and neurologically
_________ is created and maintained by our cultures and societal structures. BINARY; NORM
Neurodiversity is the diverse range of what? SENSORY, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE, AND PROCESSING STYLES
What maintains the binary between disabled and neurologically normal in the view of neurodiversity paradigm advocates? CULTURE; SOCIETAL STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES
In your own words, define the norm.
Around what year did autistic activists and writers start advocating for a neurodiversity paradigm? ~ 2000
Advocates for the neurodiversity paradigm do not believe that neurodivergence is INHERENTLY pathological, negative, TRAGIC, or UNHEALTHY. Rather, the neurodiversity paradigm takes an AFFIRMATIVE approach to neurodivergence, believing that it can be valuable, lead to CREATIVE potential, and perhaps support the survival of human beings. For this reason, neurodiversity advocates encourage neurodivergent people to take up their disabled identity as a political action to show that there is NOTHING wrong with their disabled identity. This is called IDENTITY-FIRST LANGUAGE. For example, “Hawa is autistic” or “I’m dyslexic.”
Spell: NOTHING INHERENTLY VALUABLE
The neurodiversity paradigm takes what sort of approach to neurodivergence? AFFIRMATIVE
The neurodiversity paradigm advocates using what time of language? IDENTITY-FIRST LANGUAGE
The neurodiversity paradigm believes that neurodivergence can lead to ______ potential. CREATIVE
According to the neurodiversity paradigm, neurodivergence is not inherently what? (name one or two examples). NEGATIVE; TRAGIC; UNHEALTHY; PATHOLOGICAL
What are some of the positive aspects of neurodivergence that I mentioned? VALUABLE; CREATIVE POTENTIAL; IMPORTANT TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUMAN SPECIES
Give me an example of an identity-first language. _______ IS DISABLED; I’M ________
What supports the survival of other animal and plant species? BIODIVERSITY
What does affirmative mean?
The neurodiversity paradigm argues that NEURONORMATIVE STANDARDS and stigma about neurodivergent people are what cause the most harm. It does not believe in STANDARDS but rather seeks to find ways to ensure everyone has WELLBEING in our communities. The neurodiversity paradigm believes we need to LISTEN to neurodivergent people to understand what well-being looks like for them. From there, we can determine what societal ADJUSTMENTS and changes, along with services, accommodations, TREATMENTS, medications, etc., are DESIRED by each neurodivergent individual. More than anything, the neurodiversity paradigm seeks to center on NEUROMINORITY people and discover innovative ways to support their well-being defined by them, not standards or norms.
Spell: STANDARD NEUROMINORITY TREATMENT
The neurodiversity paradigm believes we need to listen to who? NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE
_________ of each individual neurodivergent person is important to the neurodiversity paradigm. WELLBEING
_______________ standards, norms, and stigma cause the most harm according to the neurodiversity paradigm. NEURONORMATIVE
What causes the most harm according to a neurodiversity paradigm? STANDARDS; STIGMA
In a sentence, describe what the neurodiversity paradigm seeks to establish. SEEKS TO ENSURE
THE WELL-BEING OF NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE AS DEFINED BY THEM
What is an example of a neuronormative standard?
Neurodiversity encompasses everyone—NEUROTYPICAL and neurodivergent. Some people mistakenly refer to disabled people as NEURODIVERSE. EVERYONE fits into the category of neurodiverse, though, so this doesn’t make sense to say. This can lead to REPRODUCING the harmful binary that the neurodiversity paradigm questions and seeks to dismantle. If we want to talk about someone who has a neurological processing style that is viewed as different from the majority or is seen as disabled in our society, use the word NEURODIVERGENT.
Spell: REPRODUCING EVERYONE NEUROTYPICAL
What term did I say didn’t make sense to use? NEURODIVERSE
When we create a ________ between neurotypical and neurodivergent people, we may _________ harmful patterns that the neurodiversity paradigm seeks to end. BINARY; REPRODUCE
What term can be used to refer to people who have a processing style that differs from the majority? NEURODIVERGENT
Neurodiversity encompasses who? NEUROTYPICAL; NEURODIVERGENT
Define neurotypical in your own words. PEOPLE WHOSE PROCESSING STYLE FALLS IN THE MAJORITY; THE EXPECTED SENSORY, EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE PROCESSING STYLE
What is another potentially harmful binary in our society?
Watch this short video about neurodiversity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4stO8fTujE
Point to the infographic that summarizes what we’ve learned today:
So, HOW we think about disability matters. The paradigm we use to understand disability impacts WHO we listen to, the ACTIONS we take, and the GOALS we work towards— all of these choices have significant impacts on many members of our society, families, and maybe even ourselves. What one does your work, school, or community use to guide their choices? Which one fits you? No one can tell you which is the RIGHT or wrong one to believe in. EACH neurodivergent person should be able to choose the one that fits best for them and have that choice RESPECTED by their families and professionals.
Spell: ACTIONS RESPECTED
The ________ we use to understand disability has significant impacts on our _________. PARADIGM; CHOICES
Families and professionals who work with neurodivergent people should ________ their preferences. RESPECT
Depending on the disability paradigm we believe in, the _______ we are working towards may change. GOALS
What is something that can be impacted by the disability paradigm we believe in? WHO WE
LISTEN TO; THE ACTIONS WE TAKE; GOALS WE WORK TOWARDS
What is another way of saying that individual choice needs to be respected? SELFDETERMINATION; AGENCY
What disability paradigm aligns most with your thinking about disability and why?
CW— Imagine you were teaching a class about disability. What paradigm would you use, and how would you frame your lesson?
CW— As mentioned in the lesson, many advocates have wanted to use different language to describe themselves. How do you like to be described when it comes to disability? Now, obviously, you are much more than your disability. How would you like to be described generally? What identifiers are important to you? To get you thinking, here are some ideas: woman, man, queer, Black, a person of color, runner, basketball player, dancer, activist, writer, artist, sister.
Sources:
Disability Politics & Theory by AJ Withers
Neurodiversity Studies, A New Critical Paradigm Edited by Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, Nick
Chown, Anna Stenning
https://neurocosmopolitanism.com/neurodiversity-some-basic-terms-definitions/
https://www.nccj.org/ableism
