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Words with Dignity: Embracing Person-First Language

Explore the power of person-first language in acknowledging individuals with disabilities respectfully. Words have the ability to either empower or marginalize, emphasizing the person over their disability. Learn how language shapes perceptions and fosters understanding and inclusion.

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Words with Dignity: Embracing Person-First Language

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  1. Person First Languageis about Respect Dignity Understanding

  2. Legislative change IDEA • Changed from handicapped children to individuals with disabilities. • Individual is placed before the disability • Words are powerful ways to acknowledge and marginalize.

  3. Person-first Language “No person is a label and no person should be reduced to a single characteristic (Lieberman & Arndt, 2004:33) Emphasizes the person, not the disability by person first. Child who is blind instead of blind child.

  4. Person-first Language Individuals with disabilities are “normal” in many ways. The term abnormal has a pejorative implication. All people, laugh, cry, get angry, feel pain, get excited and want to be accepted and have fun. Avoid language that projects struggle, pain, unfortunate, afflicted, victim of or suffering. Person-first language describes what the person has not what the person is.

  5. Change the negative phrase to a positive phrase • Handicapped person • Cerebral palsy victim • A Downs • Dumb, mute • Wheelchair bound or confined • Autistic child • Epileptic • Retarded, retard, • Midget

  6. More Changes He is a sped student - He receives special education services She is brain damaged - She has a brain injury. She has a problem with - She needs… Use typical children Use general Physical Education class

  7. Focus on the strengths • Mention what the child can do, not what the child cannot do. He can’t use a regular ball. She can’t kick a soccer ball He uses a foam ball She can kick a stationary ball

  8. Person-first languageWords with dignity www.Disabilityisnatural.com

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