Abstract
This study represents an initial effort to understand the advocacy journey of Chinese parents of children with dyslexia in Hong Kong. Qualitative methods involving individual and group interviews were used to solicit detailed recount and perceptions of the experiences of 25 parents. Findings revealed a largely sequenced three-stage journey of parental advocacy: (1) parents’ emotional adjustment which involved self-blame and sorrow; (2) parents moving on to advocacy which comprised home-life adjustments, acquisition of knowledge about dyslexia, and seeking support through parent networks; and (3) parents advancing from advocacy to activism with increased knowledge about dyslexia and their conscious integration of Confucian and disability rights paradigms as strategies to interact and negotiate with authorities. This unique approach offers a conceptual framework for examining the interplay of dual or multiple cultural values affecting parent advocates’ actions. Their growth as advocates and activists affirmed the conceptualisation of the advocacy–activism continuum. Copyright © 2014 Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 93-111 |
Journal | Cambridge Journal of Education |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | Feb 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Citation
Poon-McBrayer, K. F., & McBrayer, P. A. (2014). Plotting Confucian and disability rights paradigms on the advocacy-activism continuum: Experiences of Chinese parents of children with dyslexia in Hong Kong. Cambridge Journal of Education, 44(1), 93-111.Keywords
- Culture
- Ethnicity
- Dyslexia
- Parents
- Secondary education