New language guide for education: ‘staying graded’ becomes ‘doubling’
The Landelijk Aktie Komitee Scholieren (LAKS) is today releasing a new language guide for education. In it, distinctive and undesirable terms, such as ‘white and black schools’, are replaced by more inclusive words.
With the glossary, the LAKS wants to ‘contribute to a more inclusive school climate in which every pupil is equal’. This would increase equality of opportunity. By the way, it is not about forbidden words, but about tips for more inclusive language use.
good morning all
The phrasebook provides alternatives to distinctive terms, such as addressing the class as “good morning boys and girls.” LAKS prefers to use a word like ‘students’ or ‘all’. They also prefer ‘that/that’ rather than ‘he/she’. The school organization also advises teachers not to divide students into groups based on gender from now on.
More inclusive language use
The use of terms such as ‘white and black schools’ and ‘disadvantaged students’ is a thing of the past as far as LAKS is concerned. This also applies to the word ‘disabled child’, which they prefer to replace with ‘pupil with a disability’. If it is up to the school organization, we will no longer be talking about children who remain seated, but about ‘doubles’. According to LAKS chairman Janouke van Meerveld, that word has a less negative connotation. “The fact that you double does not always mean that you are less good at school,” she tells AD. The terms from the list are not an obligation, but an advice.
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