It’s been my experience that the use of labels in education has a well-intended purpose but is misguided in its application. What I mean is once the expression of a disability is presented in a meeting or through self-disclosure, there are preconceived notions, misunderstandings, or, on the opposite end, a sense of empathy that may cause unintended lowering of expectations when it comes to deadlines or academic performance from the student.
Labels are sometimes a hot-button topic in special education.
Do you use person-first language or defer to the person for their preference?
Is there a benefit to having a label, or does it set lowered expectations or stigmatization for the person with a disability?
Or, once a label has been determined and a disability is identified, does this not provide insight and support for that student?
Conversely, aren’t labels potentially isolating?
You get the gist here.
Real-life example:
For instance, a student with dyslexia is taking an English class, and her disability has been disclosed to her teacher. The teacher, having a child of her own that she suspects of having a learning disability, is sympathetic to her new student’s difficulties with reading and, consequently, is more willing to overlook spelling or grammatical errors from this student. “She can’t help it anyway; this is just punishing her,” the teacher rationalizes to herself.
What are your thoughts on this teacher’s approach?
Will the teacher push her student or overlook her weaknesses?
How do you think the student’s parents would react to this?
The administrators?
The other students?
Despite her well-intended “support,” the teacher has now established a slippery slope approach with this student, demonstrating a lower set of expectations under the guise of being “understanding.”
Why Students Get Labeled in Education
Labels for students in education can demystify aspects of personal struggles by providing a clearer explanation of personal phenomena due to the nature of the disability. In other words, a label allows for more specific conversations about a person’s strengths and weaknesses in the context of real-world challenges. It may provide more insights on how to achieve better outcomes. Students who are identified with a disability receive additional support services based on their needs, and the family as a whole can adjust to support this individual.
This is the optimistic viewpoint. However, this is not always the case, and I will investigate this in more detail later.
The child who was previously deemed to be “a dreamer” or “overly talkative and disorganized” may now be identified as having ADHD; a child who struggles with sensory stimuli, maintaining eye contact, or accurately expressing their emotions may be tested for and assessed as having autism. The point is that a label can be a validating experience for the student and/or their parents; knowing more about how your child’s brain works can be a powerful step toward helping them better.
It is important to note that with disabilities, we must factor in the level of severity of the disability; it’s not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis.
Over-generalizing disorders can lead to misconceptions and result in ineffective support practices that are not targeted to a person’s specific needs.
A strengths-based approach helps to combat this while focusing more on relative strengths to foster self-efficacy and motivation while also addressing areas of weakness.
From a practical perspective, labeling students also allows teachers a mental “shortcut” when planning their lessons for their students. Knowing that you have three students with ADHD in your class out of a group of 25 students should provide additional insight when planning for more hands-on activities that involve group work and movement. The key word here is should.
However, this thinking cuts both ways – mental shortcuts are also subject to inaccuracies and biases; these ADHD students are not the same, and their symptoms or levels of severity are not equal across the board.
In addition, each student is supposed to be held to the same standards of conduct; allowing for exceptions because of a disability is discriminatory.
This is not meant to chastise teachers. It’s perfectly understandable just how many directions a teacher is pulled in on a constant basis, and having a little context to a child’s learning challenges might make a difference in how that teacher approaches their lesson planning. However, just like with racial bias or gender bias, educators must also be aware of any disability-discriminatory tendencies in their thinking or planning to ensure all students are being treated equitably.
Are Labels Helping Students with Disabilities?
There seems to be a sweet spot that needs to be found, a careful threading of the needle, but it requires more than just testing and identifying students with disabilities. If the expression “it takes a village to raise a child” is true, all stakeholders involved in the students' lives must be on the same page to support them.
All involved will need to be educated on the nature of the disability, how it presents itself, how it specifically impacts the student, what support looks like, and each person’s role in this process.
Labeling students can (and often does) put them in a box; expectations are artificially adjusted based on the perception of the label.
For instance, if a student is labeled as gifted, expectations are adjusted upward, while a label of dyslexic may result in lowered expectations.
Additionally, a child diagnosed with a specific learning disability like dyslexia might be in a school with little to no academic support; the diagnosis may inform parents to look for a different educational institution better equipped to help their child.
Human Development in Context
As part of the overall educating process for stakeholders involved in supporting students, it’s important to note that a disability can present itself differently throughout one’s life. Essentially, human development is best understood in context, and many internal and external factors are at play in a person’s life.
The child who is overactive or fidgety in elementary school may begin to gain control over their body through compensatory strategies as they reach high school. The labeling of a person with a disability can be a good starting point for getting support services and treatment options. Still, the severity of symptoms is not always static throughout life. However, we know children are perceptive and sensitive toward criticism; they often “act out” when they are deemed “less than,” and despite challenging behavior, children do want boundaries. Boundaries are not the same as power struggles; consistency and communication are key to maintaining expectations.
If you read my post about resilience, you already know that children need to struggle with challenges. When expectations are too low, adults tend to remove these challenges out of concern for failure. Let them fail! Failure can be as or more rewarding as achievement. Google important people in history and learn about their challenges with failure and how their perseverance led them to great achievements.
I’ll wait here.
