“Out of the mouths of babes” – capturing young children's perceptions of disability through the use of diversity dolls

Hamilton, Paula; Pottinger, Millie

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“Out of the mouths of babes” – capturing young children's perceptions of disability through the use of diversity dolls

Hamilton, Paula
;
Pottinger, Millie

Affiliation

University of Chester

Publication Date

2024-06-25

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Education

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Abstract

This study utilises diversity dolls to elicit children’s perceptions of visual disabilities. The study which involved 20 participants aged between six to seven years old suggests that although many children have positive attitudes towards peers with physical disabilities, attitudes are often grounded in the deficit medical model, with concepts related to medical causes, assistive devices, social consequences, and dependency. The study contributes to the literature through its use of a child-centred research method, which enabled children to offer their innermost thoughts that might have otherwise remained hidden. Some of the comments gathered were derogatory, particularly with regards to facial features, and without disability awareness education children risk carrying negative and hostile views into adulthood. Methods which unearth children’s core belief structures about disability provide an important foundation on which early years practitioners can build intervention programs to critically examine social inequalities and deconstruct problematic discourses, helping young children to develop positive attitudes towards disability.

Citation

Hamilton, P., & Pottinger, M. (2024). “Out of the mouths of babes” – capturing young children's perceptions of disability through the use of diversity dolls. International Journal of Early Years Education, 32(4), 813-832. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2024.2367509

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Taylor & Francis

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International Journal of Early Years Education

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http://hdl.handle.net/10034/628794

DOI

10.1080/09669760.2024.2367509

Type

Article

ISSN

0966-9760

EISSN

0966-9760

“Out of the mouths of babes” – capturing young children's perceptions of disability through the use of diversity dolls

Hamilton, Paula
;
Pottinger, Millie

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