Activity 14 - How people have been treated: learning disability timeline 2

Aim

To consider the history of the treatment of people with learning disabilities and link this to human rights.

Curriculum area(s)

• Year 5 upwards
  • History
  • Citizenship
  • Tutor time

Suitable for adults with learning disabilities?

No

Learning outcome(s)

Students will be aware how attitude change leads to changes in the way people with learning disabilities have been treated over time.

Time required

30 mins - 120 mins

Resources

• Internet access for class members and a whiteboard.
• Present in My Past - Purple Patch Arts: a short animation which brings to life the social history of people with learning disabilities and how they have been treated by society. Narrated by Emily and Rachel; 10.30 mins.
• Large sheets of paper - one per table and felt tip pens.
• Bournemouth People First Timeline

Activity

1. Watch "Present in My Past". In groups, discuss the film. Get answers to the following questions and write them down:
   1. What did the research team learn?
   2. What has changed?
   3. When did it change?
   4. Have such changes been a good thing and why?
2. As a class, look at and discuss the Bournemouth People First Timeline.
   1. Examine the main changes to the lives of people with learning disabilities.
   2. Class discussion - what are human rights?
      1. Did they apply to everyone?
      2. Who was excluded in the past?
      3. Who are still excluded?
      4. How could the human rights of people with learning disabilities be improved today in the community (e.g. in school, work, in terms of where they live and where they go)?

Ideas for follow up

• International agreement on the rights of disabled people (EasyRead guide)
• Further work on the human rights of disabled people. How much are they being met?

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