Reducing Prejudice: Constructivist Considerations for Special Education

Authors

  • Hugh Gash

Keywords:

Prejudice, Bias, Constructivist, Constructivism, Challenge, Handicap, Special Educational Needs, Theory, Theories, Piaget, Bateson, Individual, Roles, Identities, Change, Resistance, Teacher Beliefs, Support

Abstract

How might teachers think about moving to challenge prejudice against persons with handicap? Drawing on Piaget's and Bateson's constructivist theories, prejudices are examined in terms of the processes by which they are formed within the individual, the role they play in identity and the reasons they may be resistant to change. 

References

Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an Ecology of Mind. New York: Ballantine.

Bateson, G. (1979). Mind and Nature. New York: Dutton.

Deissler, Klaus G. (1987). Recursive Creation of Information: Circular Questioning as Information Generation. (Translated by Stephen Awodey). Marburg: Infam.

Gash, H. (1991). "Gender perceptions: A constructivist approach to stereotyping". Oideas 37 (1991): 57-74.

Maturana, H. (1988). “Reality: the search for objectivity or the quest for a compelling argument”. Irish Journal of Psychology, 9 (1988): 25-82.

McConkey, R. and McCormick, B. (1981). CARA: Community Attitudes to Retarded Adults. Dublin: Health Education Bureau and St. Michael's House.

Piaget, J. Piaget's theory, (1970). In Carmichael's Manual of Child Psychology.

P.H. Mussen. (Ed.), vol. 1, Third Edition. New York: Wiley. von Glaserfeld, E. (1987). The construction of knowledge. Salinas, CA: Intersystems.

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Published

1992-11-11

How to Cite

Gash, H. (1992). Reducing Prejudice: Constructivist Considerations for Special Education. REACH: Journal of Inclusive Education in Ireland, 6(1), 48–53. Retrieved from https://reachjournal.ie/index.php/reach/article/view/443

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (1992)

Section

Articles

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