[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-detail-600804-en":59,"doc-seo-600804-105":80},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":60},{"doc_id":61,"user_id":62,"nickname":63,"user_avatar":64,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":66,"doc_content":67,"file_id":68,"file_url":69,"file_type":70,"file_size":71,"view_count":8,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":29,"language":72,"language_code":73,"site_id":74,"html_lang":73,"table_of_contents":75,"faqs":76,"seo_title":77,"seo_description":66,"update_tm":78,"read_time":79},600804,5909893218464,"dhado","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","I Just Want to Know - Helping Children Express Their Curiosity About Others With Disabilities","The article examines why preschool children make comments about peers with disabilities in inclusive classroom settings. It addresses teachers’ concerns and anxiety when children express rude or hurtful remarks, then explains how advance preparation can reduce intensity for both teachers and children. It provides concrete guidance for responding at an age-appropriate level, redirecting comments, and preparing clear answers about equipment and disability causes.","I Just Want to Know: Helping Children Express Their Curiosity About Others with Disabilities  \n\n| Gain insights about the reasons behind young children’s comments concerning children with disabilities and discover tools to prepare yourself to handle these situations more effectively. | Anarella Cellitti & Rascheel Hastings |\n| --- | --- |\n\nMany new teachers are concerned with how to respond appropriately when preschoolers make statements that can be considered rude, hurtful, or socially inappropriate. This is particularly true for comments related to children with disabilities (Diamond & Hong, 2010) . New teachers are often afraid that negative and unkind comments will be made by young children in their classrooms. If this occurs, the teacher may be petrified, not respond, or respond in a manner that makes the situation worse ([Twyman et. al](Twyman et. al), 2010).  \nThe purpose of this article is to offer insight about the reasons behind young children’s comments concerning others with disabilities in the inclusive classroom environment. Moreover, this article will provide new teachers with tools to prepare themselves to handle these situations more effectively. When teachers expect comments and are prepared to respond to such comments, the situations tend to be less intense. As a result, both teachers and children benefit from the interchange.  \nBe Informed and Prepared  \nAs a teacher in an inclusive public school setting, you will have students with disabilities (Buysse, Goldman, & Skinner, 2002). Knowing in advance who to expect, the specific needs of the child, and the classroom’s accommodations will help you prepare to respond to children’s comments and questions. You can reflect on what are the most likely things to be asked by children such as:  \n• “How did she get to be in a wheel chair?”  \n• “What is that thing behind his ears?”  \n• “Why are your glasses so thick?”  \n• “Why do they talk funny?”  \nDimensions of Early Childhood  \n• “Why does that thing (hearing aid) make that noise?”Young children are curious and often make remarks about a disability simply because it is new and novel:  \nthis occurs in classrooms when young children have not previously been exposed to individuals with disabilities (Diamond & Tu, 2009) .  \nYoung children may be afraid of children with disabilities.  \nAs children are exposed to children who use wheelchairs, hearing aids, or use other adaptive equipment and devices, they begin to recognize the equipment as tools to assist the child. When children become familiar with individuals with disabilities (Krahe´ & Altwasser, 2006) and children with challenging behaviors, they perceive them as part oftheir group and as typical, rather than different. These characteristics will no longer be noticeable but common in the child’s environment.  \nAnother reason for young children’s comments is fear for themselves and of the child with disabilities. They may believe the physical, social, emotional manifestations ofthe disability are contagious or brought on by not following adult requests. Children may also be afraid that they will make the situation worse by getting closer or playing with children with disabilities. Teachers can help alleviate this fear by explaining how disabilities occur (Buysse, Goldman, & Skinner, 2002) . Of course,  \nVol 43, No 3, 2015  \n11  \nI Just Want To Know: Helping Children Express Their Curiosity About Others With Disabilities  \n\n|  |  | Photo courtesy of BB International Preschool, Pompano Beach, FL |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Outdoor learning spaces can accommodate children with disabilities by creating structures such as this raised gardening bed. |  |  |\n\nthis information needs to be stated at the child’s developmental level and explained in basic terms easily understood by young children. For example, a child may say “She/he is walking funny.” when they see a child with orthopedic impairments. At this point teachers will have to redirect the comments and state that the chil","cbCaipRWl8F66lGN","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipRWl8F66lGN","pdf",344361,"English","en",105,"# Be Informed and Prepared\n## Dimensions of Early Childhood\n# Answer Children’s Questions","[{\"question\":\"Why do young children make comments about peers with disabilities?