Tes- school’s are full of harmful sexist language
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/schools-are-full-harmful-sexist-language%3famp
In this article, the writer talks about the language used in schools to address others ( particularly focusing on the teacher-student relationship ) and whether it is appropriate in a world where gender roles are far from what they were back in the 40s and gender itself is becoming less and less of a binary as time goes on.
The writer, Nicole Ponsford, believes that while reverting to the masculine singular is grammatically correct, this is an ‘unnecessary tradition’ and ‘a means of bias we do not often think to address.’
She advocates for the idea that, particularly in schools, language should be more inclusive so that we are not exposing children to gender-related stereotypes through socialisation at a young age. She argues that other countries around the world, like Portugal, have managed to come up with one term for teachers of all genders, so why can’t the UK? As a result of using ‘miss’ and ‘sir’ to address a teacher based on their gender, we are giving young people the message that difference in gender equals difference in behaviour and influences the way you are addressed, which shouldn’t be the case.
Graham Andre, who had his classroom filmed for a BBC documentary, thinks that if people are working with children, they should ‘think about the language you are using to address them’, so that you are not exposing them to potentially harmful stereotypes without meaning to.
Ponsford sums up the article by expressing the importance of ‘educating ourselves on how to be more inclusive and respectful of those around us through difficult conversations, knowing our blind spots, creating new traditions and being open to learning.’
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/schools-are-full-harmful-sexist-language%3famp
In this article, the writer talks about the language used in schools to address others ( particularly focusing on the teacher-student relationship ) and whether it is appropriate in a world where gender roles are far from what they were back in the 40s and gender itself is becoming less and less of a binary as time goes on.
The writer, Nicole Ponsford, believes that while reverting to the masculine singular is grammatically correct, this is an ‘unnecessary tradition’ and ‘a means of bias we do not often think to address.’
She advocates for the idea that, particularly in schools, language should be more inclusive so that we are not exposing children to gender-related stereotypes through socialisation at a young age. She argues that other countries around the world, like Portugal, have managed to come up with one term for teachers of all genders, so why can’t the UK? As a result of using ‘miss’ and ‘sir’ to address a teacher based on their gender, we are giving young people the message that difference in gender equals difference in behaviour and influences the way you are addressed, which shouldn’t be the case.
Graham Andre, who had his classroom filmed for a BBC documentary, thinks that if people are working with children, they should ‘think about the language you are using to address them’, so that you are not exposing them to potentially harmful stereotypes without meaning to.
Ponsford sums up the article by expressing the importance of ‘educating ourselves on how to be more inclusive and respectful of those around us through difficult conversations, knowing our blind spots, creating new traditions and being open to learning.’
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