| Popis: |
In this thesis, we explore a knowledge gap existing in reports about students with psychological disabilities in Danish vocational schools. With a dialogic and pedagogical outset, we examine the practice of an actual school by carrying out a focus group consisting of practitioners that face students with psychological disabilities on a day-to-day basis. As much research show, stigmatization within this particular audience still exist. Therefore, we explore how these practitioners communicate to and about these students.Our findings reveal that vocational schools contribute to the stigmatization of students with psychological disabilities, first due to the structure of Danish vocational schools, wherein all students are both individualized and categorized. This individualization is required if vocational schools are to compensate for the challenges of all students as Danish systems make use of specific definitions in order to grant compensations. Subsequently, we find that vocational schools contribute to stigmatization through the employees’ dialogue. Despite an eagerness to embrace this group of students, they unconsciously both demoralized, ridiculed and stereotyped external actors - including students with psychological disabilities. A degrading tone and language contribute to stigmatization, hence awareness of this is crucial if a social change in the disability field is desired. Finally, our findings reveal that employees need access to material surrounding disability awareness in order to accord students with psychological disabilities with the best workable support, as a lack of knowledge can lead to prejudice and a fear of contact. Thus, if stigmatization of students with psychological disabilities is to be reduced in vocational schools, it is crucial that employees are offered courses in disability awareness, that they have access to informative disability material and they become aware of their own subconscious language use. |
