How teachers can talk to children about disability

Creating inclusive, respectful, and supportive classrooms for all students begins with how we talk about difference—especially disability.

Suchita Smith, who lives with Pseudoachondroplasia—a bone dysplasia that affects joint development and causes short stature and arthritis—offers a perspective both personal and powerful for educators navigating these conversations.

At the heart of her advice is one simple principle: treat people with disabilities as you would anyone else.

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“The importance of treating a person with a disability as ‘normally’ as possible, not making a fuss, or changing voice tone (being patronising). They just want to be included like everyone else, although I can’t speak for everyone,” Smith says.

This means avoiding over-sympathising, talking down, or drawing unnecessary attention to a student’s disability. A respectful, natural tone matters—children mirror the attitudes they see modelled.

When it comes to accommodations in the classroom, Smith encourages teachers to normalise them.

“If there are modifications and adaptations to accommodate the student, they’re done as though they are not special, or any trouble, just normal.”

These changes—whether they involve seating arrangements, mobility tools, or extra support—need thorough prior planning and consultation, and then should be implemented smoothly and without fuss. This not only avoids singling the student out but also teaches peers that diversity in learning needs is just part of everyday life.

Smith imagines a future where disability is seamlessly included in school culture.

“I can imagine being in a school where disability is embraced and accommodated, with everyone feeling comfortable and at ease, would be most important for students with a disability for their confidence, happiness and ability to learn,” she says. “It would then set them up for a positive future, and help create an inclusive, accepting environment for the whole school community.”

Teachers have a unique opportunity to foster this kind of environment. That might include curriculum choices that highlight disability in empowering ways or facilitating open discussions that allow students to ask questions in a respectful space.

For deeper understanding, Smith suggests experiential empathy-building exercises.

“If there needs to be empathy developed, exercises to have a taste of what it’s like to live with a disability, such as being blindfolded and trying to get around with a partner, or even trying a wheelchair for a few hours (though it may be politically incorrect!) are simple yet can have a powerful effect.”

While such activities must be handled sensitively and with guidance from disability advocates, the goal is clear: to promote compassion and challenge assumptions.

Steps for teachers to talk about disability in the classroom

Be mindful of language

• Teach students the difference between person-first (e.g. “a student with autism”) and identity-first (e.g. “an autistic student”) language — and let students with disabilities choose how they describe themselves.
• Avoid terms like “handicapped” or “suffering from.”

Treat individuality and differences respectfully

• Remind students that disability is a natural part of human diversity and that all people have different strengths and challenges — disability is just one part of someone’s identity.
• Say: “Some people’s brains or bodies work differently, and that’s okay. We all need different things to do our best.”

Use appropriate books and media

• Share age-appropriate books, videos, or stories that feature characters with disabilities in positive, authentic roles.
• Avoid “inspiration porn” — which are stories that portray disabled people as heroic just for existing.

Challenge stereotypes and assumptions

• Actively correct misconceptions: Say: “People with disabilities can go to school, play sport, and do things like anyone else — they might just do it differently.”
• Teach students that not all disabilities are visible.

Celebrate accessibility and universal design

• Show how ramps, captions, visual supports, or sensory tools help everyone — not just students with disabilities.

Ultimately, talking to children about disability isn’t about making speeches—it’s about modelling acceptance, listening to those with lived experience, and treating every student as inherently worthy of respect and belonging.

As Suchita Smith reminds us, the small, everyday actions of teachers can profoundly shape how all children view difference—not as something to fear or fix, but as something to understand, accept, and include.