"I didn't think I was going to like working with him, but now I really do!": examining peer narratives of significant disability.

Naraian (2008) listened to how elementary kids talk about classmates with significant disabilities.

The class called itself a "family." The researcher recorded how this story shaped who got to join games, groups, and conversations.

No trials, no treatment—just close watching and interviews.

The "family" tale helped kids feel safe and kind.

It also set hidden rules: the child with the disability stayed the "baby" of the family.

That role limited how often peers asked him to lead, choose, or teach.

Smit et al. (2019) extends the same idea to college. In their peer-mentor program, students with intellectual disability became equals and attitudes improved.

Guillemot et al. (2024) conceptually replicate the tension. Parents in France said inclusion rises when teacher relationships are strong—echoing the power of classroom stories.

Dall et al. (1997) shows the flip side. When general-ed peers were trained as helpers, their own grades went up. The older study spotlights helper gains; Srikala warns the same setup can freeze the helped student in a passive role.

Your classroom story is a silent curriculum. If pupils with disabilities are always "the helped," they rarely get to be "the helper," "the expert," or "the friend who chooses the game.