MOVIE: My Name is Khan
- Summary of the movies (setting, main characters, main events…). (approximately 1 page )
- Describe the character in the movie that has the exceptionality. Is the character portrayed realistically, stereotypically, or as a superhuman? Validate your response with specific examples.
- Based on the definition of the exceptionality, what specific physical, cognitive, and/or emotional characteristics did you see portrayed in the movies. Provide examples.
- Describe whether the character’s experiences are similar or different from a person without disabilities. (daily living, relationships, work, school…)
- How does this person view him or herself? How do others view this person?
- Does this person or those who interact with him or her have to make any changes in their life or the way they address the character? Explain
- What changes take place in characters without disabilities as a result of their interaction with the character with a disability/exceptionality? Validate your response.
- Does the author use nondiscriminatory language that avoids stereotypic portrayals (does not use language such as suffers from, afflicted with, stricken with, confined to a wheelchair) – this includes the use of person -first language. Validate your responses by specifying the page in the book that the language was used.
- Do you see examples of self-determination in the character with disability (e.g. character(s) are allowed to make decisions that impact their lives, solve their own problems, and choose their own friends……)? Validate your response (provide specific examples)
- Do the family and siblings of the character with disabilities/exceptionality experience a wide range of emotions, not just all positive or all negative emotions (e.g. pride, joy, respect, love, embarrassment, frustration, guilt…). Provide examples to validate your response.
- Does the character with the disability/exceptionality displays appropriate growth throughout the movie (e.g. character is not stagnant, but learns, changes, and grows as a result of life experiences). Validate your responses.
- Look at how the problems in the story are presented, conceived and resolved. Is the character with the disability/exceptionality considered part of the “the problem?” Validate you response.
- Can this story /events that occur in the movie be told in the same way even if the main character did not have a disability/exceptional. Why?
- From whose point of view was this movie told from (e.g. the character with a disability/exceptionality, a sibling, person without a disability…)?
- Why is this movie titled as it is? Do you think it was an appropriate title? Even if you feel that the title was appropriate, if you could re-title the movie, what would be the new title and why?
- What was your overall impression of the movie? Would you watch this movie again or recommend this movie to a friend? Why or why not?
- Describe why, when and how you would use this movie in your classroom.