The first Reading the Way research project set out to identify a range of titles from around the world that might be considered to stand out in terms of being 'accessible' to children with additional needs and/or 'inclusive' (i.e. including disability or disabled characters within the story).
‘Reading the Way 2’ was developed to build on this research and in 2016-2017, supported by the Arts Council of England and the Unwin Charitable Trust, this innovative project set out to work with a range of schools, artists and translators to explore a selection of inclusive and accessible books from around the world and give children a real voice.
UK and International artists involved in the project included illustrator Jane Ray, and authors Julia Donaldson and Susie Day; Italian author Rosa Tiziana Bruno and Austrian author Franz-Joseph Huainigg; translators Daniel Hahn and Denise Muir and book creator and publisher Annie Kubler.
The aims were:
The project involved taking authors, illustrators and translators into a number of selected schools (involving a diverse range of students) to take part in innovative and in-depth activity exploring accessibility and inclusivity in books.
The activity involved workshops using selected books from the first project. The workshops explored ideas such as what makes the selected books particularly ‘inclusive’ and/or ‘accessible’ and whether they might be improved or enhanced, particularly for UK audiences.
Crucially, however, in each case an in-school project was also then developed, based on the outcomes of the initial workshop, and generally lasting around 6-8 weeks, enabling the students to analyse the books in greater depth.
Also central to the project was the truly two-way workshop approach, involving UK artists sharing their own experience and books with children, who in turn shared their valuable experience and feedback relating to disability and inclusion to the benefit of book creators in the UK and worldwide.
Examples of activities and participants
The six workshop projects took place in a range of settings including five schools and one university (with students of children’s literature and translation).
The diverse range of students included deaf children, visually impaired students and children with communication difficulties.
Workshop projects included a project involving deaf children working with the author of an Italian book about a deaf pastry chef who adds a secret ingredient (silence) into his recipes. The children were given the opportunity to explore deaf characters and how they are portrayed in the books of Italian author Rosa Tiziana Bruno and UK author Julia Donaldson. Highlights included the children baking their own cakes (into which they added their own ideas for secret ingredients) and writing and illustrating their own stories inspired by the inclusive nature of the book. The second workshop involved the children sharing their stories and ideas with Julia Donaldson whilst also enjoying a lively, interactive performance of two of her books by Julia and husband Malcolm.
Another project involved working with visually impaired students to explore how a touch and feel book might truly represent the needs and interested of visually impaired children. Crucial to the project was the uniting of the young people’s experiences and wishes with the commercial knowledge of an experienced book creator and publisher, Annie Kubler of Child’s Play Books. Together the project successfully identified how a tactile book might ensure variety and interest for blind and partially sighted audiences whilst also recognising the commercial, safety and financial constraints of a viable publishing industry.
Another of the projects aimed to explore the many ways in which a picture book could be made more accessible to children with different needs, particularly those with communication difficulties. After an initial workshop with award-winning illustrator Jane Ray, introducing Zeraffa Giraffa, the children ran a 6-week project aimed at developing as many ways as possible of interpreting the book, bringing it to life using textures, props, puppets, masks, Lego, drama, and creative writing. Their writing involved writing their own book reviews, simplified retellings of the story, and instructions on transporting a giraffe to Paris. The children and their teachers even created a version of Zeraffa Giraffa supported by ‘Communication In Print’ symbols.
Through the Reading the Way and Reading the Way 2 projects we have been able to demonstrate how much interest there is in this field, (both in the UK and internationally), and that there is much to be learned from inclusive and accessible books from other countries.
Reading the Way 2 specifically generated the following outcomes:
Consultation with children
Value to book creators
Disability awareness in schools
Highlighting specific titles
Examples of some of the many recommendations OIW would like to make following the RtW and RtW2 projects include:
OIW would like to see children in special schools being awarded access to a more expansive range of accessible mainstream books.
OIW believe books should be available in as many formats as possible including offering signing on accompanying CDs, online and through app’s and e-books.
OIW would recommend the inclusion of braille, British Sign Language and communication symbols somewhere within the mainstream book landscape.
The RtW2 project showed that the accessibility of any mainstream picture book can be enhanced and supported in vast range of different ways, for example using sensory props, puppets and drama. OIW would like to see more resources available to support and inspire, offering ideas and activities. Inclusive books
The project proved that there is a need for a more diverse variety of approaches to including disability in stories and pictures. Some of the innovative styles and approaches identified in this research were considered to help increase the book’s general viability and appeal whilst also providing a new way of viewing disability and inclusion.
The project noted the need for books that ‘usualise’ disability as opposed to either problemising or glamourising it. The project noted the need for books that empower disabled characters (without necessarily making them the ‘hero’) and also books that show disabled characters as equals. There is also a need for books that do not shy away from the challenges that can be faced by disabled people.
The project findings underline the importance of avoiding stereotyping. Many of the most convincing depictions of disabled people identified through this project were written from personal experience or after having clearly undertaken extensive research. OIW recommends book creators undertake appropriate levels of research and consultation to ensure convincingly depicted characters and authenticity. Books need to avoid sensationalising conditions such as autism or showing only extremes. The landscape must reflect a range of different 'experiences' of any condition, to ensure that readers see a spectrum of different views and experiences, as opposed to a 'single story'.
The importance of the quality of the translation cannot be stressed strongly enough. The translation process must also involve giving careful thought to the important matter of disability-related language, terminology, cultural references and inferences.
UK publishers are encouraged to consider some of the titles identified by this project for possible publication. By doing so, the UK book landscape could be enriched both in terms of increasing the number of books in translation but also the number recognising and including disabled children.
There is a real value in actively involving children in assessing manuscripts and finished books and all parts of the book world are urged to identify appropriate and workable means of doing this.