Sustaining Disability Identities
Dr. Amy Tondreau and Dr. Laurie Rabinowitz
Helping K-12 and higher education partners integrate asset pedagogies and sustain the disability identities of students and teachers
New Book Release
Sustaining Cultural and Disability Identities in the Literacy Classroom, K-6 was published by Routledge in November 2024. It centers responsive, effective literacy instruction that embraces the identities of and ensures access to literacy for students with disabilities. And, it is about ensuring that students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds are seen and valued in the classroom.
Building on Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) and Disability Studies in Education (DSE), the text introduces a framework called Disability Sustaining Pedagogy (DSP) which centers the insider perspectives of teachers with disabilities. We highlight the historical context, legal reforms, activist movements, and research in schools related to these approaches.
We also outline how to integrate CSP and DSP to design whole class, small group and individual instruction. Examples written by elementary literacy teachers show readers how to enact humanizing, accessible literacy instruction.
The text is a valuable resource for all who advocate for students’ rights to read and write, have choice and agency, and see themselves, their families, and their communities reflected in their literacy experiences.
What people are saying about Sustaining Cultural and Disability Identities…
Mariana Souto-Manning, President, Erikson Institute
“Drawing on the lived experiences of teachers with disabilities, Rabinowitz and Tondreau bring together culturally sustaining pedagogy and disability studies in education, offering Disability Sustaining Pedagogy as framework for reimagining the elementary school literacy classroom in more inclusive, humanizing, and accessible ways. Offering rich examples of Disability Sustaining Pedagogy in practice, this timely book sheds light onto possibilities and offers powerful pathways for upholding every child’s right to literacy in the elementary school classroom.”
Ofelia García, Professor Emerita, The Graduate Center, City University of New York
“By centering students who are perceived by institutional norms to be disabled or culturally and linguistically different, Rabinowitz and Tondreau offer a different take on teaching balanced literacy. The result is a rich cornucopia of practices, for both whole class and group instruction, embedded in a theoretical approach that is unapologetic about its commitment to students themselves as creative and critical literate beings.”
Federico R. Waitoller, Associate Professor, The University of Illinois at Chicago
“Sustaining Cultural and Disability Identities in the Literacy Classroom, K-6 stands tall as a beacon of inclusive practices, illuminating pathways for literacy instruction that address disability as culture(s) and identities. For teachers and teacher educators committed to fostering true inclusivity, this book is an indispensable addition to their library.”
Charlotte Maltby, M.Ed. Special Education
New York City Educator
Do you identify as an educator with a disability?
We would love to talk to you about your experiences as both a student and an educator and learn more about how your disability identity informs your practice. You can complete the consent form to participate in our ongoing IRB-approved study and help us continue to grow and develop Disability Sustaining Pedagogy!
Work With Amy and Laurie
We partner with teachers, grade level teams, and schools to design inclusive and effective literacy instruction.
Build a Disability Sustaining Classroom
Get ideas to develop the mindsets, practices, amd systemic shifts to enact CSP and DSP in your context.
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and the Sciences of Reading
Implement Science of Reading practices that are responsive to your students’ intersectional identities and communities.
“I loved the resources! The charts worked really well. Today was my first time trying it out with my teacher candidates, and it’s the best tool I’ve found for working with these frameworks in Chile. It translates very well to international contexts.”
– Andrea Lira, Associate Professor, Universidad de Magallanes, Chile
Book and website photography by Todd Lavine
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Contact us
@SustainingDisabilityIdentities
amytondreau@umbc.edu
lrabinowitz@skidmore.edu