Starting the Conversation

Talking about disability can seem difficult or taboo, but it shouldn’t be! With the right language and knowledge, your students can have conversations about disability with care and empathy.

Start by explaining what disability is and how to refer to people who are disabled with respect using GIVE’s Inclusive Language Guide. You can explain that there are many types of disabilities; some are visible and some are invisible. Encourage students to ask questions to learn more, as long as they ask with respectful language and intentions.

Introduce the History of Disability Rights to give context to the ableism and societal barriers put upon communities with disabilities as well as the fight for disability justice and equality. Afterwards, research some artists with disabilities as a class and view some of their work. Ask your class questions like: What struck you about this work of art? and Was this artwork in conversation with what we’ve learned about disability, and, if so, how?

To culminate, challenge your class to create a dance, song or informative theater piece about what they’ve learned, using the artwork they just experienced as inspiration. Invite another class to watch your art and spark a conversation about disability! For more resources, please visit the GIVE Guide at TeachwithGIVE.org.