Doing and undoing gender by women with intellectual disabilities

Edyta Zierkiewicz, Beata Cytowska, Doing and undoing gender by women with intellectual disabilities. Interdisciplinary Contexts of Special Pedagogy, no. 26, Poznań 2019. Pp. 271–293. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISSN 2300-391X. e-ISSN 2658-283X. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/ikps.2019.26.13 The aim of this article is to present socio-cultural processes of doing gender categories in women with intellectual disabilities and to identify barriers and limitations which they face on the way of „becoming women”. The study and its analysis are based on the critical approach. The method of data collection was a participant observation conducted during three proprietary workshops on femininity organized for 17 women with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (5–6 people in a group), attending an occupational therapy workshop. The aim of our workshops was the empowerment of one’s own femininity and strengthening of processes of doing gender by the participants. The analysis of collected material revealed that the process of shaping gender identities of women with intellectual disability is a subject of social control of the local community. Participants of the workshops are well aware that they are adult women and they strive for the realization of cultural patterns of femininity. In their case, however, these patterns are socially regulated and the women themselves internalize certain limitations imposed by the society during the socialization process. They instinctively “know” what they are allowed to do, and what they cannot gain as women with intellectual disabilities.Edyta Zierkiewicz, Beata Cytowska, Doing and undoing gender by women with intellectual disabilities. Interdisciplinary Contexts of Special Pedagogy, no. 26, Poznań 2019. Pp. 271–293. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISSN 2300-391X. e-ISSN 2658-283X. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/ikps.2019.26.13 The aim of this article is to present socio-cultural processes of doing gender categories in women with intellectual disabilities and to identify barriers and limitations which they face on the way of „becoming women”. The study and its analysis are based on the critical approach. The method of data collection was a participant observation conducted during three proprietary workshops on femininity organized for 17 women with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (5–6 people in a group), attending an occupational therapy workshop. The aim of our workshops was the empowerment of one’s own femininity and strengthening of processes of doing gender by the participants. The analysis of collected material revealed that the process of shaping gender identities of women with intellectual disability is a subject of social control of the local community. Participants of the workshops are well aware that they are adult women and they strive for the realization of cultural patterns of femininity. In their case, however, these patterns are socially regulated and the women themselves internalize certain limitations imposed by the society during the socialization process. They instinctively “know” what they are allowed to do, and what they cannot gain as women with intellectual disabilities

Stany Zjednoczone i Związek Sowiecki, sierpień/wrzesień 1939 – czerwiec 1941 roku. Amerykański bilans zysków i strat współpracy ze Związkiem Sowieckim

W dziejach stosunków amerykańsko‑sowieckich okres od września 1939 do 22 czerwca 1941 r. jest szczególny. Po przełomowych zmianach na kontynencie euroazjatyckim, podpisaniu paktu Ribbentrop‑Mołotow (23 VIII 1939 r.) i zawarciu sowiecko‑japońskiego zawieszenia broni (16 IX 1939 r.) Stany Zjednoczone znalazły się w całkowicie nowej sytuacji geopolitycznej. Najtrudniejszym problemem stało się ułożenie stosunków ze związkiem sowieckim. Mimo fundamentalnych różnic – politycznych i ideologicznych – Stany Zjednoczone usilnie zabiegały o nawiązanie dialogu z Moskwą. Najpierw liczyły na rozluźnienie sojuszu niemiecko‑sowieckiego, później, w obliczu narastającego zagrożenia ze strony Japonii, poszukiwały poważniejszego porozumienia. Rozwijając kontakty z Moskwą, strona amerykańska dysponowała poważnymi instrumentami nacisku. Była to polityka handlowa, którą posługiwano się w celu zachęcania Moskwy do współpracy. W Waszyngtonie odnotowano pewne sukcesy, udało się bowiem powstrzymać Moskwę od przystąpienia do Paktu Trójstronnego (27 IX 1940 r.). Ostatecznie jednak próby porozumienia czy rozwiązania współpracy politycznej z Moskwą okazały się nieskuteczne. W przeddzień ataku niemieckiego na ZSRR zdecydowano zrewidować dotychczasowy kurs

Nauczanie kierowane jako metoda rozwijająca samodzielność oraz autonomię dzieci i młodzieży z głęboką niepełnosprawnością intelektualną

