International Day of Persons with Disabilities

• newEditor
• PSHE
• LessonUp
• +1
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• GCSE

Introductie

This lesson focusses on the International Day For Persons With Disabilities. Made with support at LessonUp from people with disability - this session gives your students some context for what a disability is, what it can mean for people that have them, and how some people with disabilities see themselves and how they would like to be treated. Direct analysis of statutory definitions under the Equality Act 2010 and national demographic data challenges common assumptions regarding physical and mental impairments. Students examine environmental barriers, evaluate outcome disparities, and identify practical actions to improve inclusion across school and community environments. Interactive Highlights: Prior knowledge retrieval and vocabulary gathering using interactive Word Clouds. Self-assessment confidence tracking using instant Polls. Reflective analysis of societal attitudes and unconscious prejudice through Open Questions. Demographic data ordering and prevalence analysis using interactive Sorting tasks. Legal frameworks, statistical comparisons, and personal testimony delivered via Informative Slides. Best Suited For: Key Stage 3 to Further Education (FE) students within PSHE, Health Education, or Citizenship modules. Suitable for whole-class teacher-led instruction, guided group discussion, or dedicated inclusion awareness events. It is very important to note that the videos and text in this lesson does not speak for all peoples with disabilities, so you should go through the lesson and adapt any areas that you think will not resonate with your own class before teaching it.

Instructies

Simply save this lesson to your own 'My LessonUp' page, where you can adjust the imagery, text and content as much as you would like!

Or, press the 'teach now' button, to be able to instantly present and teach the content.

Please note, some of the text, images or videos may not be the most suitable for your class, depending on their ages and ability - so ensure you take some time to review and adapt the content to make the most of the session.

We hope you, and your students enjoy learning with LessonUp!

If you need any assistance with editing a lesson, or information on LessonUp in general - please contact: [e-mail]

Direct study of disability rights, accessibility, and inclusion challenges widespread social attitudes. Students analyse systemic barriers and evaluate practical actions that improve accessibility within schools and wider society.

What is a disability?

Gathering baseline definitions and vocabulary around disability reveals initial student perceptions before formal concepts are introduced.

Stretch: Ask students to select one word from the board and explain whether it describes an individual impairment or a wider societal barrier.

Device-Free: Prompt students to write three descriptive keywords on mini-whiteboards and hold them up simultaneously to build a physical word collection.

Presenting the lesson outline establishes clear expectations for examining disability definitions, lived experiences, and societal attitudes across the session.

Stretch: Challenge students to select one topic area from the roadmap and explain how public understanding of it has shifted over recent years.

Device-Free: Direct students to write one key learning goal on mini-whiteboards based on the six lesson themes outlined on screen.

What is a disability?

“You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.” - UK Gov

Establishing the legal parameters under the Equality Act 2010 grounds student understanding in statutory standards rather than subjective assumptions.

Stretch: Challenge students to explain why legal protections require both 'substantial' and 'long-term' conditions when determining adjustments in workplace or educational settings.

Device-Free: Ask students to write the two core statutory criteria ('substantial' and 'long-term') on mini-whiteboards and pair-check their definitions.

Let's make it clearer...

What do those terms mean?

Substantial

‘substantial’ is more than minor or trivial, for example it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed

Long-term

‘long-term’ means 12 months or more, for example a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection

Clarifying how the legal terms 'substantial' and 'long-term' are defined prevents subjective interpretations and sets objective standards for evaluation.

Stretch: Challenge students to contrast a temporary physical injury with a long-term condition to justify why only one meets statutory protection criteria.

Device-Free: Ask students to write the minimum timeframe required for 'long-term' status under UK law on mini-whiteboards for a quick visual check.

What types of disability are there?

A physical disability is a limitation in physical functioning, mobility, dexterity, or stamina that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on a person's ability to carry out normal daily activities. This can result from birth, illness, injury, or other conditions, making daily tasks more challenging or time-consuming. The definition focuses on the impact on daily function rather than just the physical condition itself.

Mental impairment that has a substantial, long-term adverse effect on your ability to do "normal day-to-day activities". "Long-term" means it has lasted or is likely to last for at least 12 months, and "substantial" means more than just a minor impact. Treatment, aids, or spectacles are generally disregarded when assessing the effect of the impairment.

Physical

Mental

Differentiating between physical and mental impairments frames disability around functional impact on everyday routines rather than medical labels alone.

Stretch: Ask students to evaluate how hidden mental health conditions or unseen physical impairments present unique challenges within public environments.