\",\"answer\":\"Children may comment because the disability is new and unfamiliar, because they feel fear or worry for themselves, or simply because they are developing social communication skills. Familiarity with adaptive equipment can also shift their perception toward normalcy.\"},{\"question\":\"How can teachers prepare to respond effectively?\",\"answer\":\"Teachers can learn who to expect, understand the child’s specific needs, and review classroom accommodations in advance. Preparation helps teachers anticipate questions and respond in ways that keep interactions less intense.\"},{\"question\":\"What should teachers do when children ask concrete questions or show fear?\",\"answer\":\"Teachers should redirect remarks calmly, explain how equipment works, and give simple, developmentally appropriate causes such as illness or accidents. They can also encourage children to ask appropriate questions and reassure peers that children with disabilities can participate in many activities.\"}]","I Just Want to Know - Helping Children Express Their Curiosity About Others With Disabilities | PDF",1792091416,15,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"ok",{"site_id":74,"language":73,"slug":83,"title":65,"keywords":84,"description":66,"schema_data":85,"social_meta":139,"head_meta":141,"extra_data":143,"updated_unix":144},"i-just-want-to-know-helping-children-express-their-curiosity-about-others-with-disabilities","",{"@graph":86,"@context":138},[87,101,121],{"@type":88,"itemListElement":89},"BreadcrumbList",[90,94,96,99],{"item":91,"name":92,"@type":93,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":95,"name":9,"@type":93,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":97,"name":35,"@type":93,"position":98},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":100,"name":65,"@type":93,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/i-just-want-to-know-helping-children-express-their-curiosity-about-others-with-disabilities/600804/",{"url":100,"name":65,"@type":102,"image":103,"author":108,"headline":65,"publisher":110,"fileFormat":113,"inLanguage":73,"description":66,"dateModified":114,"datePublished":115,"encodingFormat":113,"isAccessibleForFree":116,"interactionStatistic":117},"DigitalDocument",{"url":104,"@type":105,"width":106,"height":107},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/i-just-want-to-know-helping-children-express-their-curiosity-about-others-with-disabilities/600804.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":63,"@type":109},"Person",{"url":91,"name":111,"@type":112},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-16","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":118,"interactionType":119,"userInteractionCount":8},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":120},"ViewAction",{"@type":122,"mainEntity":123},"FAQPage",[124,130,134],{"name":125,"@type":126,"acceptedAnswer":127},"Why do young children make comments about peers with disabilities?","Question",{"text":128,"@type":129},"Children may comment because the disability is new and unfamiliar, because they feel fear or worry for themselves, or simply because they are developing social communication skills. Familiarity with adaptive equipment can also shift their perception toward normalcy.","Answer",{"name":131,"@type":126,"acceptedAnswer":132},"How can teachers prepare to respond effectively?",{"text":133,"@type":129},"Teachers can learn who to expect, understand the child’s specific needs, and review classroom accommodations in advance. Preparation helps teachers anticipate questions and respond in ways that keep interactions less intense.",{"name":135,"@type":126,"acceptedAnswer":136},"What should teachers do when children ask concrete questions or show fear?",{"text":137,"@type":129},"Teachers should redirect remarks calmly, explain how equipment works, and give simple, developmentally appropriate causes such as illness or accidents. They can also encourage children to ask appropriate questions and reassure peers that children with disabilities can participate in many activities.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":100,"og:type":140,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":111,"og:description":66},"article",{"robots":142,"canonical":100},"index,follow",{"doc_id":61,"site_id":74},1792115107]