In education we use standardized terms when discussing students. Using common terminology when we speak about different groups shows that we speak the language of academia. However, these standardized terms often perpetuate inequity and most often “others” certain groups. When we use these terms in work that is intended to disrupt the status quo, we create a contradictory message between our words and our overall intentions. This guide will help us develop an inclusive, shared vocabulary, allowing our words to match the true intentions of our work.
Language is constantly changing. The terms in this guide could soon be out of date. Even though this guide is comprehensive, there are groups, identities, terms, and nuances we’ve most likely missed. We know this language will not resonate with everyone, and that we will make mistakes as we continue to learn.
We realize that not everyone will agree or identify with the terms we’ve used. These are terms we have chosen to create a shared language for our work around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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NPR: Why You Probably Shouldn’t Say Eskimo
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/24/475129558/why-you-probably-shouldnt-say-eskimo
Last updated
September 21, 2023
Washington Post: Why We Should Stop Labeling Students ‘At-Risk’--and the Best Alternative
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/01/23/why-we-should-stop-labeling-students-risk-best-alternative/
Education Week: ‘At-Promise’? Can a New Term for ‘At-Risk’ Change a Student’s Trajectory?
https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/at-promise-can-a-new-term-for-at-risk-change-a-students-trajectory/2020/01
Eric Digest: Alternatives for At-Risk and Out-of-School Youth
https://www.ericdigests.org/2005-1/risk.htm
Last updated
September 29, 2023
CBS News: Not all Black people are African American. Here’s the Difference.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/not-all-black-people-are-african-american-what-is-the-difference/
New York Times: Why We’re Capitalizing Black
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/05/insider/capitalized-black.html?.?mc=aud_dev&ad-keywords=auddevgate&gclid=CjwKCAjwwsmLBhACEiwANq-tXCE__sNAIjvZPpQK4npdqNJ4M3ZyXmLNrLDWDr9-WJTRDn-8A7IdoBoCkaYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Last updated
August 30, 2023
APA Style: Bias-Free Language–Disability
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/disability
ADA: Guidelines for Writing about People with Disabilities
https://adata.org/factsheet/ADANN-writing
USA Today: ‘I am not ashamed’: Disability advocates, experts implore you to stop saying ‘special needs’
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2021/06/11/disabled-not-special-needs-experts-explain-why-never-use-term/7591024002/
Gernsbacher, M. A., Raimond, A. R., Balinghasay, M. T., & Boston, J. S. (2016). “Special needs” is an ineffective euphemism. Cognitive research: principles and implications, 1(1), 1-13.
Last updated
August 30, 2023
New York Times: What is DACA? And Where Does It Stand Now?
https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-daca.html
Last updated
August 30, 2023
National Center for Institutional Diversity: Identifying and Disrupting Deficit Thinking
https://medium.com/national-center-for-institutional-diversity/identifying-and-disrupting-deficit-thinking-cbc6da326995
The Education Trust: Questioning the Deficit
https://edtrust.org/the-equity-line/questioning-deficit/
Inside Higher Ed: Beyond a Deficit View
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/04/19/importance-viewing-minority-low-income-and-first-generation-students-assets-essay
Last updated
August 30, 2023
University of South Carolina-Aiken
https://www.usca.edu/diversity-initiatives/training-resources/guide-to-inclusive-language/inclusive-language-guide/file
Oregon Health & Science University
https://www.ohsu.edu/sites/default/files/2021-03/OHSU%20Inclusive%20Language%20Guide_031521.pdf
Education Writers Association: Guide for Inclusive Coverage
https://www.ewa.org/reporter-guide/ewa-reporter-guide-inclusive-coverage
Last updated
August 30, 2023
American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/general-principles
Conscious Style Guide
https://consciousstyleguide.com/
The Diversity Style Guide
https://www.diversitystyleguide.com/
GLAAD Media Reference Guide
https://www.glaad.org/reference
Native American Journalist Association
https://najanewsroom.com/reporting-guides/
National Association of Black Journalists
https://www.nabj.org/page/styleguide
National Center on Disability and Journalism
https://ncdj.org/style-guide/
Last updated
August 30, 2023
APA Style Guide: Gender
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/gender
Last updated
August 30, 2023
GLAAD: Media Reference Guide
https://www.glaad.org/reference/lgbtq
GLAAD Blog: What is Pansexuality? 4 pan celebs explain in their own words
https://www.glaad.org/blog/what-pansexuality-4-pan-celebs-explain-their-own-words
GLAAD: An Ally’s Guide to Terminology
https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/allys-guide-to-terminology_1.pdf
Asexuality.org
https://asexuality.org/?q=overview.html
The Gay Center
https://gaycenter.org/
Chicago Tribune: As the abbreviation grows, what does LGBTQIA stand for?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct_lgbtqia_letters_defined-htmlstory.html
Last updated
August 30, 2023
Pew Research Center: Who is Hispanic?