The purpose of this article is to show the possibility of using conductive education system and its effectiveness in working with children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities attending rehabilitation – educational groups, in order to develop and form their self-reliance, and the grounds of autonomy. In the first part of text the author described the functioning of people with profound intellectual disabilities, pointing to their specific difficulties in the field of independent functioning. Then author showed the assumptions of conductive education system with regard to the objectives set by The Ministry of Education for rehabilitation-educational classes.Using of the possibilities inherent in the monographic method, the author presented rehabilitation-educational activities with the use of conductive education method, with particular attention to the aspects of the development of autonomy of children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities. The data for analysis and description was collected through the observation (direct, participatory and indirect – by video camera) of participants of rehabilitation – educational activities (15 persons), analysis of documentation (observation sheets and individual curriculums) and interviews with teachers of three rehabilitation – educational groups.Although it is difficult to determine the actual impact of Petö method on increase of self-reliance and autonomy of children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities, the collected information indicates the importance of the conductive education method – particularly in aspects of socialization, communication and agility.The purpose of this article is to show the possibility of using conductive education system and its effectiveness in working with children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities attending rehabilitation – educational groups, in order to develop and form their self-reliance, and the grounds of autonomy. In the first part of text the author described the functioning of people with profound intellectual disabilities, pointing to their specific difficulties in the field of independent functioning. Then author showed the assumptions of conductive education system with regard to the objectives set by The Ministry of Education for rehabilitation-educational classes.Using of the possibilities inherent in the monographic method, the author presented rehabilitation-educational activities with the use of conductive education method, with particular attention to the aspects of the development of autonomy of children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities. The data for analysis and description was collected through the observation (direct, participatory and indirect – by video camera) of participants of rehabilitation – educational activities (15 persons), analysis of documentation (observation sheets and individual curriculums) and interviews with teachers of three rehabilitation – educational groups.Although it is difficult to determine the actual impact of Petö method on increase of self-reliance and autonomy of children and young people with profound intellectual disabilities, the collected information indicates the importance of the conductive education method – particularly in aspects of socialization, communication and agility

Parents and the Adulthood of their Children with Intellectual Disabilities

The Author has chosen the intellectual disability to be the topic of her divagations. Therefore she enumerates certain factors which make the process of growing up more difficult or sometimes even impossible for people with intellectual disability. The article involves the analysis of several interviews with parents of adult children with intellectual disability. The main subject of those conversations was the perception of their children's adulthood.Ewa Jurczyk-Romanowsk

A Report on I Wrocławskie Spotkania Pedagogów Specjalnych „Wyzwania emancypacyjne w przestrzeni edukacyjnej i pomocowej”, (Wrocław, 15-16.09.2015)

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The meaning of professional work in the lives of adults with intellectual disabilities in the opinion of their parents

Wprowadzenie. Podjęcie pracy jest jednym z wyznaczników dorosłości. Zatrudnianie osób z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną (NI) jest coraz bardziej akceptowane, szczególnie wśród ich rodzin i osób z najbliższego otoczenia; rośnie też zrozumienie pozytywnego oddziaływania aktywności zawodowej na niezależność, samostanowienie, samorozwój i włączenie społeczne osób z NI. Cel. Poznanie opinii rodziców dorosłych dzieci z NI na temat znaczenia pracy zawodowej w życiu ich córek i synów. Materiały i metody. Do zgromadzenia danych został wybrany wywiad częściowo ustrukturyzowany, który przeprowadzono z 18 rodzicami niezatrudnionych dorosłych osób z NI (10 matek, 8 ojców) i 14 rodzicami pracujących osób z NI (10 matek, 4 ojców). Wyniki i wnioski. W wypowiedziach badani wskazywali na: przyczyny pozostawania bez pracy przez ich dorosłe dzieci z NI, ograniczenia i możliwości podjęcia przez nie pracy, korzyści z podjęcia i kontynuowania pracy, trudności, jakie napotykają w pracy, oraz szanse dotyczące ich usamodzielnienia się. Zdaniem rodziców praca jest ważnym aspektem życia ich dorosłych dzieci z NI, a większość chciałaby, aby podjęły zatrudnienie i/lub je utrzymały. Choć badani dostrzegali wiele korzyści płynących z wypełniania obowiązków zawodowych przez swoich synów i swoje córki, tylko nieliczni przyznali, że zatrudnienie stanowi kolejny etap w procesie osiągania przez ich dziecko większej autonomii. Część rodziców umniejszała znaczenie pracy ich dorosłych dzieci z NI, odnosząc swoją opinię do społecznego kontekstu.Introduction. Taking up a job is one of the determinants of adulthood. The employment of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is becoming more and more accepted, especially among their families and people in their immediate environment; There is also a growing understanding of the positive impact of professional activity on their independence, self-determination, self-development and social inclusion. Aim. To find out the opinions of parents of adult children with ID on the importance of professional work in the lives of their daughters and sons. Methods and materials. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data and was conducted with 18 parents of unemployed adults with ID (10 mothers, 8 fathers) and 14 parents of working people with ID (10 mothers, 4 fathers). Results and conclusion. In their statements, the respondents indicated: the reasons for their adult children with ID being unemployed, the limitations and opportunities for them to take up work, the benefits of taking up and continuing work, the difficulties they encounter at work and the opportunities for them to become independent. According to parents, work is an important aspect of the lives of their adult children with ID, and most would like them to enter and/or maintain employment. Although the respondents saw many benefits resulting from their sons and daughters fulfilling professional duties, only a few admitted that employment was another stage in the process of their child achieving greater autonomy. Some parents downplayed the importance of the work of their adult children with ID, relating their opinion to the social context