Mal-vivre et savoirs : réflexion sur la forme scolaire

Abstract

In France, one of the ambitions of the school system is « to leave no student by the wayside » (Circular No. 2019-088 of 5-6-2019), especially those students with special educational needs (SEN). This recognition ultimately leads to perceiving the student through the lens of their needs as deficiencies. Thus, how can a student who is institutionally recognized as troubled, ill, or disabled, feel capable? What reality does the school offer them? In an establishment and service for work assistance (ESAT) within the medico-social sector, a collective of professionals and a researcher, organized in a cooperative engineering is conducting an inquiry to enable workers (adults with disabilities) to act more adequately in the ESAT workshops. Specifically, in this article, we focus on one of the collective inquiries that led to the proposal of a word-label and writing-slate system for Walter, a 23-year-old non-reader worker, to support his activity in the ESAT’s catering workshop. Within the Joint Action Theory in Didactics (JATD), the analysis of this example shows us some possible avenues for schools, encouraging the consideration of the student-person, not based on their deviation from the norm, but through the implementation of specific devices and teaching-learning situations to promote better living for both teachers and students.

Keywords

• writing and reading
• emotions and mental health
• handicap and learning disabilities
• educational inclusion and exclusion
• school form