Representações da pessoa com deficiência: com a palavra, uma professora em formação inicial cadeirante

Abstract

Throughout history, people with disabilities have been portrayed as incapable and in need of help (Brazil, 2015). Additionally, prejudiced social representations of people with disabilities permeate and influence their self-perception. In this context, the objective of this research is to analyze the representations that shape the social, academic, and professional actions of an English language teacher in initial teacher education and with a physical disability. To achieve this, the study draws on theoretical frameworks on social representations (Bronckart, 1999; Moscovici, 2003; Fogaça, 2011), research on social representations of people with disabilities (Carvalho, 2007; Sassaki, 2003), and ableism (Gesser, Böck, Lopes, 2020; Vendramin, 2019). The analysis of the data, generated through a reflective report, revealed that ableist social representations negatively impact the identity of people with disabilities, as well as their academic, professional, and social performance. Therefore, it is crucial to eliminate such ableist practices.