Open AccessA Teacher’s Deconstruction of Disability: A Discourse Analysis
Author(s) -
Jong-Gu Kang
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
disability studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2159-8371
pISSN - 1041-5718
DOI - 10.18061/dsq.v29i1.173
Subject(s) - deconstruction (building) , sociocultural perspective , perspective (graphical) , sociocultural evolution , disability studies , relation (database) , discourse analysis , critical discourse analysis , sociology , pedagogy , power (physics) , special education , ableism , psychology , gender studies , linguistics , politics , political science , ecology , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , database , artificial intelligence , ideology , anthropology , computer science , law , biology
Normal 0false false falseMicrosoftInternetExplorer4/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}In this study I use critical discourse analysis to explore how one special education teacher who is informed by a sociocultural perspective of disability deconstructs disability in the way that she talks about her practice as a special educator and about her work with students who are labeled as having disabilities. By analyzing her discourse, I reveal the positioning of the teacher in relation to her school and show the importance that language plays in constructing and deconstructing disability, knowledge, and power.