Autism told to children: Can children’s literature be used to promote awareness?
Type de matériel :
8
Children’s books about disability can be used with an educational purpose. This paper offers the analysis of a corpus comprised of 22 books written in French for children from 3 to 11 years old. Published since 2000, they deal with the issue of autism. We describe the kind of representation of Autism Spectrum Disorder that the books propose, particularly as regards children’s behavior. Thematic analysis reveals six characteristics that appear in at least half of the books: 1. children with strange and upsetting behaviors; 2. children who cannot see us or hear us; 3. children who live in another world; 4. children who do not play or who have rituals; 5. children who do not communicate; 6. children who are hypersensitive. We then compare this description with current scientific data, based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. We show that children’s literature offers a complete and well-documented account of the disorder. This can be explained by a number of editorial specificities such as the promotion of knowledge concerning disability or family involvement. It also offers views about how such books can be used in an educational context.
Réseaux sociaux