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What do you think of when you hear the words: Learning Disabled, Mentally Disabled, or Emotionally Disturbed. Human beings have it in their nature to categorize, classify, and label parts of their world for various reasons. As labeling is a tool that is used for organizing things, many labels have dangers associated with the dehumanizing of people. Labeling, itself, it a neutral thing and is very necessary when used in the appropriate way. People can benefit from belonging to a specific group or need.

There is a difference between labeling a person and labeling their specific needs. To label a need and to attach that need to a student allows teachers to provide specialized services to meet the needs of students who may need an individualized education program. The disability label should be attached to a person's needs. People have the right to an education that is taught to their learning style, and the label of the learning disability allows special education students to receive the services they need. The danger comes when this label is applied to the student to limit their abilities or to define the person.

The dangers in labeling a person are apparent when we see teachers who tell a parent that their child will never be able to do something because of their disability. According to the law of physics, it should be impossible for a bee to fly because the bees tiny wings are not strong enough to lift the large and heavy body of a bee, but bees fly in spite of what human beings think that they should be able to do. Students will surprise us if we let them. Labels can be dangerous if we use them to stifle the potential that a child has.

A person with a learning disability is first and foremost a person. It is important that a label is never applied with the intent to define the student and limit his or her potential, because even though a student may have a disability it is important to first see that the student has many abilities. These strengths can help a student overcome weaknesses, and the label being used to define the disability and not the child will provide that child with the services and accommodations that he or she needs to accomplish great things.

Learn more about this author, Abbi Sharp.
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