Blog 1 -Disability

In this Blog 1 on disability, I have used three resources: UAL Disability Service webpages, Mental Health and Shades of Noir ” Disabled People: The Voice of Many” to reflect on the engagement of non-native and vulnerable students in courses.

In order to reflect on this, I would first like to discuss my positionality. I am a Japanese, non-native English speaker (dyslexic) and an international student who graduated from an MA Art College in London in 2021. Now, as part of the PGCert, I am working as an Associate Lecturer assigned to CSM BA/Performance Design & Art (PDP).

<Difficulties with online discussion>
During my time as an international student (dyslexic), I faced various difficulties in the discussion, particularly in the early months of my studies. This was due to factors such as using a non-native language, presenting in front of a large audience, and an educational structure that did not foster an environment conducive to discussion before I arrived in the UK. In addition, during the period of the pandemic lockdown, I encountered difficulties in engaging in online discussions. These difficulties were primarily of four types.

Language Barrier: In online discussions where rapid understanding and response are required, the language barrier problem can be exacerbated in large groups where multiple accents and speech rates can make understanding even more difficult.

Writing Difficulties: For dyslexia students, reading and writing is a significant challenges. Text-heavy discussion boards or chat boxes are intimidating and difficult to navigate. Online platforms usually require typing responses, which can be time-consuming and stressful for dyslexic students, leading to less participation and less effective expression of their thoughts.

Real-Time Communication: Non-native speakers may need more time to construct their responses in English, while dyslexic students may struggle to read and respond to comments quickly.


Stronger voices: In addition, in an online environment where all participants can be seen on a flat screen, students with stronger voices and better presentation skills tend to dominate the discussion where quick comprehension and response are required. This condition leads to an unequal distribution of speaking opportunities and makes non-native students feel less engaged in the course.

<Engagement in face-to-face sessions>
During my teaching experience in Unit 3 at CSM, PDP, I observed a similar phenomenon in group crits and lectures. There were students who could actively express their opinions during discussions and lectures and those who couldn’t. Therefore, I took the initiative to speak briefly to several students who seemed anxious. Talking to them individually allowed me to hear their unique opinions, their in-depth knowledge of their art practice, and also their concerns.
As I talked to several students, I sensed that some of them had a mental difficulty by anxieties stemming from their limited experience as first-year students. While I can’t provide detail because of the personal information, I sensed that they were anxious about the following general issues:

– Uncertainty about finding their practice and future direction as they have just started their first year.
– Anxiety for international students about adjusting to the differences between their home country and the new environment.
– Anxiety arising from their limited social experience and an unestablished sense of self.

I noticed cases of mental disability that seemed to stem from an unstable mental state caused by uncertainty about their situation and environment. Reflecting on my past experiences as a student and my current experiences interacting with students as a teacher, it seemed to me that the challenges of engaging with the course were not only due to language barriers. Mental disability also played a significant role.

<Diversification of Disability>
While referring to Shade of Noir’s “Disabled People: The Voice of Many,” I found a list categorizing various disabilities and impairments on pp. 58-75. As this list shows, disabilities are more diverse than I thought, and we are able to find some disabilities related to mental health conditions.

Some categories related to mental disability
– Psychiatric disabilities
– Neurological disabilities
– Hidden or ‘Invisible’ disabilities
(Shades of Noir. 2020, P68-69)

“Disabilities is an umbrella term covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experiences by an individual in life situations.
Disability is thus not just a health problem. It is a complex phenomenon, reflecting the interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.” ― World Health Organization, Disabilities.
(Shades of Noir. 2020, P66)

*In relation to the above, I’ve had a look at the disability page on the WHO site but couldn’t find the exact wording, as the site may have been updated.

“Individuals who suffer it have to deal with debilitating thoughts, panic attacks and it affects their everyday life and relationships. Social anxiety can have a detrimental effect on work/school performance. Affected individuals have a heightened risk of leaving school early and obtaining poorer qualifications.” ((Shades of Noir. 2020, P78)

According to the “AdvanceHE EqHE Student Stats Report 2019”, “Disability disclosure rates have steadily increased among students in UK higher education, rising from 5.4% in 2003/04 to 12.9% in 2017/18. … There has been a noticeable rise in disabled students disclosing a mental health condition since 2015/16.” (Advance HE, 2019, p72) Furthermore, looking at the data in the same report, the percentage of mental health conditions across all degrees and all disability categories from 2014/15 to 2017/18 is ranked second at 17.3% to 25.2%, following the first ranked category: learning difficulties, and significantly distancing it from the third place and below. (Advance HE, 2019, P78-87)

<Seeking solutions>
Step 1 – Recognition:
From my interactions with the students in Unit 3, and reflecting on my own time as a student, I’ve come to realize that a crucial first step in dealing with various disability situations is ‘recognition’. Paying close attention to students’ conditions during our interactions can help us to recognize their needs. Furthermore, through Unit 2’s Inclusive Practice, I’ve felt that understanding students’ conditions relies heavily on prior knowledge and recognition of various types of disability. This input of knowledge is essential.

