Response to Responses: Raising Awareness isn’t Enough: The Role of the Psychology of Education in Disability. Related Justice and Inclusion in Primary Classrooms

Abstract

Since writing my Open Dialogue piece, and sending it into the world, I have been bowled over by the responses, first from the reviewers, and then from researchers who have taken the time to carefully read the initial piece and to verbalise their own responses to it. Many in so doing, have shared something very valuable of their own experiences of disability in the spheres of Psychology and/or Education. For me, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to read these responses, and I am very thankful to the editorial team of the BPS Education section for the opportunity to do so, and for their own hard work in bringing this idea for an Open Dialogue into being. What I offer now is a reflection on the responses, alongside what I am tentatively framing as a ‘call to action’ among everyone working in the Psychology of Education, to join us in enhancing disability literacy and working towards disability-related social justice. I maintain here my focus on primary classrooms, but have on occasion strayed beyond this, as you will see, and welcome your thinking and action on expanding changes to our practice across the Psychology of Education, writ large.