Alba,a Girl Who Successfully Overcomes Barriers of Intellectual Disability Through Dialogic Literary Gatherings

Abstract

This article examines the biography of an 11-year-old student, Alba, who lives in a deprived social context and has an intellectual disability. With an academic proficiency 4 years behind the rest of her class, Alba was always well accepted by her classmates, but she never stood out academically. Her biography shows a turning point as a result of her participation in dialogic literary gatherings. By sharing this dialogic space, where works of classic literature are discussed and knowledge is created based on collective interpretations of the text, Alba has had the opportunity not only to learn from her classmates but also to make brilliant contributions that have sparked profound debates among her peers. Alba’s communicative biography unveils an educational action that is capable of making vulnerable students visible, not only because of what they can learn from others but also because of what they can contribute.