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/23/who-is-hispanic/
Vox: LatinX is growing in popularity. I made a comic to help you understand why.
https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/15/20914347/latin-latina-latino-latinx-means
Last updated
August 30, 2023
Sotto-Santiago Sylk. (2019). Time to Reconsider the Word Minority in Academic Medicine. Journal of Best Practices in Health Professions Diversity, 12(1), 72–78.
The Baltimore Sun: ‘Minoritized’ a Violent Word
https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-0328-minoritized-word-20190320-story.html
National Association of Hispanic Journalists: Drop the Use of Minority when Referencing Communities of Color
https://nahj.org/2020/08/04/nahj-asks-newsrooms-to-drop-the-use-of-minority/
Last updated
August 30, 2023
National Public Radio (NPR): Today’s College Students Aren’t Who You Think They Are
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/09/04/638561407/todays-college-students-arent-who-you-think-they-are
Last updated
August 30, 2023
National Public Radio (NPR): Census Bureau: No Middle Eastern or North African Checkbox
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/10/813922175/census-bureau-no-middle-eastern-or-north-african-check-box
Last updated
August 30, 2023
Amnesty International: Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, Migrants
https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants/
BBC News: Asylum Seekers, Migrants, or Refugees: Which Word is Correct?
https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-46747502
BBC News: The Battle Over the Words Used to Describe Migrants
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34061097
Washington Post: Is it Time to Ditch the Word Migrant?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/08/24/is-it-time-to-ditch-the-word-migrant/
Last updated
August 30, 2023
APA Style Guide: Socioeconomic Status
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/socioeconomic-status
Why We Don’t Use the Term Homeless or Homeless Person
https://my.neighbor.org/terms-the-homeless-or-homeless-people/
Last updated
August 30, 2023
There are negative connotations associated with the term “special needs.” This term came into use because of the misconception that the terms “disabled” and “disability” were inappropriate to use. Special needs was adapted as a euphemism. Many people assume the word “special” in this context means “good,” but it has been twisted into an insult by some.
In legal terms, people with disabilities have certain rights under law, but this same distinction does not always apply when utilizing the term special needs. Lisette Torres-Gerald, board secretary for the National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities states in a USA Today article on the topic: “My needs are not ‘special;’ they are the same, human needs that everyone else has, and I should be able to fully participate in society just as much as the next person.”
Last updated
August 30, 2023
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Who Are You Calling Underprivileged?
https://www.chronicle.com/article/who-are-you-calling-underprivileged/
ATTN: 5 Once Common Phrases with Troubling Histories
https://archive.attn.com/stories/16834/common-words-nobody-actually-uses-anymore
Medium: How to Fix a Broken Tongue
https://natalie4health.medium.com/how-to-fix-a-broken-tongue-cade93816add
Last updated
August 30, 2023
Associated Press (AP): Why we will lowercase white
https://blog.ap.org/announcements/why-we-will-lowercase-white
University of Minnesota: Time to Phase Out “Caucasian”
https://med.umn.edu/news-events/time-phase-out-caucasian
Last updated
August 30, 2023
Recently, the education field has moved away from the narrative of “serving” students with disabilities toward the language of “teaching” or “educating” students with disabilities. The language of “serving” and “service” had the unwitting effect of making it seem that these students are primarily meant to be “tended to” and not educated and that teachers are accountable for students’ comfort and not their learning.
Last updated
August 30, 2023
Example to use
Let’s improve the ways teachers educate students with disabilities.
Compare to this example not to use
Let’s improve how teachers serve students with disabilities.