Labeling Benefits Students With Disabilities

I do not think that labeling always benefits students with disabilities. When someone is labeled they are often seen for their disability before they are seen as just being a person. People tend to focus more on the disability of the person and the fact that they cannot perform a task instead of modifying the task so they can perform it to the best of their ability. Labeling a student under one of the thirteen categories may distinguish which disability the child has but, not all cases of that disability are the same. No case in any of the thirteen categories will ever be the same. A student may be listed under the category of Autism, but that does not mean that he can be treated the same as every other child with autism. The label does
not allow educators to know the specific strengths and weakness of each individual student. Labeling often can lead to stereotyping. Unfortunately, teachers are not the only ones who use labels. The students’ peers also tend to use labels. The labels are often not used correctly and are used to make fun of or to make the student stand out from the others. This can make the students have low self-esteem and low expectations of their own capabilities because they are told that they cannot do something due to their disability. Labeling can have a negative effect on students throughout their education. Labeling in an educational environment can lead to discrimination and exclusion in the classrooms. Students may be left out or feel separated from the other students in the classroom.