Authenticity as a Learner with a Disability
A label, as previously discussed, can be a two-way street, but one resounding positive to a label is the sense that you are defective as a person or learner; your brain is wired in such a way to may be outside of the “norm,” but this is not such a bad thing. With the advent of social media and online communities, more people find active and supportive groups sharing similar backstories. This is also true for parents, who might face the challenges presented to their child and their parenting approach. I suspect, however, that many of these parents are also finding a degree of comfort in their own (un)diagnosed disabilities as well.
The reason why a lot of these specific support groups work is that the members within are navigating the world with similar experiences with a disability. They are also fostering a supportive environment that rejects judgment and promotes authenticity. For many with invisible disabilities (e.g., ADHD), there are masking strategies used to act normal since society’s message is to adhere to certain expectations in various contexts (e.g., the classroom or at work). Conversely, there are many subreddits designed as a place for people with disabilities (and those who support them) to discuss their struggles and share stories, tips, strategies, and memes.
My previous post about self-disclosure goes into this topic. I am continuing my research into these online communities for personal and professional reasons. I invite you to share your experiences in the comments!
Leave a comment about YOUR experiences with labeling practices in education. Are they good, bad, or misguided, or have you found that sweet spot?
Authenticity as a person is important, and for a person with a disability, it can be a cathartic practice, if not a constant source of stress and emotional turmoil. The reason? Being authentic means presenting yourself as you truly are, which might come with some pushback from others or stigmatization. However, to truly understand yourself and your needs, you need to be aware of yourself and your needs. In other words, being unapologetically yourself and communicating your needs or establishing healthy boundaries whenever necessary.
You cannot assume your teacher knows everything about your disability or how to teach you in the manner that works best for you.
You cannot look for excuses for your shortcomings; ownership is integral to personal growth.
You are within your right to voice your needs, but you must do so productively and not just assume things will be done for you.
You deserve due respect as a person regardless of your disability; however, be prepared for ignorance from time to time.
Your needs can and will change throughout your life; however, the responsibility of being your best advocate will not.
You are You, not Your Label.
One immediate drawback to labeling is stigmatization, but another is the self-fulfilling prophecy or the internalized scripting a person creates based on feedback cycles from others and themselves. For instance, if a child is continually deemed a “troublemaker” or “slow,” then he or she will begin to act within the confines of that label. Essentially, a “if you think I’m a troublemaker, I’ll show you a troublemaker.”
Feedback can be implicit or explicit; both are damaging in their own ways, and the impact can be lasting and limiting to the child’s growth potential.
If a 5th grader walks into their new class having been labeled as a “loud mouth” by the other teachers, his new teacher will be biased in how he/she approaches that child. Any instance that reinforces this label will be noted and perpetuate the cycle of low expectations.
How do we Combat the Negativity of Labeling?
The most common sense (but often overlooked) approach is to listen. Actively listen. Don’t put words in the kid’s mouth; give them the space and time to express themselves. To actively listen, you need to listen and validate feelings. Practice soundboarding - a counseling technique - that works across various partnerships that can minimize misunderstanding. Basically, you repeat key points made by the other person while you actively listen to them. Don’t change their wording or ask for clarification if you are confused, but do not repurpose their words. Allow for quiet; don’t rush them to speak, and when they do, do not interrupt them.
You’d be amazed at how much you can learn by actively listening.
One thing parents, especially ones with young children, tend to do is protect them from negative feelings or experiences. I get it, and I’m guilty of it, too, but if the child or young adult is mad, let them be mad! Being “productively upset” is a great use of emotion, but it’s important to allow for effective communication while being upset. If the feelings are too strong, feel them first, then when they start to subside, start talking when you are ready.
Oftentimes, a person with a disability is expected to shoulder their feelings or hide them, which only reinforces an internalized scripting that what they feel is invalid. You can establish boundaries in a healthy manner, and you can communicate your (strong) feelings productively.
Yes, this is easier said than done, but progress isn’t accomplished in one day.
My Closing Thoughts on Labels in Education
On the whole, I am in support of labels when they are applied in a constructive, well-informed, and productive manner. Speaking for myself, finding out I had ADHD in high school was as much eye-opening as it was relieving. This was more so the case as I grew older. However, it was the first step in finding better academic support. It led me to an academic support program at a college that helped propel me in a positive direction in life. It added a missing piece to the overall puzzle: "myself.” It might not be the biggest piece, but it’s helped to add more connections to my global sense of self.
However, I empathize with those who have only experienced the negative aspects of labeling and self-disclosure. I am fortunate to have a support network around me, and I also wish for this for others. I think that’s part of why I believe so strongly in helping others. Not simply because I received help but because so many have had to go on for so long without much (or any) help, and they are understandably spent fighting their battles. If this applies to you, the person reading, I see you.
The onus of learning falls on everyone, even if not everyone is willing to be a life-long learner.
Respectfully,
Dustin.
Leave a comment about YOUR experiences with labeling practices in education. Are they good, bad, or misguided, or have you found that sweet spot?
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Your journey resonate with me. I had lots of support during my journey. I learned how to read at 15. Reading foundation then I went to Calgary academy. This was the 80’s and 90s these two programs is what saved me. I have lots of family support, my writing is also part of my disabilities. ADD. I have used a lot of alternative methods including Neurofeedback and biofeedback. I prefer Neurofeedback because it’s a low frequency compared to biofeedback. I am also anaphylactic to nuts, pumpkin seeds. Gf, dairy free, mild depression. I eat super healthy and life a healthy lifestyle. With out support I would have never made it.
I have been back to school several times overs the…