Step 2 – Creating an Environment:
・Fostering a voice-raising environment: I believe that the
environment, where teachers and peers can offer support, is a
foundation, it’s crucial to cultivate an environment where students
feel comfortable voicing their needs and concerns.
・Students who can’t speak up: Reflecting on my experience as a
student, I felt that only a limited number of students were able to
express their needs and concerns. Moreover, I feel that the problem
of hidden students who cannot speak out may be more serious. In
this context, I think it’s crucial to create spaces for these silent
students. In this sense, I find Shades of Noir’s ‘safe space crit’ very
effective.
‘Safe Space Crit’
https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/programmes/safe-space-crits/

One example, albeit a small one which I encountered, is that the women’s restrooms at Imperial College London had posters with information about student support services and contact details. It may be a small gesture, but placing such posters in private spaces such as toilets could potentially lower the barrier for students to seek help.

Some opportunities where I was a non-native international student were beneficial:
In my interactions with students, there were occasions when my background as a non-native international student worked to my advantage. Being Asian, I found that some Asian students would came to me individually after class with questions about their practice or the session. These were moments when I felt that my background as a non-native international student became a strength. Furthermore, given the significant number of Asian students in today’s classes, having knowledge and understanding of Asian historical and cultural contexts proved to be an advantage when critiquing students’ work in relation to its context.

Step 3 – Knowledge and awareness of support systems:
So far, I have written about what can be done from an individual perspective as a teacher, discussing awareness and creating an inclusive environment as the first steps. However, as teachers are not care-support specialists, there are practical limits to what can be done to provide individual support to each student through personal interactions. With this in mind, I think it’s necessary to learn about the professional support systems available both inside and outside the institution. Furthermore, I think it is crucial to share and spread awareness of these resources among students so that they can use the systems effectively. In this sense, I have found that learning about inclusive practices in this Unit 2 becomes a foundation for inclusive teaching.

Knowledge and recognition of types of disability
Shades of Noir. 2020. “Disabled People: The Voice of Many” (p58-75)

UAL mental support divisions
– Disability and dyslexia
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/disability-and-dyslexia

– Counselling, Health Advice and Chaplaincy
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/counselling-health-advice-and-chaplaincy

– Mental health advice
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/counselling-health-advice-and-chaplaincy/mental-health-advice

– Counselling Service
Counselling appointment online, call on 0207 514 6251 or email counselling@arts.ac.uk

– UAL Student Union, Wellbeing
https://www.arts-su.com/support/wellbeing/

– Feelings of loneliness and isolation
https://www.arts-su.com/support/wellbeing/article/6013/Feelings-of-loneliness-and-isolation/

– 2018. “Access Support and Facilities for Disabled Students at UAL”: UAL, Disability Service

By deepening my understanding of disability this time, I feel that I have gained knowledge that relates to the theme of ‘differentiation in education’, a subject I have been considering since Unit 1. Furthermore, this knowledge provides a more practical framework for approach. Also, from this perspective, I want to continue to develop my understanding of disability.

<Bibliography>
・Shades of Noir. 2020. Disabled People: The Voice of Many : Shades of Noir.
https://issuu.com/shadesofnoir/docs/disabled_people (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・Shades of Noir. 2020. Mental Health and Creative Healing : Shades of Noir.
https://issuu.com/shadesofnoir/docs/mhchtor (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・Richards, A. Finnigan, T. 2015. Embedding equality and diversity in the curriculum: and art and design practitioner’s guide : The Higher Education Academy.

・2019. AdvanceHE EqHE Student Stats Report 2019 : Advance HE.  

・Köseoğlu, S. Veletsianos, G. Rowell, C. 2023. Critical Digital Pedagogy in Higher Education: AU Press, Athabasca University

・Fovet, F. 2023. When Being Online Hinders the Act of Challenging Banking Model Pedagogy, Neo-Liberalism in Digital Higher Education/Critical Digital Pedagogy in Higher Education : AU Press, Athabasca University

・Minich, J. 2016. Enabling Whom？ Critical Disability Studies Now : Lateral 5.1

・2020. UAL online student engagement policy for course teams April 2020 : University of the Arts London

・2018. Access, Support and Facilities for Disabled Students at UAL : University of the Arts London, Disability Service.

・Disability and dyslexia : University of the Arts London
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/disability-and-dyslexia (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・Counselling, Health Advice and Chaplaincy : University of the Arts London
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/counselling-health-advice-and-chaplaincy (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・Mental health advice: University of the Arts London
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/counselling-health-advice-and-chaplaincy/mental-health-advice (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・UAL Student Union, Wellbeing: University of the Arts London, Student Union
https://www.arts-su.com/support/wellbeing/ (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・Feelings of loneliness and isolation: University of the Arts London, Student Union
https://www.arts-su.com/support/wellbeing/article/6013/Feelings-of-loneliness-and-isolation/ (Latest access; 15^th June 2023)

・2019. Guidance for Inclusive Teaching and Learning : University of the Arts London, Disability Service.

・James, A. Summary of points from discussion on referencing texts not originally in English:
London College of Fashion, Learning and Teaching