Against Stereotypes, or How to Understand Disability: Student Projects for Educational Activities in Polish Language Classes

Abstract

This article aims to draw attention to selected literary examples that represent the issue of disability, which still arouses extreme feelings and is the subject of numerous discussions. They are the result of stereotypes that function in society and appear in the world of the disabled. The recent literature presents characters struggling with disability in everyday life situations. Anna Sobolewska’s Cell: A Response to Down Syndrome, Katarzyna Ryrych’s My Sister’s Island, Dorota Terakowska’s The Chrysalis, and Magda Papuzińska’s Everything Is Possible can be an irreplaceable source of knowledge about the possibilities and limitations of people with disabilities. This type of literature (including autobiographical writing and reports) often breaks stereotypes about disability as a misfortune or an inability to participate in social life and shows, in addition to deficits or barriers, the strengths in the development of specific people (children and adults). Referring to Polish language education and teacher training, the author suggested that students of teaching majors should read the book Who Stole Tomorrow? Or Why It’s Not Like from the Picture by Olga Ptak and a collection of reportages by Jacek Hołub, with the provocative title So That It Dies Before Me: Stories of Mothers of Disabled Children. These texts constitute a valuable source of knowledge about disability, and may also encourage readers to take a slightly different look at this social group and their loved ones, and at the same time be an important starting point for educational and upbringing activities. The article presents student projects related to the analysis of selected works, which aim to look at the situation of disabled characters and their families, as well as to motivate students to adopt an empathetic attitude and openness towards the problems described therein.