Representations of Disabled Characters in Contemporary Upper Middle-Grade Children's Literature

这个创造性和批判性（50%-50%）的项目探讨了英国儿童小说中的残疾表现。关键部分考虑了中上年级小说（11-14岁）中残疾主角的角色和普遍性，确定了任何不足的原因（即，缺乏机会（残疾作家）和随后的社会影响（侧重于目标读者）。这将是第一次深入研究这一主题：分析目前的工作机构，并集中在残疾/非残疾作家为中上阶层创造残疾主角，以及相关的伦理争论。与此对话的是，创造性研究是一部从一名13岁脊柱损伤儿童的角度撰写的中上年级小说，阐明了她的经历，特别是她的残疾如何影响她的世界观和行动。（CCBC，2019年）;然而，范围的2019年报告指出，8%的英国儿童被认为是残疾人。吉尔科尔曼，图书信托的儿童图书总监，建议“故事和人物[.]影响[孩子]如何看待自己和周围的世界”（BookTrust，2021）。这对所有儿童都是如此，但对残疾儿童尤其重要，以培养他们的愿望，并帮助非残疾儿童将“残疾视为规范的一部分”（Strick，2017）。如果没有这种观点，课堂划分可能会发展（Reijer & McGrail，2015）。研究表明，残疾儿童和非残疾儿童之间的鸿沟在中年级阶段特别有害，因为这一阶段通常会发生“外国概念和问题”的“对话和辩论”（Glass，2017; Lipoff，2011）。中上年级年龄组如何受到残疾人数不足的影响？2.文学文本如何为积极的变革提供平台？3.关于作者身份的陈述和自我陈述面临哪些挑战？4.写作如何积极地改变人们对残疾的看法？方法的关键要素开始调查目前的机构中年级的工作特点是残疾人的主要人物探索如何代表影响读者.这项创造性的工作始于通过M4 C的合作伙伴国家残奥会遗产信托基金（利用他们与更广泛的残疾人社区的关系）组织的实践研究。与NPHT原则上达成协议，在残疾人社区内举办创造性写作讲习班，调查如何敏感地创造积极的残疾人角色。在与本研究的对话中，将创作一部以13岁残疾人为主角的中上年级小说，在起草时，工作坊队列提供重要的敏感性反馈。结果将记录在关键组件中（中级作者和出版商也将接受采访，以捕捉他们的观点和经验，并对相关作品进行批判性分析）。创造性写作对于为读者带来生活中的代表问题至关重要，提供了一个三维的中上层的创造的积极效益-影响该项目通过创造性的研究，提供了更好的知识，代表的好处。通过国家残奥会遗产信托基金发起文化交流，该项目通过主办一个写作讲习班方案，促进残疾人（自己的声音）和非残疾人作家敏感地创造积极和真实的残疾人角色遗产。

This creative and critical (50%-50%) project explores representations of disability in British children'sfiction. The critical component considers the roles and prevalence of disabled protagonists in uppermiddle-grade fiction (for 11-14-year-olds) identifying reasons for any shortfall (i.e., a lack of opportunitiesfor disabled writers) and subsequent societal impacts (focussing on the intended readership). It will bethe first in-depth study on this topic: analysing the current body of work and focussing on the creation ofdisabled protagonists by disabled/non-disabled authors for upper middle-grade, and related ethicalarguments. In dialogue with this, the creative research is an upper middle-grade novel written from theperspective of a 13-year-old with a spinal injury, illuminating her experiences, specifically how herdisability influences her worldview and actions.Context3.9% of surveyed children's novels published in 2019 contained disabled main characters (CCBC, 2019);however, Scope's 2019 report states 8% of UK children identify as disabled. Jill Coleman, BookTrust'sDirector of Children's Books, suggest 'Stories and characters [...] affect how [children] see themselvesand the world around them' (BookTrust, 2021). This is true for all children, but particularly pertinent forthose with a disability, to foster their aspirations, as well as helping non-disabled children view 'disabilityas part of the norm' (Strick, 2017). Without this view, classroom divides can develop (Reijer & McGrail,2015). Research suggests divides between disabled and non-disabled children are particularly harmful inthe middle-grade stage when 'conversation and debate' of 'foreign concepts and problems' typicallyoccurs (Glass, 2017; Lipoff, 2011).7 / 23Research Questions:1. How is the upper middle-grade age group impacted by underrepresentation of disability?2. How can literary texts provide platforms for positive change?3. What challenges are faced around representation and self-representation regarding authorship?4. How can writing positively change perceptions of disability?MethodologyThe critical element begins by investigating the current body of middle-grade work featuring disabledmain characters exploring how representation impacts the readership. The creative work begins withpractical research organised via M4C's partner, the National Paralympic Heritage Trust (leveraging theirrelationship with the wider disabled community). Agreement in principle has been reached with NPHT todeliver creative writing workshops within the disabled community investigating how positive disabledcharacters can be created sensitively. In dialogue with this research, an upper middle-grade novelfeaturing a 13-year-old disabled protagonist will be created, the workshop cohort providing vitalsensitivity feedback as it is drafted. Findings will be documented in the critical component (middle gradeauthors and publishers will also be interviewed to capture their views and experiences, and relevantwork critically analysed).Writing creatively is essential for bringing to life the issues of representation for the readership, providingthe positive benefit of the creation of a three-dimensional upper middle-grade disabled character.ImpactThe project provides improved knowledge of the benefits of representation through creative research.Initiating cultural exchange via the National Paralympics Heritage Trust, by hosting a programme ofwriting workshops the project promotes disabled (own voice) and non-disabled writers to sensitivelycreate a legacy of positive and authentic disabled characters.