Global Special Education Initiative

Mental health should be a part of our discussions, as teachers, all year long. While the mental health of our students is important, we must also be open about our own struggles as well. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2020/05/15/during-mental-health-awareness-month-lets-talk-illness-iowa/5198796002/

We all do it. When talking about individuals within our society, we have a habit of framing them within a defining characteristic. Our behaviors, whether intentional or unintentional, may actually be pushing forward stereotypes and associations that impede our efforts to make diversity awareness a pillar in our society. Identify-first language is when we see a person as an individual before we see their attributes. For example, if we see a girl and she has brown hair, we wouldn't call her the brown-haired girl. We would say, in identity-first language, the girl with brown hair. The former implies that the girl is a part of her hair, but the latter makes the girl the focus of our attention and we can identify her attributes. When it comes to individuals with disabilities, the same protocol should be followed, as their status as human beings is primary to their disability category. Here are a few examples: YES : Boy with autism    NO : Autistic boy YES : Baby with Down Synd...