WHAT'S IN A WORD?

Language matters!

I have a really good friend who has some quirky traits. She colour codes her pegs when hanging out washing. She has certain ways of stacking a dishwasher that cannot be messed with. She will change her clothes a thousand times before leaving the house. Okay slight exageration here but you get the drift. There are certain chairs she will not sit on. Now going by this description we could say she has OCD tendencies. Or we could even describe her as being silly, non-compliant and a time waster. And if someone interfered with her hanging-out-the-washing ritual she may get quite angry and go inside to have a melt down. She also has one or two phobias.

This friend is also a lovely, kind, incredibly talented individual who runs her own business, juggles the needs of her family and is a valued member of her local community.

For many years people with disabilities have been labelled and assessed by their deficits. Anyone who has had to deal with enrolling a child with a disability in an education facility or applying for funding for support will know this method well. Can't do this, can't do that, needs assistance with this........blah, blah, blah. It's demeaning. The way we talk about ourselves or others can determine outcomes. If my friend applied for a job with her quirky traits listed on the application I doubt whether she'd be offered an interview. And yet people with disabilities wear these labels all the time.

We recently shared an Ooen Future Learning video on our Facebook page (see link here http://www.facebook.com/open.futurelearning/videos/1741725816062284/ )
Johnny ".....was what the staff called a runner." (I've heard that term so many times too)  And of course for reasons of safety it's important to identify that someone likes to run (away?).  But problems arise when that defines someone and becomes a problem to be solved as we see clearly in the video. Another way of saying 'X is a runner' might be something such as 'X really enjoys running'.  By describing someone as a runner and seeing that as a problem doesn't really lead anywhere other than stopping 'the problem'.  Using phrases such as 'X really likes to run' opens up new ways to think and create opportunities for using someone's strengths, likes, dislikes etc.  Maybe X would like to join the local long distance running club or athletics.  Maybe doing letter box drops in communities where houses are spaced some distances apart would provide  him with some income at the same time as indulging his passion for running.  Of course there may be many reasons why somebody wants or needs to run but the same principle applies. Try and understand why the 'behaviour' is occurring, look for other ways that might fulfill the same need. And always involve the individual in making decisions about their lives.

How we speak about people and the language we use can determine how others see them.  If we describe people using the deficit model such as X can't do this, can't do that, needs help to do this etc then others will take their cue from this and act accordingly.  If we describe someone as a runner  and then do everything we can to stop them running, how much damage might we be doing? If we can use language that identifies strengths as well as support needs a different view can be presented.  By saying  'X is really good at running and enjoys it and needs support to stay safe when running' we open up a conversation about what X is good at and how we can best support him to do what he enjoys.  X may well need someone with him when he runs. X may be assisted to identify risks when running.  X might be supported to identify safe places to run. By framing a perceived problem in a different way new opportunities can emerge that offer X possibilities for a good life, doing something that he loves.

Language matters!