Device-Free: Prompt students to write one physical and one non-physical impairment example on mini-whiteboards, then compare with a partner how both affect daily tasks.

I understand the difference between physical and mental disabilities.

Running this self-assessment check measures immediate confidence levels regarding key distinctions between physical and mental impairments.

Stretch: Ask students who rate their confidence highly to state one specific area of overlap between physical and mental health conditions.

Device-Free: Direct students to show a 1-to-5 finger rating to communicate confidence levels quickly to the room.

What's it like to be disabled?

Being disabled is a unique and varied experience, but many people face physical barriers, social stigma, and emotional distress, including isolation, frustration, and anxiety.

It can also develop incredible resilience, determination, and unique perspectives.

Thoughts...

The key is that disability is not a singular experience; it affects each person differently, and the challenges can be physical, social and emotional.

Why do you think some people automatically treat people with disabilities differently than anyone else?

Presenting the personal realities of living with a disability shifts focus from legal terminology toward recognizing environmental barriers and social attitudes.

Stretch: Challenge students to analyze how environmental barriers in public spaces directly contribute to social isolation.

Device-Free: Prompt students to record one physical barrier and one social barrier on mini-whiteboards, then compare findings in pairs.

Important steps to remember...

3 tips for 'able' people.

What You See

Not everyone that is considered ‘disabled’ has a physical disability. You may have seen signs that say ‘not every disability is visible’ - and this is very true!

1.

How's and Why's

Not everyone with a disability was necessarily ‘born with it’. Some people become disabled later in life for many different reasons including accidents, surgery or being diagnosed late!

2.

Emotional Response

It is impossible to categorise so many people with one word. Some people are very open and positive about their disability, where some people aren’t. Bare in mind that not everyone will want to be treated differently, or have their disability highlighted, so let them lead the way if you ever discuss it with someone.

3.

Outlining key interpersonal guidelines provides a practical framework for non-disabled individuals to reflect on personal assumptions and interactions.

Stretch: Challenge students to evaluate which of these three practical steps addresses the root cause of unconscious bias most effectively, justifying their choice.

Device-Free: Direct students to select one step and write a concrete example of applying it in a school environment on mini-whiteboards.

Social stigmas for disabled people...

Society has changed for the better in modern times. There was a period where people with disabilities were treated unfairly purely because of their disability - without any consideration of their personal strengths or limitations. Let's look at a few summaries, and reflect if you have ever been guilty of thinking the same way...

Framing historical social stigmas alongside modern shifts encourages students to recognise how stereotypical thinking influences everyday actions.

Stretch: Challenge students to analyse whether institutional barriers or interpersonal prejudices present the greatest obstacle to eliminating disability stigma today.

Device-Free: Direct students to write one historical misconception and one modern improvement regarding disability rights on mini-whiteboards.

Presenting demographic data demonstrates how disability prevalence shifts across age groups and underscores the scale of accessibility needs nationwide.

Stretch: Challenge students to analyse why reporting rates increase significantly in older demographics and evaluate the impact on public policy.

Device-Free: Ask students to write down the proportion for working-age adults on mini-whiteboards and suggest one system needed to support this group.

Which group had the highest rate of reported disability?

1

"Working Age"

2

Elderly People

3

Children (under 18)

Sorting demographic groups by reported disability prevalence reinforces data literacy and clarifies how age correlates with impairment rates across society.

Stretch: Ask students to justify why older demographics experience higher rates of disability and evaluate how public infrastructure must adapt for an ageing population.

Device-Free: Direct students to write the three demographic groups in correct descending order of disability rate on mini-whiteboards.

Presenting comparative national statistics highlights measurable outcome gaps in employment, education, and personal well-being experienced by disabled people.

Stretch: Challenge students to select one key statistical disparity and analyse how systemic or environmental barriers directly contribute to that gap.

Device-Free: Direct students to write one surprising statistical outcome on mini-whiteboards and discuss with a partner how public policy could address it.

Language warning for this video!

Suitable for all 

These videos are both optional - feel free to find a video that will resonate with your pupils and insert it by pressing '+ Add' then selecting 'Video'.

Summarising key lesson themes through high-profile personal reflections reinforces how individual perspective operates alongside structural accessibility changes.

Stretch: Challenge students to evaluate whether personal mindsets or environmental adjustments contribute more to overcoming societal barriers, justifying their reasoning.

Device-Free: Direct students to write one key takeaway message from the quote on mini-whiteboards and discuss its application with a peer.